Mika Ják

Mika (I) from the kindred Ják (; died after 1202) was a Hungarian influential lord in the Kingdom of Hungary at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries.Markó 2006, p. 233.

Family

Mika (also Mike or Michael) belonged to the ''gens'' Ják, he was the first known member of the Jákmonostor branch. He had at least two children from his unidentified wife: Csépán I, who served as Ban of Slavonia from 1206 to 1207Zsoldos 2011, p. 43. and died without heirs, as his only son Stephen became a monk, giving up his secular life and family name. Mika's second son Ivan had two sons (Martin I and James) thus the later members of the Jákmonostor branch descended from him.Engel: ''Genealógia'' (Genus Ják 1., Jákmonostor branch) Mika founded the Pornó Abbey but the monastery itself was finished only by his son Csépán.

Career

He served as Master of the treasury () in 1198,Zsoldos 2011, p. 62. when this dignity was still a non-permanent position without defined and circumscribed jurisdiction, thus the office was only stabilized during the reign of Andrew II of Hungary.Szőcs 2014, p. 48. Mika also held the office of ''ispán'' of Bihar County between 1198 and 1199.Zsoldos 2011, p. 138. In 1199, he was appointed Judge royal (), replacing Peter, son of Töre.Zsoldos 2011, p. 27.

When Palatine Mog participated in Duke Andrew's conspiracy, Emeric, King of Hungary dismissed and replaced him with Mika Ják. However the appointment proved to be complicated procedure. According to Emeric's letter to Pope Innocent III, Mika was excommunicated by Elvin, Bishop of Várad because he had formerly captured one of the bishopric's priests, who functioned as a messenger of the King's enemies who supported Duke Andrew. Later Pope Innocent III ordered the Hungarian prelates not to degrade the excommunication as a political weapon, as a result Mika was able to reserve his office,Szőcs 2014, p. 241. who also served as ''ispán'' of Bács County (1199–1200),Zsoldos 2011, p. 126. which presumably was the first ''ex officio'' ispánate of the Palatine dignity,Szőcs 2014, p. 248. and after that head of Bihar County (1200–1201). According to a non-authentic charter, Mika held the office of Palatine until 1202.Zsoldos 2011, p. 17. As historian Attila Zsoldos proves by comparing with the previous allegations, Palatine Mika was not identical with his namesake, who served as ''ispán'' of Bihar County for several times in the 1210–20s.Zsoldos 2011, p. 332.

References

Sources

* Markó, László (2006). ''A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig – Életrajzi Lexikon'' ("The High Officers of the Hungarian State from Saint Stephen to the Present Days – A Biographical Encyclopedia") (2nd edition); Helikon Kiadó Kft., Budapest;
* Szőcs, Tibor (2014). ''A nádori intézmény korai története, 1000–1342'' ("An Early History of the Palatinal Institution: 1000–1342"). ''Subsidia ad historiam medii aevi Hungariae inquirendam'' Vol. 5., Budapest;
* Zsoldos, Attila (2011). ''Magyarország világi archontológiája, 1000–1301'' ("Secular Archontology of Hungary, 1000–1301"). História, MTA Történettudományi Intézete. Budapest.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jak, Mika
12th-century Hungarian people
13th-century Hungarian people
Palatines of Hungary
Judges royal
Masters of the treasury (Kingdom of Hungary)
12th-century births
Year of birth uncertain
13th-century deaths
Year of death uncertain
People excommunicated by the Catholic Church
Founders of Christian monasteries