Boleslaus, Bishop Of Vác
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Boleslaus (, ; died 1212 or 1213) was a
prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Minister (Christianity), Christian clergy who is an Ordinary (church officer), ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which me ...
in the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. He was
Bishop of Vác A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
between 1193 and 1212. He supported Duke
Andrew Andrew is the English form of the given name, common in many countries. The word is derived from the , ''Andreas'', itself related to ''aner/andros'', "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "brave", "strong", "c ...
during the Duke's conflict with his brother, King
Emeric of Hungary Emeric, also known as Henry or Imre (, , ; 117430 November 1204), was King of Hungary and Croatia between 1196 and 1204. In 1184, his father, Béla III of Hungary, ordered that he be crowned king, and appointed him as ruler of Croatia and Dalma ...
.


Early life

Boleslaus was born in the 1130s into a prominent noble family, but his parentage and origin is unknown. He had a brother (or at least, relative; ''frater'') Elvin, also a prelate, who served as Bishop of Várad (present-day Oradea,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
) from 1189 to 1200. Based on the geographical location of their landholdings, historian Vince Bunyitay considered that both of them belonged to the ''gens'' (clan) Becsegergely. Other historians – including Samu Borovszky and Ferenc Chobot – accepted his interpretation. Boleslaus' godfather was the reigning monarch,
Béla II of Hungary Béla the Blind (; ; ;  – 13 February 1141) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1131 to 1141. He was blinded along with his rebellious father Álmos on the order of Álmos's brother, King Coloman of Hungary. Béla grew up in monasteri ...
(r. 1131–1141) at his birth, according to later documents. Boleslaus was granted the royal estate of Lelesz (present-day Leles,
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
) as a christening gift by Béla II (before that Lelesz belonged to the surrounding estates of Zemplén Castle). By the reign of
Stephen III of Hungary Stephen III (, ; ; summer of 11474 March 1172) was King of Hungary and Croatia between 1162 and 1172. He was crowned king in early June 1162, shortly after the death of his father, Géza II. However, his two uncles, Ladislaus and Stephen, who ...
(r. 1162–1172), Boleslaus was elevated into the position of provost of the
collegiate chapter In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college (canon law), college of canon (priest), canons, a non-monastic or secular clergy, "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-gover ...
of
Buda Buda (, ) is the part of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, that lies on the western bank of the Danube. Historically, “Buda” referred only to the royal walled city on Castle Hill (), which was constructed by Béla IV between 1247 and ...
in the 1160s. Possibly he is identical with that provost "Boleslav" (with unspecified see), who appeared in a contemporary document in 1162. Stephen III sent him to draft and determine the borders of the Szentjobb Abbey (present-day
Sâniob Sâniob () is a commune in Bihor County, Crișana, Romania. It is composed of four villages: * Cenaloș (), to the southeast of Sâniob * Ciuhoi ( ), to the south of Sâniob * Sâniob * Sfârnaș (), to the southwest of Sâniob Known as Sâniob p ...
in Romania) around 1169. Boleslaus himself recorded the description in a charter, which implies that he was also a member of the royal chapel during that time. It is possible that Boleslaus is identical with that unnamed provost of Buda, who was mentioned in a royal charter of 1178 with dubious authenticity, which only preserved the first letter of his name ("B"), but this may also apply to his successor
Barnabas Barnabas (; ; ), born Joseph () or Joses (), was according to tradition an early Christians, Christian, one of the prominent Disciple (Christianity), Christian disciples in Jerusalem. According to Acts 4:36, Barnabas was a Cypriot Jews, Cyprio ...
. Boleslaus participated in the Hungarian military campaign to the
Principality of Galicia The Principality of Galicia (; ), also known as Principality of Halych or Principality of Halychian Rus, was a medieval East Slavic principality, and one of the main regional states within the political scope of Kievan Rus', established by mem ...
in 1188, when
Béla III of Hungary Béla III (, , ; 114823 April 1196) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia between 1172 and 1196. He was the second son of King Géza II of Hungary, Géza II and Géza's wife, Euphrosyne of Kiev. Around 1161, Géza granted Béla a du ...
(r. 1172–1196) invaded the principality and installed his son Andrew as Prince of Galicia. For his participation, Béla III granted the king's share (one third part) of the port duty of
Szolnok Szolnok (; also known by #Name and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in central Hungary. A city with county rights, it is located on the banks of the Tisza river, in the heart of the Great Hungarian ...
along the river
Tisza The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa (see below) is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. It was once called "the most Hungarian river" because it used to flow entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national bo ...
to Boleslaus, who also acquired the village of Kabala with the approval of the monarch. Later, Boleslaus handed over this land to his nephew, Marhard in exchange for his portion at Lelesz. Boleslaus also owned a settlement,
Árpád Árpád (; 845 – 907) was the head of the confederation of the Magyar tribes at the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries. He might have been either the sacred ruler or '' kende'' of the Hungarians, or their military leader or '' g ...
in
Bihar County Bihar was an administrative county (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary), comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary and a county of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom and Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711), Principality of Transylvania (since the 16th c ...
(present-day Arpășel, Romania), which he exchanged for the village of Kanyár in
Szabolcs County Szabolcs was an administrative county (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary), comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now part of Hungary, except for three villages which are in the Zakarpattia Oblast of Ukraine. The capital of the county ...
with Lawrence, abbot of Gyulamonostor (today Mănăstirea, Romania) with the approval of Vata (or Wasca), the Bishop of Várad.


Bishop of Vác


Foundation of the Lelesz Provostry

Boleslaus was first styled as Bishop of Vác in 1188, when Béla III donated the third quarter portion of the local fair duty to the cathedral chapter of
Esztergom Esztergom (; ; or ; , known by Names of European cities in different languages: E–H#E, alternative names) is a city with county rights in northern Hungary, northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom County, on the righ ...
. However this royal charter proved to be a forgery, although its list of dignitaries – where Boleslaus' name appeared – is reliable. Boleslaus was first referred to as bishop by an authentic document only in 1193. His last known predecessor was
Job Work, labor (labour in Commonwealth English), occupation or job is the intentional activity people perform to support the needs and desires of themselves, other people, or organizations. In the context of economics, work can be seen as the huma ...
, who held the position a decade earlier and was later elevated into the
Archdiocese of Esztergom In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...
. Immediately after his election, Boleslaus requested the permission of
Pope Celestine III Pope Celestine III (; c. 1105 – 8 January 1198), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 March or 10 April 1191 to his death in 1198. He had a tense relationship with several monarchs, including Emperor ...
to hold annual diocesan synods on 8 September (
Nativity of Mary The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Mary, Marymas or the Birth of the Virgin Mary, refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. The modern Biblical canon does not record Mary's birth. The ...
), who approved in 1193. In order to financially support his bishopric, Boleslaus waived his share (a quarter, called ''quarta episcopi'') of the
tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Modern tithes are normally voluntary and paid in money, cash, cheques or v ...
in favor of the lower clergy and vicars. According to a royal charter of
Béla IV of Hungary Béla IV (1206 – 3 May 1270) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia between 1235 and 1270, and Duke of Styria from 1254 to 1258. As the oldest son of Andrew II of Hungary, King Andrew II, he was crowned upon the initiative of a group ...
(r. 1235–1270) issued in 1252, Boleslaus founded the monastery of Lelesz on his own possession sometime in the early 1190s, the last regnal years of Béla III. The bishop invited
Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular in the Catholic Chur ...
monks to Hungary, and the new monastery directly connected to the religious order's mother house, the
Prémontré Abbey Prémontré Abbey was the mother house of the Premonstratensian Order and was located at Prémontré about twelve miles west of Laon, ''département'' of Aisne, France. History It was founded by Saint Norbert of Xanten in 1120 on waste land tha ...
as its
filial church A filial church, in the Roman Catholic Church, is a church to which is annexed the cure of souls, but which remains dependent on another church. The term comes from the Latin ''filialis'', from ''filia'', “daughter”. Description The term ''fi ...
. The circumstances of the foundation was preserved by a royal charter of Andrew II, issued in 1214. In this document, the king recorded the second
last will and testament A will and testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property (estate (law), estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person (executor) is to manage the property until its fi ...
of Boleslaus, who died prior to that, and listed his donated lands and properties in favor of the Lelesz provostry. According to the document's narration, the bishop's first last will – which was confirmed by Béla III – "was lost during the reign of Emeric" (see below for details), therefore, it was necessary to re-record the donations. Andrew's charter is considered to be the founding decree of the Lelesz Abbey. Beside the fulfillment of Boleslaus' last will, the king provided judicial, ecclesiastical privileges and exemptions of certain taxes to the monastery and its people. Since the 20th century, several Hungarian and Slovak historians – including László Erdélyi,
Bálint Hóman Bálint Hóman (29 December 1885 – 2 June 1951) was a Hungarian scholar and politician who served as Minister of Religion and Education twice: between 1932 and 1938 and between 1939 and 1942. He died in prison in 1951 for his support of the ...
, Imre Szentpétery and Richard Marsina – classified the document as a forgery, because of the misinterpretations and insertions in later transcribed versions of the original document, which has now been lost. In contrast, historian Géza Érszegi accepted the document as authentic, arguing it was written when Boleslaus was still alive, but was sealed by the monarch only a year later, in 1214, because the
assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
of Queen Gertrude delayed and prevented the consecration of the monastery still in that year. Érszegi refuted some of Erdélyi's argument, who claimed the charter contains numerous anachronistic elements, for instance Andrew's heir Béla was referred to as king. However, as Érszegi emphasized, the eight-year-old Béla was crowned as junior king (''rex iunior'') by some lords, who opposed Andrew's policy, in the same year, and Andrew was forced to acknowledge it. Andrew's charter does not refer to Boleslaus as founder of the provostry. Its establishment was a lengthy process with series of land donations. This culminated into the 1214 establishing charter. According to the document, Boleslaus donated and bequeathed large-scale landholdings in ZemplénKirályhelmec (Kráľovský Chlmec), Kisdobra (Dobrá), Pólyán (Poľany), Csernyő (Čierna), Kisgéres (Malý Horeš),
Agárd Agárd is a small village on the shores of Lake Velence in Hungary, administratively belongs to the municipality (town) of Gárdony. It is a popular tourist destination amongst Hungarians. The village was initially named ''Agar'', shows a record ...
,
Vajdácska Vajdácska is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County in northeastern Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine ...
–, Szabolcs (Kanyár) and
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Nagykapos (Veľké Kapušany), Kiskapos, Sislóc, Lakárd (Lekárovce), Trask, Szalóka and Viszoka (Vysoká nad Kysucou) – counties to the newly established convent continuously since the early 1190s, which acts were confirmed by Andrew II in a single document, in accordance with contemporary tradition to avoid later possible disagreements. The monastery of Lelesz, dedicated to the
Holy Cross Holy Cross or Saint Cross may refer to: * the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus * Christian cross, a frequently used religious symbol of Christianity * True Cross, supposed remnants of the actual cross upon which Jesus was crucified * Feast o ...
, was consecrated by Katapán, the
Bishop of Eger The Archdiocese of Eger () is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Hungary, its centre is the city of Eger. History * 1000: Established as Diocese of Eger * August 9, 1804: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Eger w ...
in 1214. The provostry became one of the most important places of authentication in Northeast Hungary, which operated in this function until the 16th century.


Confrontation with King Emeric

Following the death of Béla III on 23 April 1196, his elder son Emeric succeeded him on the Hungarian throne. Emeric's whole reign was characterized by his struggles for the supreme power against his rebellious younger brother, Duke Andrew, who used the funds that he inherited from his father to recruit supporters among the Hungarian lords (for instance,
Palatine A palatine or palatinus (Latin; : ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman Empire, Roman times.
Mog and Ban
Nicholas Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek , . It originally derived from a combination of two Ancient Greek, Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In ...
), instead of leading a
crusade The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...
to the
Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...
in accordance with his vow on Béla's deathbed. As Emeric suspected, Boleslaus and his brother, Elvin were leading partisans of Andrew, who supported his efforts, alongside other prelates, for instance
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
, the
Bishop of Veszprém A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
and
Kalán Bár-Kalán Kalán from the kindred Bár-Kalán (, or ''Juvencius Coelius''; died late 1218) was a prelate and royal official in the Kingdom of Hungary at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. He was bishop of Pécs from 1186 until his death in 1218, and ...
, while other bishops (for instance,
Saul Győr Saul from the kindred Győr (; died early 1202) was a prelate in the Kingdom of Hungary at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. He was Bishop of Csanád (now Cenad in Romania) between 1188 and 1192, then Archbishop of Kalocsa from 1192 until h ...
,
Ugrin Csák Ugrin (III) from the kindred Csák (, , ; died in 1311) was a prominent Hungarian baron and Oligarch (Kingdom of Hungary), oligarch in the early 14th century. He was born into an ancient Hungarian clan. He actively participated in the various int ...
and Dominic, Bishop of Zagreb) were considered royalists. According to Emeric's accusation, Boleslaus played an important role in organizing the plot against his rule. The king narrated in his letter to
Pope Innocent III Pope Innocent III (; born Lotario dei Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death on 16 July 1216. Pope Innocent was one of the most power ...
that the bishop maintained relationship and corresponded with Duke Andrew and the other conspirators, and guarded their group's funds at the cathedral of Vác in order to finance their rebellion against Emeric. The confrontation between Emeric and Boleslaus reached its peak on 10 March 1199. According to Boleslaus' complaint to the
Roman Curia The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use ...
, while the bishop and his canons celebrated a mass at the cathedral of Vác, Emeric and his soldiers violently broke into the building. The king himself physically assaulted Boleslaus, while his troops broke the lock, looted the treasury and confiscated numerous documents, which allegedly contained the preparations for a planned conspiracy against the monarch. According to historian Géza Érszegi, the first version of Boleslaus' will and testament was lost during this act. As Boleslaus' envoys were forbidden to leave the Kingdom of Hungary, his brother Elvin departed to the Holy See to file a formal complaint against the king (alongside his own conflict with his cathedral chapter). In order to finance his journey, Elvin sold his palace and the surrounding lands at Micske in Bihar County (present-day Mișca in Romania). Pope Innocent sent a letter to Emeric on 21 June 1199, in which he called on the king to reimburse the material damage to the cathedral and to compensate Boleslaus, unless he will impose an ecclesiastical penalty on Emeric (
excommunication Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in Koinonia, communion with other members o ...
) and the kingdom (
interdict In Catholic canon law, an interdict () is an ecclesiastical censure, or ban that prohibits certain persons or groups from participating in particular rites, or that the rites and services of the church are prohibited in certain territories for ...
). On the same day, Pope Innocent instructed Saul Győr, the
Archbishop of Kalocsa In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
to investigate the events and oversee that the king is carrying out the compensation. Initially, Emeric prevented the visitation of Saul to the royal court, hindering his mission. Emeric denied any physical abuse in his reply letter, according to him, the canons of the cathedral chapter voluntarily opened the gate, and Boleslaus' involvement in the conspiracy was revealed. Since after the incident and the subsequent civil war, several barons defected to the court of Duke Andrew, it is plausible the king had good reason to open the cathedral treasury, according to historian György Szabados. In accordance with the contemporary records, Boleslaus no longer played an active role in the rebellion of Duke Andrew during the remaining regnal years of King Emeric. Boleslaus was granted tax exemption from the king as a compensation; the king usually collected extraordinary taxes at Christmas, Easter, and St. Stephen's Day (20 August) each year, which he refrained from collecting in the Diocese of Vác. The bishop also acquired Szalonta and its fair in the same period from Ruthenian merchants. Boleslaus was a strong confidant of Pope Innocent, who entrusted him with participation in several ecclesiastical lawsuits. He mediated in the dispute between Kalán Bár-Kalán and the
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
Abbey of Földvár over the right of jurisdiction in 1199. He was also a member of that ecclesiastical court, which investigated the dispute between the archiepiscopal sees of Esztergom and Kalocsa for the supremacy in the Hungarian church hierarchy in 1203. Alongside other suffragans, Boleslaus strongly opposed the election of
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
as Archbishop of Esztergom in the summer of 1204.


Last years

Boleslaus regained his influence at the royal court, when Andrew II ascended the Hungarian throne in May 1205. Boleslaus received the privilege to baptize Andrew's firstborn son Béla, future King of Hungary, in 1206, which indicates the close alliance between him and the monarch. As a christening gift, the infant Béla was granted the
right of patronage The right of patronage (in Latin ''jus patronatus'' or ''ius patronatus'') in Roman Catholic canon law is a set of rights and obligations of someone, known as the patron in connection with a gift of land (benefice). It is a grant made by the chu ...
over the Lelesz monastery by Boleslaus. In addition, the bishop also donated some of his lands to the provostry, including Hagymás – which he previously bought from
Mercurius Mercury (; ) is a major god in Religion in ancient Rome, Roman religion and Roman mythology, mythology, being one of the 12 Dii Consentes within the ancient Roman pantheon. He is the god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, messages, commu ...
, a former
Ban of Slavonia Ban of Slavonia (; ; ) sometimes also Ban of "Whole Slavonia" (; ; ), was the title of the governor of a territory part of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary and Croatia in union with Hungary, Kingdom of Croatia. From 1102, the title Ban (title), ...
–, Kisgéres,
Fancsal Fancsal is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, R ...
and Királyhelmec. Andrew II handed over two salt-carrying ferries along the river
Maros Maros is a town in the South Sulawesi province of Indonesia close to the provincial capital of Makassar. It is the capital of the Maros Regency. Maros is the location of the Indonesian Cereals Research Institute, a branch of the Indonesian ...
(Mureș) and two portions of salt income at
Dés Dej (; ; ; ''Desh'') is a municipality in Transylvania, Romania, north of Cluj-Napoca, in Cluj County. It lies where the river Someșul Mic meets the river Someșul Mare. The city administers four villages: Ocna Dejului (''Désakna''), Peștera ...
(present-day Dej, Romania) to Boleslaus, who also granted tax exemption at delivery in every
Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...
. Boleslaus last appeared as a living person in a contemporary document in 1212. He was succeeded by
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
in the upcoming year. Andrew II, on his journey for a new campaign against Galicia in summer 1213, resided in Lelesz, when he was informed of the murder of his wife, Queen Gertrude. Andrew buried a part of his wife's body there and donated the other half portion of Micske to the monastery, previously owned by Boleslaus' nephew, ''comes'' Othmar, who lost the estate because of his disloyalty.


References


Sources

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boleslaus, Bishop of Vac 1130s births 1210s deaths Bishops of Vác 12th-century Hungarian people 13th-century Hungarian people 12th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Hungary 13th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Hungary