Petercsák Tivadar - Berecz Mátyás (szerk.): Magyarország védelme - Európa védelme - Studia Agriensia 24. (Eger, 2006)
AZ EGRI VÁR DIADALA - 1552 - KENYERES ISTVÁN: Az egri várbirtok igazgatása a 16. században
István Kenyeres THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE EGER CASTLE ESTATES DURING THE 16TH CENTURY The estates of the bishop of Eger were some of the most substantial in medieval Hungary. Their importance continued to grow following the Battle of Mohács, when Eger Castle became one of the most important border fortresses in its part of the country. It was from the castle that the bishopric governed its extensive estates, collected the episcopal tithes from the northeastern part of the country, and administered those substantial properties then under Turkish control (like for example the Kis and Nagykunság). It was from the incomes coming in from their enormous estates that the bishopric was able to maintain its substantial armed forces. The study examines the administrative system of the Eger estates and the role of their participating officials. Having outlined the medieval precedents we examine the administration of the estates for the period from 1548, when Eger fell into royal hands. In the initial period between 1548 and 1563 the bishops enjoyed only partial control of the estates. Only one third of the incomes could be used for the bishop’s upkeep, while the other two thirds were spent embursing the soldiers and financing building operations at the castle respectively. Up until 1558 it was the castellan-steward (castellanus et provisor), in other words the prefect, who acted as the head of the castle and the estates, next to whom stood another castellan (castellanus) who participated in the leadership of the castle garrison. Beside the castellan-steward was the mling monarch’s auditor (contrascriba Regis), who both oversaw the activities of the steward of the estates, and managed the state incomes the monarch assigned to Eger (the Kis and Nagykunság, for example). After 1558 the office of the castellan-steward was split in two, from which time the castle was administered militarily by two castellans, while the estates were overseen by an independent steward. Although the position of royal auditor was rechristened ratio- nista, having once been contrascriba, the extent of its powers remained the same. From 1563 the bishop of Eger waived the incomes that were due to him, the estates coming instead under the control of the chamber (1563-67 the Hungarian Royal Chamber based in Pozsony [now Bratislava, Slovakia], 114
