Chief Justice of Hungary

The chief justice[1][2][3] (Hungarian: királyi személynök,[4] Latin: personalis praesentiae regiae in judiciis locumtenens,[5] German: Königliche Personalis)[1] was the personal legal representative of the King of Hungary, who issued decrees of judicial character on behalf of the monarch authenticated with the royal seal, performed national notarial activities and played an important role in the organisation of lawyers training. Later the chief justice was the head of the Royal Court of Justice (Hungarian: Királyi Ítélőtábla, Latin: Tabula Regia Iudiciaria) and the Tribunal of the Chief Justice (Hungarian: személynöki szék, Latin: sedes personalitia), the highest legal forum of civil cases.

Not to be confused with the Judge royal.
Chief Justice of the
Kingdom of Hungary
ResidenceBuda (1514–1536; 1784–1867)
Pressburg (1536–1784)
AppointerKing of Hungary
PrecursorSecret Chancellor
Formation15th century (1464)
First holderJanus Pannonius
Final holderIstván Melczer
Abolished1867
SuccessionPresident of the Curia Regia
Part of a series on
Great Officers of State
in the
Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary

Origins
Matthias Corvinus

The office of personalis evolved since the early 15th century within the royal chancellery. In the beginning, the king was represented by the secret chancellor in the judiciary (judge of personal presence).[6] The first known chief justice was Janus Pannonius, a Croato-Hungarian humanist poet who returned to Hungary after finishing studies at the University of Padua in 1458, the coronation year of Matthias Corvinus. Pannonius served as chief justice until 1459, when he was elected as the Bishop of Pécs. Until the 1464 reform, the complete list of chief justices is unknown. It is certain that Albert Vetési, Bishop of Veszprém held the office for a short time around 1460.

From the 1370s, during the reign of Louis I, the lord chancellor also had a judicial function. He became judge of special presence (Latin: specialis presentia regia). This position was held by Roman Catholic prelates, therefore the judicial function was performed by their deputies. Consequently, a dual judicial system existed in the Kingdom of Hungary until the administrative reform of 1464.[7]

Formation

Matthias Corvinus (formally Matthias I), after restoring the Holy Crown of Hungary for 60,000 ducats, was allowed to retain certain Hungarian counties with the title of king and was crowned legitimately on 29 March 1464. After the second and valid coronation, Matthias began to reorganize the administrative and judicial structure.[8] He merged the two courts ("special" and "personal judicatures") and established the institution of chief justice as a full-fledged judge to the head of the Royal Court. The chancellery was also unified and the new office of "lord- and vice-chancellor" lost all of its judicial functions.[7]

The Tribunal of the Chief Justice also established where the so-called "towns of chief justice" (Hungarian: személynöki város) forwarded those appeals concerning litigations. The tribunal chaired by the chief justice functioned as appellate court for the "towns of treasurer" (Hungarian: tárnoki város) too. According to the Tripartitum (1514) five settlements were towns of chief justice: Székesfehérvár, Esztergom, Lőcse (Levoča), Kisszeben (Sabinov) and Szakolca (Skalica). The status meant some independence, so was sought after by the towns. The Quadripartitum (1551), which never came to force, also mentions the seven mining towns of Upper Hungary as towns of chief justice.

Functions and development

The Act LXVIII of 1486 listed the chief justice among the "ordinary judges" beside the palatine and the judge royal. The chief justice also served as keeper of the monarch's judicial seal. In contrast, the secret chancellor assumed his role in the arbitration only on special occasions. The ordinary judges were able to make judgements on any matter and also could appoint deputies and masters of judgement. In practice, this meant that the judicial power decoupled itself from the executive branch (the king). The Act XLII of 1492 (during the reign of Vladislaus II) also confirmed these authorities.[6]

István Melczer, the last chief justice of Hungary (1861–1867)

During the first decades the position was held by ecclesiastical dignitaries. Thomas Drági was the first secular office-holder between 1486 and 1490. There had been a growing demand to fill the position by secular jurists and professionals on a permanent basis. That finally occurred at the beginning of the 16th century when the Act IV of 1507 decreed that the office must be occupied by a secular person with legal practice.[6] Despite the new law the influential and powerful cardinal Tamás Bakócz chose his prelate relatives for the office. The importance of the office of chief justice was made clear when Buda became the permanent residence of the Tribunal of the Chief Justice. The Act LV of 1514 also emphasized the appointment of secular office-holders. After that the secular and ecclesiastical elite agreed with each other and István Werbőczy, creator of the Tripartitum was appointed later in 1516.[9]

After the battle of Mohács (1526) the reigning chief justice Miklós Thuróczy swore allegiance to Ferdinand I. As a result, the other elected king, John Zápolya also appointed a chief justice for his own royal court in the person of Benedek Bekényi.[6]

Diet of Hungary (1830)

Charles III divided the Curia Regia into two courts in 1723: the Tabula Septemviralis (Court of the seven) and the Tabula Regia Iudiciaria (Royal Court of Justice). The latter functioned under the direction of the chief justice, in the case of prevention, of the elder Baron Court. The Tabula Regia Iudiciaria was constituted of two prelates, two Barons of the Court, two deputy judge advocates of the Kingdom: the vice Palatine, the deputy judge advocate of the Curia Regia, four prothonotaries, four assessors of the Kingdom, four assessors of the archdiocese, four adjunctive assessors.[5]

The chief justice also had a political function: he became speaker of the occasionally convened lower house of the Diet of Hungary. During the Habsburg-dominated kingdom a customary law emerged whereby jurists to the office of chief justice were chosen from the lesser nobility, however later sometimes aristocrats were also appointed to that position. The Tribunal of the Chief Justice was one of the positions used for the development, patronage and rise of a new aristocracy which was loyal to the House of Habsburg. For the new "official nobility" the position of chief justice was the springboard to obtain higher positions (mostly judge royal, president of the Hungarian Court Chamber, vice-chancellor).[5]

János Zarka opened and presided over the last feudal Diet of 1848. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 the position became vacant. After the defeat of the War of Independence Francis Joseph I applied neo-absolutist governance ("Bach system") and integrated the Kingdom of Hungary to the Habsburg Empire. Due to the fall of the Bach system in 1861, the position of chief justice, among others, was revived again and István Melczer took the office. According to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 the judicial system had been converted and modernized; the chief justice lost all of its features and the position was officially discontinued.

List of known chief justices

Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1538)
Term Portrait Incumbent Monarch Notes Source
1458 Janus Pannonius
(John Csezmicei)		 Matthias Corvinus humanist poet; later bishop of Pécs (1459–1472) [10][11]
1458–1459 Albert Vetési Matthias Corvinus from the gens Kaplon; also vice-chancellor (1458), secret chancellor (1458–1459), bishop of Veszprém (1458–1486) [11][12][13]
1459–1464 Nicholas Bodó Matthias Corvinus personalis presentia [11]
1464–1465 Albert Hangácsi Matthias Corvinus 1464 judicial and administrative reform; also bishop of Csanád (1457–1466) [14]
1465–1466 Stephen Matthias Corvinus first term; provost of Kalocsa [14][15]
1468–1470 Gabriel Matucsinai Matthias Corvinus also vice-chancellor (1468–1471), later archbishop of Kalocsa and lord chancellor (1471–1478) [14][16][17][18]
1470–1472 Stephen Matthias Corvinus second term [14][19]
1472–1483 Ladislaus Karai Matthias Corvinus provost of Buda; also vice-chancellor (1471–1476); patron of András Hess (Chronica Hungarorum); resigned due to illness [15][20]
1483–1484 Peter Váradi Matthias Corvinus also lord and secret chancellor (1480–1484), archbishop of Kalocsa (1480–1501); imprisoned [21][22]
1485–1486 Lucas Apáti Matthias Corvinus provost of Eger [6][23]
1486 John Filipec Matthias Corvinus Czech: Jan Filipec z Prostějova; also bishop of Olomouc (1484–1490) [24][25]
1486–1490 Thomas Drági Matthias Corvinus first secular chief justice;[26] Drági Compendium [17][23][27]
1490–1494 Stephanus Crispus
(Stephen Fodor)		 Vladislaus II nephew of Urban Nagylucsei; also bishop of Syrmia (1490–1494) [27][28][29]
1495–1501 Domokos Kálmáncsehi Vladislaus II also bishop of Várad (1495–1501); Breviarium (1481) [15][30]
1502–1503 Lucas Szegedi Vladislaus II bishop of Bosnia (1490–1493), treasurer (1490–1492), bishop of Zagreb (1500–1510) [31][32]
1503–1512 István Erdődy Vladislaus II brother of Tamás Bakócz; remained in office despite Act IV of 1507; also bishop of Syrmia (1503–1505) and bishop of Nyitra (1505–1512) [9][27]
1513–1514 János Erdődy Vladislaus II nephew of Tamás Bakócz; appointed despite Act IV of 1507; also bishop of Zagreb (1512–1518); resigned [9][27][33]
1516–1525 István Werbőczy Louis II creator of the Tripartitum (1514); later palatine (1525–1526), chancellor for John I (1526–1540) [9][34]
1525–1527 Miklós Thuróczy Louis II
Ferdinand I
John I		 also master of judgement for judge royal (1525–1527); he supported Ferdinand I after the battle of Mohács (1526) [4][35]

Hungarian Civil War (1526–1538)
For Ferdinand I
Term Portrait Incumbent Notes Source
1527 Pál Várdai also archbishop of Esztergom and lord chancellor (1526–1549), later royal governor (1542–1549) [36]
1527–1542 Ferenc Révay also ispán of Turóc County (1532–1553), later palatinal governor (1542–1553) [4][37]
For John I
Term Portrait Incumbent Notes Source
1526–1537 Benedek Bekényi or Bekény; appointed after the battle of Mohács [4][6]
1539 Szaniszló Várallyai later bishop of Pécs and ispán of Baranya County (1541–1548); the Ottomans occupied Pécs and Baranya during his reign (1543) [4][35]

16–17th century
Term Portrait Incumbent Monarch Notes Source
1542–1544 Vacancy [4]
1544–1562 Mihály Mérey Ferdinand I later palatinal governor (1562–1572); creator of the Quadripartitum (1551) [4][38]
1562–1570 János Zomor Ferdinand I
Maximilian		 [4][39]
1570–1571 Damján Aranyáni Maximilian [4][6]
1572–1585 András Vitál Maximilian
Rudolf		 master of judgement for palatine (1569–1572) [4][35]
1585–1587 Vacancy [4]
1587–1603 János Joó Rudolf dismissed due to his involvement in the show trial against István Illésházy (1603) [4][15]
1604–1616 János Lippay Rudolf
Matthias II		 one of the signatories of the treaty of Vienna (1606) [4][40]
1617–1625 Benedek Pákay Matthias II
Ferdinand II		 also a royal councillor (1625) [4][41]
1625–1627 Mózes Cziráky Ferdinand II [4][6]
1627–1628 István Patachich Ferdinand II also acting ban of Croatia (1626–1627) [4][41]
1629–1630 Gáspár Tersztyánszky Ferdinand II [4][35]
1631–1649 Tamás Mikulich Ferdinand II
Ferdinand III		 [4][41]
1650–1665 György Orossy Ferdinand III
Leopold I		 also a royal councillor (1650–1665) [4][41]
1665–1666 Gáspár Heölgyi Leopold I converted to Roman Catholicism; his widow later married chief justice Esterházy [4][42]
1666–1667 János Szakmárdy Leopold I also master of judgement for Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia, vice-ispán of Varaždin County, royal councillor (1666–1667) [4][31]
1667–1670 Farkas Esterházy Leopold I from the House of Esterházy; member of the committee which investigated the Wesselényi conspiracy (1670) [4][27]
1670–1677 János Majthényi Leopold I [4][43]
1677–1679 Vacancy [4]
1679–1693 István Orbán Leopold I also member of the Gubernium (1681–1693) [4][41]
1693–1699 János Maholányi Leopold I also master of judgement for chief justice (1695–1699) [40][44]

18–19th century
Term Portrait Incumbent Monarch Notes Source
1699–1705 Ferenc Klobusiczky Leopold I also ispán of Arad (1699–1702) and Sáros Counties (1701–1708); he joined Kuruc during the Rákóczi's War of Independence (1705) [40][44]
1705–1707 Leopold Karl von Kollonitsch Joseph I also archbishop of Esztergom and lord chancellor (1695–1707); leading figure of the Hungarian counter-reformation [45]
1708–1723 János Horváth-Simonchich Joseph I
Charles III		 [42][44]
1723 László Hunyady Charles III also titular counselor for chancellery (1722–1723); died before taking office [15][44]
1724–1731 György Száraz Charles III [31][44]
1731–1748 Antal Grassalkovich Charles III
Maria Theresa		 confidant of Maria Theresa; also ispán of Arad County (1744–1751); created baron (1736) and count (1743); appointed president of the Hungarian Court Chamber (1748) [42][44]
1748–1762 György Fekete Maria Theresa also ispán of Arad and Zaránd Counties (1751–1788); created count (1758); appointed vice-chancellor (1762), later judge royal (1773) [44][46]
1762–1765 Ferenc Koller Maria Theresa also ispán of Bars County (1759–1787); dismissed [40][44]
1765–1779 Jakab Szvetics Maria Theresa [35][44]
1779–1789 Péter Végh Maria Theresa
Joseph II		 also ispán of Baranya County (1782–1792); appointed master of the treasury (1789), later judge royal (1795) [44][47]
1789–1795 József Ürményi Joseph II
Leopold II
Francis		 also ispán of Bács County (1790–1802); later appointed governor of Galicia (1801), judge royal (1806); Ratio Educationis (1777) [44][48]
1795–1801 József Felsőbüki Nagy Francis speaker of the Diet of 1796 [41][44]
1802–1808 András Semsey Francis also ispán of Ugocsa (1803–1807) and Abaúj Counties (1807–1814); appointed president of the Hungarian Court Chamber (1808) [41][44]
1808 István Aczél Francis dismissed due to heavy resistance against his operation; appointed vice-chancellor (1808) [6][44]
1808–1821 György Majláth, Sr. Francis Jesuit cleric (1767–1773); also ispán of Tolna County (1811–1821) [43][44]
1821–1825 Zsigmond Szőgyény Francis father of László Szőgyény-Marich, Sr.; appointed vice-chancellor (1825) [31][44]
1825–1831 György Majláth, Jr. Francis son of György Majláth, Sr.; also ispán of Hont County (1828–1843), later judge royal (1839–1848), speaker of the House of Magnates and royal governor (1848) [44][49]
1831–1833 Sándor Mérey Francis also ispán of Somogy County (1831–1845) [41][44]
1833–1839 Pongrác Somssich Francis
Ferdinand V		 also ispán of Baranya County (1835–1846) [31][44]
1839–1847 István Szerencsy Ferdinand V also ispán of Arad County (1836–1842); appointed master of the cupbearers (1847) [31][44]
1847–1848 János Zarka Ferdinand V speaker of the Diet of 1848 [35]
1848–1861 Vacancy during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and after its suppression
1861–1867 István Melczer Francis Joseph I last chief justice of the Kingdom of Hungary [43]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 147.
  2. Szende 1999, p. 448.
  3. Gergely 2000, pp. 133–134.
  4. Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 107.
  5. Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 29.
  6. Markó 2006, p. 336.
  7. Bertényi 1996.
  8. Kubinyi 2004, p. 40.
  9. Fraknói 1899.
  10. Markó 2006, p. 444.
  11. Bónis 1971, table VI.
  12. Markó 2006, p. 333.
  13. Kubinyi 2000, p. 12.
  14. Kubinyi 2004, p. 32.
  15. Markó 2006, p. 339.
  16. Markó 2006, p. 319.
  17. Kubinyi 2000, p. 19.
  18. Bónis 1971, p. 254.
  19. Bónis 1971, pp. 225–226.
  20. Véber 2009, p. 26.
  21. Véber 2009, p. 34.
  22. Markó 2006, p. 332.
  23. Véber 2009, p. 68.
  24. Markó 2006, p. 309.
  25. Bónis 1971, p. 19.
  26. Matucsinai was also secular when he held the office of chief justice, however later became a Roman Catholic prelate. Kubinyi 2000, p. 19.
  27. Markó 2006, p. 337.
  28. Véber 2009, p. 102.
  29. Bónis 1971, p. 334.
  30. Kubinyi 1957, p. 30.
  31. Markó 2006, p. 343.
  32. Kubinyi 1957, p. 32.
  33. Bónis 1971, pp. 319–320.
  34. Markó 2006, p. 259.
  35. Markó 2006, p. 344.
  36. Markó 2006, p. 257.
  37. Markó 2006, p. 250.
  38. Markó 2006, p. 240.
  39. Markó 2006, p. 345.
  40. Markó 2006, p. 340.
  41. Markó 2006, p. 342.
  42. Markó 2006, p. 338.
  43. Markó 2006, p. 341.
  44. Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 108.
  45. Markó 2006, p. 316.
  46. Markó 2006, p. 280.
  47. Markó 2006, p. 297.
  48. Markó 2006, p. 296.
  49. Markó 2006, p. 285–286.

References
  • (in Hungarian) Bertényi, Iván (1996). A magyar királyi udvar tisztségviselői a középkorban ("Officials of the Hungarian royal court in the Middle Ages"). Rubicon, 1996/1–2.
  • (in Hungarian) Bónis, György (1971). A jogtudó értelmiség a Mohács előtti Magyarországon ("Hungarian intelligentsia having legal expertise in the period before the battle of Mohács"). Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.
  • (in Hungarian) Fraknói, Vilmos (1899). Werbőczi István (1458–1541). Magyar Történeti Életrajzok, Magyar Történelmi Társulat, Budapest.
  • Gergely, András (2000). The Hungarian State.Thousand years in Europe. Korona Publishing House, Budapest.
  • (in Hungarian and German) Fallenbüchl, Zoltán (1988). Magyarország főméltóságai ("High Dignitaries in Hungary"). Maecenas Könyvkiadó. ISBN 963-02-5536-7.
  • (in Hungarian) Horváth, Gyula Csaba (2011): A 18. századi magyar főméltóságok családi kapcsolati hálózata.
  • (in Hungarian) Kubinyi, András (1957). "A kincstári személyzet a XV. század második felében." Tanulmányok Budapest Múltjából. Vol. 12. (1957). 25–49.
  • (in Hungarian) Kubinyi, András (2000). "Vitéz János és Janus Pannonius politikája Mátyás uralkodása idején" ("The Politics of János Vitéz and Janus Pannonius During the Reign of King Matthias"). In: Bartók, István – Jankovits, László – Kecskeméti, Gábor (ed.). Humanista műveltség Pannóniában. Művészetek Háza, University of Pécs.
  • (in Hungarian) Kubinyi, András (2004). "Adatok a Mátyás-kori királyi kancellária és az 1464. évi kancelláriai reform történetéhez." Publicationes Universitatis Miskolciensis Sectio Philosophica. Vol. 9. No. 1. (2004). 25–58.
  • (in Hungarian) 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"). 2nd edition, Helikon Kiadó. ISBN 963-547-085-1
  • Szende, Katalin (1999). "Was there a bourgeoisie in medieval Hungary?" In: Nagy, Balázs – Sebők, Marcell (ed.). ... The Man of Many Devices, Who Wandered Full Many Ways... Central European University Press. ISBN 963-9116-67-X Cloth.
  • (in Hungarian) Véber, János (2009). Két korszak határán, Váradi Péter pályaképe és írói életműve. Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Ph.D. thesis.

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