B. Gál Edit – Veres Gábor szerk.: Agria 47. (Az Egri Múzeum Évkönyve - Annales Musei Agriensis, 2011)

B. Gál Edit: Orczy István társadalmi felemelkedésének előzményei

Edit B. Gál Background to the social ascent of István Orczy István Orczy, 'founder' of the Orczy family's baronial line belonged to a branch of middle nobility, who became an influential aristocrat in the first half of the 18

lh Century, as well as establisher of his dynasty's subsequent estate thanks to the influence acquired during his career spent in office, and his successful manoeuvring in politics. He was born in 1669-1670. His father was Gergely Orczy, mother Júlia Boda. He entered into Telekesy's service in 1694, and at the age of thirty together with at the time elderly 66 years old bishop he arrived in Eger in 1699. He started his career as an office-bearer by the side of the bishop. He quickly rose in the hierarchy. From 1704 he became estate governor at the head of the official hierarchy. In this way he acted as sort of a personal representative for the episcopal estate's master, particularly in legal and land policy matters. This 'personal episcopal emissary' role made him increasingly more well-known and more influential within the county. During the Rákóczi freedom fight, Orczy most likely influenced by Telekesy sided with the Prince, who after his entry into Eger in 1705 gladly stayed in Eger. He often saw the elderly bishop with whom he developed a very cordial relationship, and thus presumably came into closer contact with the estate governor too. This is certified by a permit, which the Prince issued on his behalf on 31

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t May 1706 in Újvár Castle to enable him to travel to Transdanubia and bring his father and mother to Eger. As a Heves County envoy, he took part in the national assembly at Ónod in 1707, where the dethronement of the House of Habsburg was declared. In 1708 in Patak he was elected as Commander of Heves County. In November 1710 he communicates by letter with Count János Pálffy, who regularly reports about the engagement of "Kuruc" (insurrectionist) forces. On 1 I

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h December 1710 he is appointed as Census-taking Counsel for the Fiscal Goods of Heves, Gömör, Borsod and Zemplén counties, and in the same year he becomes the first subprefect of Heves County. His political career from that time onward takes a steep upsweep and is fulfilled in 1731 with a title of the Holy Roman Empire and a Hungarian Barony in 1736. 189