Denis Türje
Denis (II) Türje | |
---|---|
Palatine of Hungary | |
Reign | 1245–1246 1248 |
Predecessor | Ladislaus Kán (1st term) Stephen Gutkeled (2nd term) |
Successor | Stephen Gutkeled (1st term) Roland Rátót (2nd term) |
Born | 1200s |
Died | 1255 |
Buried | Premonstratensian Church of Türje |
Noble family | gens Türje |
Father | Denis I |
Denis (II) from the kindred Türje (
Family and monastery
Denis (II) was born into the
One of his uncles was Joachim, the first known Count of Hermannstadt. His cousin was the influential prelate Philip and Thomas, progenitor of the Szentgróti family. Denis had no known descendants and died without male issue.[3] A certain Denis the Bald from the same kindred is mentioned by a charter during a lawsuit from 1236. It is possible this family member is identical with the powerful baron (the Big-nosed).[4]
Prior to 1234, Denis Türje founded a Premonstratensian provostry in Türje dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary. Belonging to the Diocese of Veszprém, he invited canons regular from the abbey of Csorna. Soon, the Türje Abbey became an important place of authentication.[5] Denis' involvement in the foundation not entirely clear. According to a later, 18th-century tradition within the Order of Premonstratensians, the provostry was established in 1184, which was previously even announced by an epigraph on the wall of the monastery and attributed the foundation a certain comes Lampert. A non-authentic letter of donation in the name of Béla IV refers to 1241 or 1242 as date of the foundation by Denis. According to the Catalogus Ninivensis, which contains a list of Premonstratensian churches in present-day Hungary and Transylvania (Circaria Hungariae) in 1234, the Provostry of Türje was already stood. Pope Alexander IV referred to Denis Türje as founder and benefactor of the monastery in 1260.[6]
During and after the foundation, Denis handed over several landholdings of the Türje kindred to the newly erected monastery. For instance, in 1247, Denis donated the estates Barlabáshida (today a borough of Pakod), Vitenyéd (present-day Bagod), four portions, two mills and half of the river duty in Szentgrót to the provostry. He also granted the land Apatovec in Križevci County to the Premonstratensians in 1249. Some of his relatives followed his example with land donations. For instance, his sister (widow of a certain Ákos) handed over her estate in Batyk to the provostry in 1251. Following his death in 1255, some family members attempted to recover these estates citing that Denis donated those without their consent. The lawsuit lasted until 1322.[6]
Early life
Master of the horse Denis, son of Denis, who has been attached to us since Our childhood together, deservedly graced Us with his kind love and pleasant company; he followed Us everywhere in the realm and even outside the realm. [...] Ultimately passing the years of childhood, during which he grew up together with Us, when he reached his blooming youth, piling virtue upon virtue, he steadfastly stood by his long-vowed loyalty like a solid pillar, not failing to give countless signs of his persistence, in the light of which he often shone before the eyes of Our Majesty, ceaselessly and tirelessly. Admirably standing by Us in favorable and unfavorable circumstances, such as life in this world has in store, he did not shy away from exposing his property and person more and more often to the uncertain chances of fortune.
— King Béla's Charter of 1235 to Denis, Master of the Horse[7]
Denis was born in the first decade of the 13th century, and himself was a childhood friend and companion of Duke Béla, who was born in 1206. They grew up together in the ducal court. Before launching the Fifth Crusade in 1217, Andrew II entrusted his eldest son and heir, the 11-year-old Béla to his brother-in-law Archbishop Berthold of Kalocsa, who took his nephew, Béla to the castle of Steyr in the Duchy of Austria. The young Denis of similar age accompanied Béla abroad. They returned to Hungary in the next year.[8]
For the upcoming decades, Denis remained a strong pillar of Duke Béla's domain in
Early military career
The king's son [Andrew of Halych] and Sudislav summoned Dijaniš [Denis Türje] against Danilo [Romanovich]. But Danilo went to Kiev and brought the Polovcians [Cumans] [...] against him [...] and marched against Dijaniš. From [Halych] the king's son Andrew and Dijaniš with their Hungarians went to Peremil' and fought Volodimer [Vladimir IV Rurikovich] and Danilo for the possession of the bridge [leading to the city]. But [Danilo and Volodimer] repulsed them and the Hungarians turned back to Halych, leaving their catapults behind. [...] He [Danilo] distributed towns to his boyars and voyevodas, and they all had an abundance of food, while the king's son, Dijaniš, and Sudislav were dying of hunger in [Halych].
— Galician–Volhynian Chronicle (1233)[10]
Denis distinguished himself militarily in various campaigns of Duke Béla in the period between 1228 and 1233. His pre-1235 military career is narrated in detail by a single charter of Béla IV, who issued the document shortly after his ascension to the Hungarian throne in the autumn of 1235. Accordingly, Denis took part in various campaigns of Duke Béla, who initiated wars abroad, sometimes even independently of his father Andrew II. Béla invaded Bulgaria and besieged Vidin in 1228, because Emperor Ivan Asen II attempted to hinder the conversion of Cumans into Roman Catholicism in the northernmost part of his realm along the border with Hungary (the Bulgarian historiography claim the brief war occurred in the spring of 1232).[11][12] According to the document, when the Bulgarians broke out of the castle, Denis was one of the first to fight them and the Hungarians forced them back into the fortress. Denis also fought against the army of Alexander, the younger brother of Ivan Asen, who plundered the surrounding region and tried to block the supply routes of the Hungarian army.[13]
Danylo Romanovych launched a military campaign against Andrew of Hungary, Prince of Halych, expel him from the principality by March 1230. Béla decided to help his younger brother Andrew to regain his throne. He crossed the Carpathian Mountains and laid siege to Halych together with his Cuman allies in 1230 (the Galician–Volhynian Chronicle incorrectly put the year of attack to 1229). Denis fought alongside his lord.[14] He was present at the siege of Halych, where he killed a soldier with a spear, who broke out from the castle, and later he defeated a small unit near the fort of Kremenets (Kuzmech). He captured a boyar and famous knight called Matthew. Thereafter, Denis led an army into Volhynia (Lodomeria), which successfully laid siege to the castle of Lutsk (Luchuchku).[14][15][16] Nevertheless, Duke Béla could not seize Halych and withdrew his troops still in 1230. Ukrainian historian Mykhailo Hrushevsky claimed this narration referred to the 1226 royal campaign of Andrew II against Halych.[17]
Shortly after succeeding
Duke Béla appointed Denis Türje as
King Béla's faithful partisan
After Béla IV ascended the Hungarian throne in September 1235, Denis was made
Denis Türje participated in the
But after some eight or ten days had passed [after the Venetians laid siege to Zadar], it [the defenders' advantage] chanced that Ban Denys [Denis Türje] was lightly wounded by an arrow. The king [Béla IV] had sent him to help the people of Zadar as leader and standard-bearer of the army. He was terrified by his wound and ordered the soldiers to carry him outside the city. When the Zaratins saw this, fear and bewilderment overcame them. They thought that the ban was dead, and they had no confidence that they could resist the Venetian attack any further without the support of the Hungarians. Because of this, they immediately abandoned the fight, and turned to flight.
For the following years, Denis Türje became a central figure of Béla's Dalmatian policy. The Hungarian king seized Zadar (or Zara) from the Republic of Venice in 1242. In response, the Venetians launched a campaign and laid siege to the coastal city in 1243, prompting Béla to send Denis to provide assistance to the citizens of Zadar. The Hungarians were unable to relieve the defenders and Denis himself was also injured by an arrow. The citizens of Zadar surrendered and fled before the fleet of Venice. In January 1244, Hungary and Venice concluded a peace. Béla surrendered his supremacy over the city, while the Venetians withdrew their support from the pretender Stephen the Posthumous. The Hungarians retained the one third of the Dalmatian city's revenues of customs.[31]
[...] they [Trogir] sent an embassy to the king [Béla IV] relating to him the whole story of what had been done in their lands by the ban [Matej Ninoslav] in company with the Spalatins [Split]. The king was extremely angry when he heard all this. He immediately summoned a duke of his by the name of Denys [Denis Türje] a powerful man who was ban of all Slavonia and Dalmatia, and sent him together with Bartholomew [le Gros] the bishop of the church of Pécs, a certain Count Michael [Hahót] and many other leading men of Hungary, commanding them strictly that on coming to Dalmatia they should exact harsh retribution on the Spalatins, using all means possible. He also sent another army to avenge the reckless acts of the ban of Bosnia. [...] Indeed, not fully two weeks had elapsed before Duke Denys descended in company with the aforementioned leaders, and having gathered together a large army of Hungarians, Dalmatians and Slavs he came and set up camp at Solin. [...] In the year of our Lord 1244, on the fourth day before the Ides of July a great battle took place in the suburb of Split, and the entire army arrayed in battle order began the fight around the earthworks.
Denis was also involved in the conflict between the cities Trogir (Trau) and Split (Spalato). Béla, who took refugee in the well-fortified Trogir during the Mongol invasion, was grateful to the city, granted it lands near Split, causing a lasting conflict between the two Dalmatian cities.[33] The citizens of Split elected Matej Ninoslav as their prince. Split launched an attack from the Adriatic Sea then mainland in the spring of 1244, but they could not take Trogir, they only destroyed the surrounding countryside. Béla was outraged by the action, and – after a request from the patricians of Trogir – entrusted Denis to lead an army against Split, while himself prepared for a war against Ninoslav in Bosnia. Within Denis' army, other prominent Hungarian barons and prelates – Bartholomew le Gros, the Bishop of Pécs, Michael Hahót, the ispán of Varaždin County and File Miskolc, the provost of Zagreb commanded their own troops. According to Thomas the Archdeacon, the citizens of Split sent a peace delegation before the arriving army. Denis would have been willing to abandon the siege in exchange for guarantors and sum of money, but the citizens emphasized their royal privileges. Denis' army, also strengthened by the troops of the Fortress of Klis, set about the siege on 12 July 1244. Following a week-long clash inside the walls of Split, the prefects of the city asked for peace from Denis Türje on 19 July. In accordance with the peace conditions, the citizens and the cathedral chapter swore loyalty to the Hungarian king, and reparations were paid for the damages. Shortly after Ugrin Csák was elected Archbishop of Split.[34]
Last years
In 1245, Denis – at the height of his career – was appointed Palatine of Hungary, the second-highest secular office after the king and held the position until 1246. Beside that he also functioned as ispán of Somogy County.[35] As palatine, Denis judged over lawsuits in Szántó in Zala County and Ládony in Sopron County.[36] He served as master of the treasury in 1247,[37] according to László Markó, he held that office between 1246 and 1248.[33] In addition, he also functioned as ispán of Pozsony County from 1247 to 1248. He was appointed palatine for the second time in 1248.[37] Two of his judgments have survived: lawsuits involved Szántó in Zala County and Karcsa in Pozsony County (today Kračany, Slovakia).[36]
Since the early 1240s, Denis further increased his wealth, acquiring possessions. For his services during the Mongol invasion and the subsequent Dalmatian years, Denis was granted Obrovnica, Haraszt and Cerova-Borda (near present-day Marinovec) in Križevci County from Béla IV in 1244. He bought Barlabáshida in Zala County for 40 silver marks in 1246 (a year later, Denis donated the land to the Türje monastery). Denis was also an owner of two lands – Csoma and Gortva – in Gömör County.[38] Since the second half of the 1240s, Denis held his permanent residence in Szentgrót. It is plausible that Denis or his cousin Thomas erected the local fort.[39]
Denis served as ispán of Szolnok County between 1251 and 1255, until his death.[40] Beside the position, Béla donated the village Bonyha (today Bahnea, Romania) to Denis.[2] Denis Türje was buried in the Premonstratensian provostry of Türje, founded by himself, near its altar. His original grave site was excavated by archaeologists during renovation works of the church in the period between 2018 and 2020. Unfortunately, no trace of his remains has been found, as subsequent burials occurred on top of the grave in the 18th century.[41]
References
- ^ a b Zsoldos 2011, p. 296.
- ^ a b c Karácsonyi 1901, p. 121.
- ^ Engel: Genealógia (Genus Türje, Szentgrót branch)
- ^ Karácsonyi 1901, p. 125.
- ^ F. Romhányi 2000, p. 101.
- ^ a b Cselenkó 2006, pp. 43–45.
- ^ Kristó 2000, pp. 45–46.
- ^ a b c Herucová 2016, pp. 37–38.
- ^ Zsoldos 2005, p. 115.
- ^ The Hypatian Codex II: The Galician-Volynian Chronicle (Summer–Autumn 1233), pp. 41–42.
- ^ Senga 1988, p. 44.
- ^ Herucová 2016, p. 42.
- ^ Kristó 2000, p. 46.
- ^ a b Font 2021, p. 94.
- ^ Kristó 2000, pp. 46–47.
- ^ a b Herucová 2016, pp. 40–41.
- ^ Senga 1988, pp. 37–38.
- ^ a b Kristó 2000, p. 47.
- ^ Senga 1988, pp. 40–41.
- ^ Font 2021, p. 95.
- ^ a b Zsoldos 2011, p. 38.
- ^ Font 2021, pp. 197–198.
- ^ Senga 1988, pp. 49–50.
- ^ Herucová 2016, p. 44.
- ^ Zsoldos 2011, pp. 56, 212, 243.
- ^ Herucová 2016, p. 39.
- ^ Zsoldos 2011, p. 45.
- ^ Kristó 1979, pp. 48–49.
- ^ Kristó 1979, p. 73.
- ^ Archdeacon Thomas of Split: History of the Bishops of Salona and Split (ch. 42.), pp. 317–319.
- ^ Gál 2020, pp. 15–16.
- ^ Archdeacon Thomas of Split: History of the Bishops of Salona and Split (ch. 45.), pp. 341–345.
- ^ a b Markó 2006, p. 256.
- ^ Gál 2020, pp. 65–66.
- ^ Zsoldos 2011, pp. 19, 193.
- ^ a b Szőcs 2014, p. 61.
- ^ a b Zsoldos 2011, pp. 19, 62, 184.
- ^ Karácsonyi 1901, p. 122.
- ^ Engel 1996, p. 425.
- ^ Zsoldos 2011, p. 211.
- ^ "Dénes kegyúr sírhelye, barokk kripta, de még selyemfátyol is előbukkant a türjei ásatáson" (in Hungarian). Zaol.hu. 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
Sources
Primary sources
- The Hypatian Codex II: The Galician-Volynian Chronicle (An annotated translation by George A. Perfecky) (1973). Wilhelm Fink Verlag. LCCN 72-79463.
- Archdeacon Thomas of Split: History of the Bishops of Salona and Split (Latin text by Olga Perić, edited, translated and annotated by Damir Karbić, Mirjana Matijević Sokol and James Ross Sweeney) (2006). CEU Press. ISBN 963-7326-59-6.
Secondary sources
- Cselenkó, Borbála (2006). Szerzetesrendek az Árpád-kori Zala megyében [Monasteries in Zala County of the Era of the Árpáds] (in Hungarian). Zalai Kismonográfiák 9., Zala Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága. ISBN 963-7205-43-8.
- ISBN 963-8312-44-0.
- F. Romhányi, Beatrix (2000). Kolostorok és társaskáptalanok a középkori Magyarországon: Katalógus [Monasteries and Collegiate Chapters in Medieval Hungary: A Catalogue] (in Hungarian). Pytheas. ISBN 963-7483-07-1.
- Font, Márta (2021). The Kings of the House of Árpád and the Rurikid Princes. Cooperation and conflict in medieval Hungary and Kievan Rus'. Arpadiana VIII., Research Centre for the Humanities. ISBN 978-963-416-278-0.
- Gál, Judit (2020). Dalmatia and the Exercise of Royal Authority in the Árpád-Era Kingdom of Hungary. Arpadiana III., Research Centre for the Humanities. ISBN 978-963-416-227-8.
- Herucová, Angelika (2016). "Dionýz de Türje ‒ priateľ a spolubojovník Bela IV. [Denis Türje: A Friend and Comrade-in-arms of Béla IV]". In Dzurikaninová, Nikoleta (ed.). Vojenksé konflikty v dejinách Európy. Stretnutie mladých historikov V (in Slovak). ISBN 978-80-8152-402-8.
- Karácsonyi, János (1901). A magyar nemzetségek a XIV. század közepéig. III. kötet [The Hungarian genera until the middle of the 14th century, Vol. 3] (in Hungarian). Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
- Kristó, Gyula (1979). A feudális széttagolódás Magyarországon [Feudal Anarchy in Hungary] (in Hungarian). Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 963-05-1595-4.
- Kristó, Gyula, ed. (2000). Középkori históriák oklevelekben (1002–1410) [Medieval Stories in Charters (1002–1410)] (in Hungarian). Szegedi Középkorász Műhely. ISBN 963-482-423-4.
- Markó, László (2006). A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig: Életrajzi Lexikon [Great Officers of State in Hungary from King Saint Stephen to Our Days: A Biographical Encyclopedia] (in Hungarian). Helikon Kiadó. ISBN 963-208-970-7.
- Senga, Toru (1988). "Béla királyfi bolgár, halicsi és osztrák hadjárataihoz [On the Military Campaigns of Prince Béla led to Bulgaria, Galicia and Austria]". Századok (in Hungarian). 122 (1–2). Magyar Történelmi Társulat: 36–51. ISSN 0039-8098.
- Szőcs, Tibor (2014). A nádori intézmény korai története, 1000–1342 [An Early History of the Palatinal Institution: 1000–1342] (in Hungarian). Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Támogatott Kutatások Irodája. ISBN 978-963-508-697-9.
- Zsoldos, Attila (2005). Az Árpádok és asszonyaik. A királynéi intézmény az Árpádok korában [The Árpáds and their Women: The Institution of Queenship in the Era of the Árpáds] (in Hungarian). MTA Történettudományi Intézete. ISBN 963-8312-98-X.
- Zsoldos, Attila (2011). Magyarország világi archontológiája, 1000–1301 [Secular Archontology of Hungary, 1000–1301] (in Hungarian). História, MTA Történettudományi Intézete. ISBN 978-963-9627-38-3.