Egyháztörténeti Szemle 15. (2014)
2014 / 1. szám - SUMMARIES IN ENGLISH - Szvitek Róbert József: Animosities between Lutherans and Calvinists of the Transdanubian region in the 1630s
158 Egvháztörténeti Szemle XV/1 (2014) Animosities between Lutherans and Calvinists of the Transdanubian region in the 1630s Szvitek, Róbert József The essay describes the animosities in the 1630s between the Protestants living in Zala and Somogy Counties at that time mostly under Turkish Rule, through the dispute that took place in 1631-32 between Calvinist Bishop János Kanizsai Pálfi and Lutheran Bishop Bertalan Kis over a letter written by the priests of Kiskomárom to the Agha of Szigetvár. It is stated that it was the Calvinists who had more losses in the given period. Settlements of Zala and Somogy Counties that were known to have converted to Protestantism were situated in two separate blocks. The exact number of congregations occupied by Lutherans however cannot be determined from the sporadic available data. One probable reason for the Lutherans gaining ground could be that in 1625 Transdanubian Calvinists lost their most influential supporter, Ferenc Batthyány, the last Calvinist peer of the Transdanubian region. His widow, Éva Lobkowitz Poppel, who was Lutheran, tried to fill the emptied posts for Calvinist priests with Lutherans. Their son, Ádám converted to Catholicism in 1629. This created a new situation with terrible consequences for both Protestant congregations within a few years. On 9 January 1634 Ádám Batthyány ordered all the Calvinist and Lutheran priests on his land to leave their offices at 15 days’ notice. The execution of the order was mostly successfully delayed in fortifications along the borders, but there were some places where Catholicisation was met with successful resistance from the priests and the Protestant residents as well. At the time of the two Protestant bishops’ correspondence Ádám Batthyányi attempts of Catholicisation although could already be traced but did not yet reach a dramatic level. At the same time the main protector of the Lutherans was Pál Nádas- dy, who had the largest estate of all the Lutheran landlords of the Transdanubian region. He was also the highest-ranking military officer of the region being the Captain of the fortresses opposite Kanizsa as well as the regional Captain of Transdanubia. The Lutherans led by Bishop Bertalan Kis under the protection of the great lord were cherishing hopes to have an opportunity to procure more and more souls from the Calvinists who had lost their patron, thus hopefully they could strengthen their position. The number of Lutheran congregations supported by Pál Nádasdy increased substantially in the Transdanubian region just a few years after the death of Ferenc Batthyány and even after Ádám Batthyány was Catholicised. This expansion is also proven by the correspondence of the two bishops; the case of the priests from Kiskomár contributed to the destruction of Calvinist reputation and also served as a cause for Lutherans to continue with their expansion.
