Kurityán

Kurityán is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, located in northern Hungary, within the broader catchment area of Kazincbarcika. The settlement has medieval origins and has been shaped over centuries by noble ownership, religious institutions, and industrial development.

History

Medieval Period

Kurityán is first mentioned in written sources from the 13th century. It was originally associated with a noble family whose members styled themselves ''de Chorichan'' or ''de Kurychyan''. One of the earliest known figures was Lukács, son of Pál, an ''ispán'' (county head), who, along with his descendants, held official royal positions. His son, István, later also used the name ''de Nouak'', indicating broader landholdings.

In the 15th century, property disputes arose with the influential Perényi family, who claimed ownership over the area. Legal proceedings eventually transferred part of Kurityán to them. In 1418, Imre of Kurityán donated the village to the Pauline monks, specifically to the Monastery of St. John in Felsőnyárád, which had been established by Imre Perényi. This donation was approved by King Sigismund.

The Pauline monastery, known as Ujház, functioned until 1550, and remnants of the ruins can still be seen near Ormos Mine IV.

Ottoman Era

During the 16th century, Kurityán suffered multiple plunderings under Ottoman occupation, especially during campaigns by the Bey of Fülek in the Habsburg-Ottoman wars. The village was burned down in 1555. Local serfs returned only three years later and paid an annual tribute of 23 forints to the Ottomans. Over the following decades, the village changed hands several times, with tax burdens increasing dramatically.

The village continued to be affected by Tatar raids, including a destructive attack in 1599, when Kurityán was again burned and plundered. Various Turkish officials, including Ali Buljok Basa, imposed increasingly high taxes on the villagers. By the end of the century, Kurityán became a royal estate, managed by local Hungarian nobility and military officials, including Csáky István, Gáspár Szunyogh, and Count László Wesselényi. Eventually, the estate was mortgaged to the Dobos family, and later to Colonel András Nyivádi, under Prince Francis II Rákóczi.

18th and 19th Centuries

In the 18th century, Kurityán was owned by the Csáky and Vay families, and later by the Pallavicini. In the late 1830s Margrave Roger Pallavicini constructed a manor house that still stands today. During this period, the Reformation reached the village, and both Reformed (Calvinist) and Lutheran congregations were established.

In the second half of the 19th century, coal mining began on the outskirts of Kurityán. The mines provided employment for local residents for decades and played a central role in the village’s economic development until their closure in the late 20th century.

Etymology

The name Kurityán has appeared in related spellings in historical records since 1280, initially in the form ''Koryth''. Over the centuries, its name evolved through various spellings including ''Korytian'', ''Chorithian'', ''Korychan'', and ''Kxrithyan'', reflecting both orthographic variation and linguistic influences.

A commonly accepted theory is that the name derives from Slavic origins, possibly from the root ''korita'' or ''koritъ'', meaning "trough" or "basin", maybe a reference to people living in a valley or hollow terrain. Initially the name of the valley.

An alternative theory posits that the name may have been influenced by biblical associations, particularly with the Corinthians (Latin: ''Corinthiani''), given the medieval tendency of monastic or noble naming to adopt biblical or classical motifs. This theory remains unproven, but the phonetic similarity between ''Chorithian'' and ''Corinthian'' has occasionally led scholars to consider the possibility of cultural or religious inspiration during the village’s early Christianization or its monastic affiliations, particularly with the Pauline Order, which was active in the region from the early 15th century.

Geography

Kurityán lies approximately 25 kilometers north of Miskolc and 10 kilometers from Kazincbarcika, the nearest town. It is surrounded by several villages:

* Ormosbánya to the northeast,
* Izsófalva (4 km) to the east,
* Szuhakálló (5 km) to the southeast,
* Sajókaza to the southwest,
* Felsőnyárád (2 km) to the northwest.

The village is accessible via Route 2605, either from Szuhakálló or Felsőnyárád. It is also situated along the Kazincbarcika–Rudabánya railway line.

Demography

The population of Kurityán with 1,460 people as of 2022 more than doubled during the 20th century, particularly as a result of industrialization and mining operations. Today, the village remains a small but historically significant rural settlement in northeastern Hungary.

Cultural Heritage

* Pauline Monastery Ruins (Ujház): located near Ormos IV Mine.
* Pallavicini Manor House: 19th-century noble residence, now serving as a care home.
* Religious Diversity: Historical presence of both Calvinist and Lutheran communities reflects the region’s complex religious evolution.

References

External links

Street map

Populated places in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County

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