Sófalvi András - Visy Zsolt (szerk.): Tanulmányok a székelység középkori és fejedelemség kori történelméből - Énlaka konferenciák 3. (Énlaka - Székelyudvarhely, 2012)
Bordi Zsigmond Loránd: 13 - 14. századi magánvárak Kovászna megyében
TANULMÁNYOK A SZÉKELYSÉG KÖZÉPKORI ÉS FEJEDELEMSÉG KORI TÖRTÉNELMÉBŐL Nobiliary Castles from the 13thT4th Century in Covasna County (Abstract) According to a research based on a four-point criteria (diplomas, possession, existence of donjons, findings which can be considered luxury) of the medieval fortifications located in Covasna county, it has turned out that only six of them belongs to the category of private castles. Torja (Turia) - Bálványos-castle. The castle consists of a donjon, a cistern and a small chapel built in the upper fort and the external fortification, the lower fort. It is mentioned in a few documents from the 14th century, and it was built by the Apor clan at the beginning of the same century. Sepsibükszád (Bixad) - Vápa-castle. The fortress was built in two periods. In the first stage the wall was built along the line of the ditches of the already existing prehistoric and ancient fortifications, and it was completed with a tower later in the second stage of the building. With the help of sporadic medieval findings it turned out that the premises of the fort date from the l4-15th centuries, but we have no information about the builders or owners. Sepsibükszád (Bixad) — Sólyomkő-castle. The small fortification lies on the Sólyomkő cliff, getting its name from it. It might be dated from the second part of the 14th century, it is mentioned in a document from 1366, and it was the property of the noble family of Hidvég. Erősd (Ariuşd) - Csókás-fort. The fortress lies on a crescent-shaped terrace, fortified on the northern side with an arch-shaped earthwork and stone wall. It probably was a medieval royal fortification, built in the place of a settlement form the early Iron Age, owned by a nobleman, and it was destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1241, and never rebuilt again. Csernáton (Cérnát) - Csonka(Ika)-castle. An elongated fortress located on the ridge between two streams. On its southern side there is a circular donjon with six levels. On its northern end some ruins of another building are visible. On its premises there have been gathered findings from the 14th century. We don’t have any information about the date of construction or about the owners, but it is possible that they are the family of Andreas, son of Uduor, mentioned in a document in 1307. Lemhény (Lemnia) - Almás-castle. A fortress with an interior tower and a roundcornered triangle ground-plan adapted to the relief. Due to the lack of any archaeological findings we may only presumably date it from the 13T4th century. The existence of private castles in the region makes it possible that the Szekler nobility had evolved earlier than it was thought before, and their location in the area suggests that the development of the medieval administration should be reinterpreted. 137
