Takács Imre: Az Árpád-házi királyok pecsétjei (Corpus sigillorum hungariae mediaevalis 1. Budapest, 2012)

Catalogue

25.

Andrew II (1205-1235)

Second great seal

before 1216 (1213?) - 1229

diam: 108 mm

The composition and figure style corresponds to Andrew IPs gold seal. Both are early Hungarian examples of classical Gothic, and very high-standard representatives of the royal court’s French tastes. The reason for destroying the first great seal and having a new matrix engraved is mentioned in a 1216 document: Verum quia presentis privilegii series prioris sigilli nostri munimine, quod in occisione regine Gertrudis nostre dilectissime coniugis fuit deperditum, consign ata fuerat, presentem paginam renovandam fore dignum duximus et alio sigillo, quod contra false canillacionis dolositates, quae possent accidere, parari fecimus, ... in perpetuum roboravimus... (MOL DL 80; see Wenzel XI, 133). One of György Fray’s engraving reproductions (Pray, Tab. II/2) definitely shows this seal (bearing the counter seal of Béla IV as junior king) even though the artist borrowed the drawing of the throne from the previous great seal.

Two-line legend in line frame with double dots in both lines (ligatures: AN, AR, AL, AC, AM; uncials: N, M). outer legend:

ANDREAS D(E)I GRA(CIA) VNGARIE DALMAG IE CRGACIE RAME S(ER)VIE GALICIE REX inner legend:

SIGILL(VM) SECVNDI ANDREE REGIS f ERG 11 BELE REGIS FILII

Originals:

Budapest, Hungarian National Archives, DL. 86, 110.

Pannonhalma, Benedictine Archabbey Archives, c. 1. B.

Esztergom, Primatical Archives, Seal Collection, n. 1.

Copies:

Budapest History Museum, inv. no. 66.1883, 66.1884.

Budapest, Hungarian National Archives, VI 21,22.

Budapest, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Art History, inv. no. 154.

Pray, Tab. 11/2, I1I/2; MonStrig I, Tab. V; Csánki 1889, fig. 1/1; Marczali 1896, p. 692, fig. p. 399; Áldássy 1902, p. 329; Szentpétery 1916, pp. 2-3, 5-6; Dory 1917, pp. 18, 28; Bartoniek 1924, pp. 16, 22, 26; Szentpétcry 1930, pp. 1 12, 1 14; Gerevich 1938, p. 212; Makkai - Mczey 1960, fig. 17; Marsina I, pp. 361 -62, Tab. XX/6a-b; Megpecsételt történelem, p. 24; Bodor 2001, p. 6, fig. 19.

26.

Andrew 11(120 5-1235)

Gold bulla before 1217- 1235

pressed gold plate, soldered together from more than one piece, hollow; diam: 67 mm, t: 9 mm

Hollow disc of two round, pressed gold plates and one long, ribbon plate soldered together. The elegant composition on the front, including the universe symbols it contains, follows that of Andrew II’s second royal seal, in service before 1216. It also echoes the Gothic style of the figure. The heraldic shield on the reverse uses the harry of eight coat of arms introduced on Emeric’s gold seal, with some modifications. The lions are placed in the even rather than the odd fields, and new elements are the miniature shields in the central axis of the shield between the lion figures and the symmetric arrangement of the animal figures turned towards the shields.

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