Salló Szilárd (szerk.): A Csíki Székely Múzeum Évkönyve 10. (Csíkszereda, 2014)
Történelem - Tüdős S. Kinga: „Kinek jó levele nem volna.” Adalékok a fejedelemségkori székelyföldi jobbágyok címeresleveleinek történetéhez
TÜDŐS S. KINGA “WHO WOULDN'T HAVE A GOOD LETTER” CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF THE ARMORIAL LETTERS BELONGING TO SERFS FROM SZEKLER LAND, DURING THE PERIOD OF THE TRANSYLVANIAN PRINCIPALITY Abstract Those who lived as serfs in Transylvania, during the period of the principalities and had enough power, talent and steadiness, only waited the right moment to confirm themselves, in order to emerge poverty and become members of the noble class. Joining a Szekler military class, also meant that one gained the right and liberty to serve his country in military actions. The claim of those living as serfs - and not only - to obtain a parchment that would ensure an ascension in hierarchy, respectively nobility titles had to be proved by their merits, first of all. However, in some cases, there were exceptions, when the aspirant besides his merits and efforts could get the parchment ensuring his rise in hierarchy on the black market. The so-called litterae Armeies (armorial letters) issued in Transylvania, during the time of the principalities, could be exlcusively granted by the prince. Additionally, a serf could acquire an armorial letter, only after obtaining a letter which stated that he had been dispensed from the landowner’s subservency. Actually, the possibility of liberation, led to the emergence of an interesting and ingenious practice, which made possible for both parties to benefit from the unfavourable situation in many cases. There were instances too when some serfs, in order to avoid the complicated dependency from their landonwers, were not afraid to forge the certificates. In most cases, they used the certificates of deceased families, while on other occasions they commited the offence against the law by buying the certificate. Taking into consideration, that getting an armorial letter was expensive for a serf, only those having sufficient financial support undertook the task of obtaining individualized armorial letters for themselves and their families, for the sake of personal security, during the insecure times of the Szekler freedom rights. 258
