Bányai Balázs - Kovács Eleonóra (szer.): A"Zichy-expedíció"- Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei. A. sorozat 48. (Székesfehérvár, 2013)
The "Zichy Expedition"
THE SZENTMIHÁLY BRANCH, EARLY YEARS OF JENŐ ZICHY 193 in addition to decapitation. After some hesitation, Zichy - upon being pressured by György Szelepcsény, the archbishop of Esztergom and Antal Róttál, imperial advisor - supported the most severe punisment, the complete confiscation of the fortune.'9 He fell out of the court’s trust nonetheless. This loss was not only because of his indecision, but because he, as a president of the chamber, managed to preserve the Hungarian lands of justiciar Ferenc Nádasdy after his capture and the sacking of his castle in Pottendorf. He also kept the trust of the protestant orders during his office.20 King Leopold relieved him of his presidency the next year.21 Fact is however, that he received the royal purchasing rights to the lands of the widow of palatine Wesselényi. After the discovery of Wesselényid conspiracy the transfer of the holding was first postponed, then cancelled because of the confiscation of the fortune. The huge material damage was compensated with the donation of a land taken from Nádasdy.22 The services of István Zichy - at the time living in Oroszvár - were not forgotten. He was named count by the ruler in 1679. He was appointed lord lieutenant of County Moson and first doormaster in 1681.23 In the same year he received the manor in Divény taken from Imre Balassa. In 1690 he was named treasurer by Leopold I.24 István Zichy died in 1693.25 THE SZENTMIHÁLY BRANCH, EARLY YEARS OF JENŐ ZICHY In the age of the landclaimer’s grandson János (1673-1724) the count-line split into two branches: the Palota branch and the Oroszvár branch. Founder of the Oroszvár branch was Jenő Zichy’s great-grandfather count István Zichy (1722-1769), the imperial and royal chamberlain, captain of the Pálffy-regiment and resident lord-lieutenant of County Komárom. In the age of his sons, the fortune was further divided, and Jenő Zichy’s grandfather Ferenc (1749-1812) became the lord of the Vedrőd branch with the manors in Seregélyes, Ciffer and Szentmihály. Like his father, Ferenc was entitled imperial and royal chamberlain and advisor of the Hungarian Royal Chamber. He was the administrator of County Békés in 1777 and County Pest in 1784. Later he became lord-lieutenant of County Zemplén, secret advisor and cup-bearer. He was the president of several important committees of the National Assembly in 1790-1792. He was named lord-lieutenant of County Veszprém in 1792.26 He had eleven children from his two wives. Therefore the fortune was further divided and three new centers created: Seregélyes (County Fejér), Ciffer (County Pozsony) and Szentmihály (today: Sárszentmihály). The latter was inherited by Ödön (called Edmund following the German equivalent of his name Ödön, 1811-1894), born from his father’s second marriage. He
