Ihász István - Pintér János szerk.: Történeti Muzeológiai Szemle: A Magyar Múzeumi Történész Társulat Évkönyve 6. (Budapest, 2006)

II. Módszertan - Műhely - Közlemények - H. Bathó Edit: Rákóczi és a jászok

May. Soon afterwards, Ferenc Rákóczi II placed himself at the head of the disaffected. The totally desparate Jazygians were among the first to support the cause of Rákóczi. As early as in 1703, the Jazygians sought to contact the prince and wrote him letters to ask for his help. On the urge of Rákóczi, the Jazygians started to group together and form the famous noble Jazygian regiment. The prince, already at the outbreak, settled the constitutional status of the Cumanians and Jazygians. In his decree of 27 October 1703, in Tokaj, he abrogated the seigniory of the teutonic Order in Jászkun, and appointed a nobleman of Vaja, Szabolcs County, Ádám Vajai, his court marshal, captain-general of Jászkun. The war of independence, however, was put down and the Jazygians found themselves again under the Teutonic Order's authority. They succeeded to regain freedom only after 35 years, in 1745. Rákóczi visited Jászberény during the war of independence several times. Several memorials commemorate his visits. The Prince was handed over the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which was sent by Philip V, in Jászberény on 24 March 1710. During his stay in Jászberény, he was living at the main square in a house, which unfortunately did not survive. A huge oak-tree was standing in Lajos Kossuth Street, which was traditionally called the tree of Rákóczi. Rákóczi was deathless in folk traditions, which is exemplified by various beliefs connected to his personality: for instance, if the foal came into the world with teeth, Ferenc Rákóczi would return, or when the wind blew and rattled the window, the Jazygians used to say that it's time to go, Rákóczi was knocking. The collection of the Jazygian Museum also preserves some relics from the era: Rákóczi glass, money chest of Rákóczi, box of Panna Czinka, coins, head portrait of Ferenc Rákóczi II painted by Mór Than. The 300

th anniversary of the Rákóczi War of Independence was commemorated in the Jászság with special respect. The festival took place on 8 November 2003 in Jászkisér, where the special guest was the actor Tibor Bitskey, the main character of the film The Lieutenant of Rákóczi, made in 1953. In the same year, the bust of Ferenc Rákóczi II, made from bronze by the artist Mihály Szanics, was also unveiled to honour the anniversary.