Gyulai Éva - Viga Gyula (szerk.): Történet - muzeológia : Tanulmányok a múzeumi tudományok köréből a 60 éves Veres László tiszteletére (Miskolc, 2010)

MEDIEVISZTIKA - Havassy Péter: Borsod vármegye 14-15. századi nádori közgyűlései

related to seisin (the validation of the acquisition of property) and the like were frequent matters brought before the assemblies held in County Borsod too. Law 29 of 1298 decreed that the assemblies were to be held from spring to autumn, and were thus forbidden in winter. Even so, we know that the Judge Royal László Pálóczi was still presiding over the Borsod congregatio in Sajószentpéter on December 23, 1466. In County Borsod, the assemblies were generally held in June, September and October (on three occasions), in May, July and August (on two occasions), and once in December. On the testimony of the documentary evidence, most assemblies were begun on Monday (feria secunda) except if it coincided with an important holiday or if the Palatine happened to stay longer than expected in another county. Of the assemblies held in County Borsod, nine began on a Monday, four on a Wednesday, two on a Tuesday and one on a Saturday. Holidays were disregarded if they did not fall on a Monday; at the same time we know that the assembly could not be concluded because of Pentecost and was simply suspended. The assemblies were held in different locations during the 14th century, most often at (Sajó)Kaza, while they were convened at (Sajó)Szentpéter in the 15h century. The Palatine usually travelled with a large retinue. He was often accompanied by the VicePalatine and a royal protonotary. the King's procurator, the Palatine's chapter, notary and fine collectors, as well as the Palatine's men for performing the perambulations. The assemblies were regularly attended by a member of the Fehérvár chapter, who acted as the official of the place of authentication (loca credibilia). The drawing up of the charters called for the presence of the chancellery's staff. The county was obliged to provide lodgings and provisions for the Palatine's retinue: the necessary funds were secured by levying a special tax known as the victualiapalatinalia, usually between 30-50 marks. The King sometimes granted exemption from this heavy burden. The assembly was announced for the county's entire population (at least during the greater part of the 14th century) with the following formula: universis nobilibus et ignobilibus in comitatu N. constitutis. The charters, however, record that in most cases, the congregatio comprised only the universitatis nobilium (the body of the nobles), and County Borsod was no exception in this respect. The obligation to personally attend the assembly was not always fulfilled because the nobles could send a lawyer in their stead. Similarly to the assemblies of the Árpádian Age. the palatine assemblies were attended by the comes (ispán), the vicecomes (vie

e-ispán) and the noble judges. One new feature of the assemblies of the Angevin period was the appointment of jurors (iurati assessores) who were chosen from the county's population. After the list of names was presented to the Palatine, the jurors swore the oath together with the vie e-ispán and the noble judges. In 1409, for example, when the assembly was held in Sajószentpéter, the officials and the litigating parties swore the oath in the local church dedicated to St. Nicholas. The counties were also obliged to ensure the announcers and proclamators (proclamatores

) for the assembly: most of the individuals performing this service were privileged tenant peasants. Although this obligation only affected the assemblies convened by the King or the Palatine, the performance of this duty remained the obligation of the population of the given settlement from generation to generation. In addition to the proclamators, there were also recitatores, who announced the findings of the investigations. Law 12 of 1447 records that Governor János Hunyadi could only convene a generalis congregatio if the county requested it. In 1464, his son Matthias decreed (Law 12) that the palatine courts should again be held according to the old custom. In 1467, most counties elected to pay a ransom and in 1473 to pay a tax (75 denars per plot) in exchange for exemption. Owing to the extremely strong opposition. King Matthias eventually abolished the institution of the palatine assembly and the proclamata congregatio generalis (Law 1) in 1486. Péter Havassy 336