Frank Szécsényi ( hu, Szécsényi Frank; died 1408), also Francis, was a Hungarian baron and military leader, who was a staunch supporter of King
Sigismund of Luxembourg. He participated in various military campaigns against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. In 1401, he joined the magnate conspiracy against Sigismund, but returned to the king's allegiance shortly thereafter, retaining his political influence until his death.
Family
Frank was born into the influential
Szécsényi family
The House of Szécsényi was a noble family of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 14-15th centuries. The ancestor of the family, Thomas descended from the ''gens'' ("clan") Kacsics. He was one of the most powerful barons of King Charles I of Hungary ...
as one of the three sons of
Kónya Szécsényi,
Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia ( hr, Hrvatski ban) was the title of local rulers or office holders and after 1102, viceroys of Croatia. From the earliest periods of the Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by bans as a ruler's representative (viceroy) an ...
and Elizabeth Haschendorfer, a daughter of Austrian noble Wulfing Haschendorfer from Haschendorf/Hasfalva (today part of
Neckenmarkt in
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
). His brothers were Nicholas (last mentioned in 1383) and
Simon
Simon may refer to:
People
* Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon
* Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon
* Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...
, also a baron and his strongest ally at political level. The Szécsényi family originated from the
Kacsics clan. Frank's grandfather was
Thomas Szécsényi
Thomas (I) Szécsényi ( hu, Szécsényi (I.) Tamás; died 1354) was a Hungarian powerful baron and soldier, who rose to prominence during King Charles I's war against the oligarchs. He belonged to the so-called "new aristocracy", who supported th ...
, who rose to prominence during King
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
's war against the
oligarchs
Oligarch may refer to:
Authority
* Oligarch, a member of an oligarchy, a power structure where control resides in a small number of people
* Oligarch (Kingdom of Hungary), late 13th–14th centuries
* Business oligarch, wealthy and influential bu ...
and received numerous land donations thereafter.
Indicating the social status of his family, Frank Szécsényi married Catherine Kont, the daughter of
Nicholas Kont
Nicholas Kont of Orahovica ( hr, Nikola Kont Orahovički, hu, raholcai Kont Miklós; *? - † before 16 April 1367) was a Croato- Hungarian nobleman, very powerful and influential in the royal court of king Louis the Angevin, serving as Count ...
,
Palatine of Hungary
The Palatine of Hungary ( hu, nádor or , german: Landespalatin, la, palatinus regni Hungariae) was the highest-ranking office in the Kingdom of Hungary from the beginning of the 11th century to 1848. Initially, Palatines were repres ...
, who was one of the leading magnates of King
Louis I of Hungary. They had two children, Ladislaus II and Elizabeth. After his wife's death, Szécsényi married to Anne Liszkói, the widow of Ladislaus Mikcsfi around 1393. The marriage produced two further daughters: Dorothea, who married
Stibor II of Stiboricz, and Catherine.
[Engel: ''Genealógia'' (Genus Kacsics, 4. Szécsényi branch)]
Career
Early career
His permanent seat was
Hollókő Castle, therefore he was frequently mentioned as Frank of Hollókő in contemporary documents. He first appeared in a charter in 1369 as an adult, when he was already legally able to act in possession cases. He was next mentioned in 1372, still without any specific honorary titles or dignities. In the next year, now as ''magister'', he led one of the Hungarian auxiliary troops in Italy to provide assistance to the
Carraresi
The House of Carrara or Carraresi (da Carrara) was an important family of northern Italy in the 12th to 15th centuries. The family held the title of Lords of Padua from 1318 to 1405.
Under their rule, Padua conquered Verona, Vicenza, Treviso, F ...
(or da Carrara) family and their paterfamilias
Francesco I, Lord of Padua, who fought a fruitless war against his powerful neighbor, the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
, also a major enemy of Louis I. Returning home, Szécsényi was appointed ''
ispán
The ispánRady 2000, p. 19.''Stephen Werbőczy: The Customary Law of the Renowned Kingdom of Hungary in Three Parts (1517)'', p. 450. or countEngel 2001, p. 40.Curta 2006, p. 355. ( hu, ispán, la, comes or comes parochialis, and sk, župan)Kirs ...
'' of
Vas and
Sopron
Sopron (; german: Ödenburg, ; sl, Šopron) is a city in Hungary on the Austrian border, near Lake Neusiedl/Lake Fertő.
History
Ancient times-13th century
When the area that is today Western Hungary was a province of the Roman Empire, a ...
Counties in 1374. Beside that he also functioned as castellan of the
castle of Kőszeg. He held simultaneously these three positions until 1379. A royal charter from August 1378 also referred to him as ''ispán'' of the adjacent
Zala County
Zala ( hu, Zala megye, ; ; ) is an administrative county ( comitatus or ''megye'') in south-western Hungary. It is named after the Zala River. It shares borders with Croatia ( Koprivnica–Križevci and Međimurje Counties) and Slovenia ( Lend ...
. Szécsényi was listed among the barons of the realm since 1380. He participated in
Charles of Durazzo's war against Queen
Joanna I of Naples
Joanna I, also known as Johanna I ( it, Giovanna I; December 1325 – 27 July 1382), was Queen of Naples, and Countess of Provence and Forcalquier from 1343 to 1382; she was also Princess of Achaea from 1373 to 1381.
Joanna was the eldest ...
in the first half of 1381. Following the death of Louis I, Szécsényi was made head of
Sáros County
Sáros (- Hungarian, Slovak: ''Šariš'', Latin: ''comitatus Sarossiensis'', German: ''Scharosch'') was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now in northeastern Slovakia. Today, Šariš is only an info ...
by
Queen Mary, serving in this capacity from 1382 to 1383. He again served as ''ispán'' of Vas and Sopron Counties and castellan of Kőszeg in the turbulent years of 1382–86 and as ''ispán'' of Zala County in 1383. As a supporter of the Queens against Charles of Durazzo, who claimed the Hungarian throne, in this respect, he was responsible for the protection of southern border at
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baran ...
against Charles' supporters, who rebelled against the rule of Mary.
Sigismund's partisan
The Szécsényi brothers were one of the earliest domestic partisans of Sigismund of Luxembourg, who arrived to Hungary to validate the marriage agreement with Queen Mary. Sigismund established a court as
Margrave of Brandenburg
This article lists the Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg during the period of time that Brandenburg was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Mark, or ''March'', of Brandenburg was one of the primary constituent states of the Hol ...
, after permanently settled in Hungary following the
Treaty of Győr. On several occasions, Frank Szécsényi instructed the chancellery's clerks to issue charters. After the queens' capture and imprisonment, Sigismund' influence grew which reached its peak at the rescue of Mary and his coronation as co-ruler on 31 March 1387. For his loyalty, Szécsényi was transferred to the rich urbanized
Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary is the usual English translation of ''Felvidék'' (literally: "Upland"), the Hungarian term for the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia. The region has also been ...
, where he was installed to the positions of ''ispán'' of
Zólyom,
Hont and
Nógrád
Nógrád ( sk, Novohrad; german: Neuburg) is a village in Nógrád County, Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, ...
Counties, serving there until 1390. Beside the ancient family estates in the region, Szécsényi was granted numerous lands and villages by Sigismund in the following years. As lord of the territories, he took an active role in the spread of ideological legitimacy of the relatively unpopular Sigismund. Since the
Angevin age, the
Saint Ladislaus legend
An episode from the Legend of Saint Ladislaus provided the subjects for numerous murals painted in medieval churches in Hungary during the 14th to 16th century.
Historical background
Ladislaus I of Hungary was a chivalrous king in Hungary in the ...
provided the subjects for numerous murals painted in medieval churches in Hungary. Saint
Ladislaus I of Hungary
Ladislaus I ( hu, László, hr, Ladislav, sk, Ladislav, pl, Władysław; 1040 – 29 July 1095), also known as Saint Ladislas, was King of Hungary from 1077 and King of Croatia from 1091. He was the second son of King Béla I of Hungary and ...
, who was the ideal of the perfect monarch, warrior and Christian for that time, was deeply venerated by Sigismund. As ''donator'', Szécsényi ordered the preparation of murals in the churches of
Rimabánya,
Karaszkó,
Kiéte and
Rimabrézó (today Rimavská Baňa, Kraskovo, Kyjatice and Rimavské Brezovo in Slovakia, respectively), which depict Biblical scenes or details from the Ladislaus legend. In the latter respect, the figure of Sigismund portrayed Ladislaus, drawing parallels between the two monarchs.
In 1389, Frank and Simon Szécsényi participated in the military campaign to
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
, which took place after the
Battle of Kosovo. Both of them had been involved in the successful sieges of
Borač and Čestin forts. Frank functioned as
royal treasurer
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a c ...
between 1392 and 1393, though he first appeared in this capacity on 10 February 1393. He was also referred to as Judge of the
Jassics ( la, iudex Philisteorum) in August 1393.
Sigismund began to prepare a war against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
since their Serbian invasion in 1389, which gradually revalued the role of
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
as a staging military area for recruitments and border defense. As a result, the king replaced the relatively militarily inexperienced
Emeric Bebek with his faithful soldier Frank Szécsényi to the dignity of
Voivode of Transylvania
The Voivode of Transylvania (german: Vojwode von Siebenbürgen;Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 77. hu, erdélyi vajda;Zsoldos 2011, p. 36. la, voivoda Transsylvaniae; ro, voievodul Transilvaniei) was the highest-ranking official in Transylvania wit ...
in October 1393. Beside that, he also governed
Arad County. After a brief visit in December 1393, Szécsényi arrived to the province to stay permanently by early May 1394 from the
Diet in Buda, where received instructions from Sigismund. Szécsényi sent a courtly knight Gregory Bethlen to
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and s ...
to negotiate with
Mircea I, who maintained close relations with Sigismund, relying on their common interest in the struggle against Ottoman expansion. After Mircea had to retreat to Hungary following
Bayezid's invasion, Sigismund moved to
Torda (today Turda in
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
), where Szécsényi convened a general assembly in December 1394 to proclaim and organize ''insurrectio'', the nobles' "uprising" against the Ottomans. Their army crossed the
Carpathian Mountains in January 1395 to force loyalty from
Stephen I of Moldavia.
Szécsényi financially supported the king's efforts to organize the
Crusade of Nicopolis throughout the year. In these months he was with Sigismund in
Kronstadt
Kronstadt (russian: Кроншта́дт, Kronshtadt ), also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt or Kronštádt (from german: link=no, Krone for " crown" and ''Stadt'' for "city") is a Russian port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city ...
(today Brașov in Romania). After March, Szécsényi was entrusted to prepare the war against the usurper
Vlad I of Wallachia as part of the crusade. However Stephen Losonci's army was perished and massacred by the Ottoman–Wallachian troops. Some accused that Szécsényi deliberately did not provide an advance force for personal reasons (formerly the Losoncis plundered his three village at
Szolnok
Szolnok (; also known by other #Name and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in central Hungary. A City with county rights, city with county rights, it is located on the banks of the Tisza river, i ...
in 1390). In the second half of 1395, Szécsényi participated in that campaign which attempted to restore Mircea to the Wallachian throne. Returning home, he was unable to prevent an irregular Ottoman unit to plunder
Burzenland
Țara Bârsei, Burzenland () or Barcaság is a historic and ethnographic area in southeastern Transylvania, Romania with a mixed population of Romanians, Germans, and Hungarians.
Geography
The Burzenland lies within the Southern Carpathians m ...
in September 1395. Immediately thereafter he was replaced as Voivode by
Stibor of Stiboricz, a close friend of King Sigismund.
At the end of the year, Szécsényi
went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, lasted until spring 1396. He was escorted by former
vice-voivode Bartholomew Szobi, who was granted five villages in
Somogy County
Somogy ( hu, Somogy megye, ; hr, Šomođska županija; sl, Šomodska županija, german: Komitat Schomodei) is an administrative county (comitatus or ''megye'') in present Hungary, and also in the former Kingdom of Hungary.
Somogy County lies ...
by his travel companion after their homecoming in May 1396. When Sigismund and his royal army left the kingdom for the Crusade of Nicopolis, Szécsényi served as one of the six members of the appointed regent council – along with
Master of the treasury
The master of the treasury or treasurerSegeš 2002, p. 316.Rady 2000, p. 113. (german: Königlicher Ober-SchatzmeisterFallenbüchl 1988, p. 80. or , hu, tárnokmester,Zsoldos 2011, p. 61. la, magister tavarnicorum, or , sk, taverník hr, tave ...
Nicholas Kanizsai,
Judge royal
The judge royal, also justiciar,Rady 2000, p. 49. chief justiceSegeš 2002, p. 202. or Lord Chief JusticeFallenbüchl 1988, p. 145. (german: Oberster Landesrichter,Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 72. hu, országbíró,Zsoldos 2011, p. 26. sk, krajinsk ...
John Pásztói, ''comes''
Stephen Lackfi, Voivode of Rus'
John Kaplai and his brother
Desiderius Kaplai. Sigismund suffered a catastrophic defeat at Nicopolis. The disaster angered several Hungarian lords, leading to instability in the kingdom. After the emergence of the Kanizsai League and the killing of Stephen Lackfi and his followers in the
Bloody Sabor of Križevci
Bloody Sabor of Križevci or Bloody Parliament Session or Križevci Bloody Assembly ( hr, Krvavi Sabor u Križevcima, Krvavi sabor križevački; hu, kőrösi országgyűlés) was an organised killing of the former Croatian ban Stephen II Lackfi ...
, Sigismund appointed his most loyal men to the court dignities, including Szécsényi, who became Judge royal in November 1397. He held the office for eleven years until his death. He was one of the three barons, who stand as a guarantor for the pledged fortune of the Jolsvai family, who tried unsuccessfully to redeem and extricate
Leustach Jolsvai, former Palatine of Hungary, who had fallen into Ottoman captivity in the Battle of Nicopolis. In 1401, Szécsényi participated in the conspiracy against Sigismund, who was imprisoned once and deposed twice in those turbulent months. After that he was pardoned and swore loyalty to the king again. Soon he joined the Siklós League, composed of the
Garai and
Cillei families, who supported Sigismund.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Szecsenyi, Frank
1408 deaths
14th-century Hungarian people
15th-century Hungarian people
Judges royal
Voivodes of Transylvania
Royal treasurers (Kingdom of Hungary)
Frank
Frank or Franks may refer to:
People
* Frank (given name)
* Frank (surname)
* Franks (surname)
* Franks, a medieval Germanic people
* Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang
Curr ...
Medieval Hungarian military leaders