Voivode (Vlach leader)

A voivode was a leader of certain Vlach (Romanian) communities in the Kingdom of Hungary and western Balkans,[1] during the Middle Ages.

For other uses of "voivod", "voyevoda", etc., see Voivode of Transylvania, Voivode, Voivodes of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Voivode (disambiguation).

Terminology
See also: Voivode of Transylvania

The term voivode is of Slavic origin. While leaders of the Vlach communities bore the title of knez both in the Balkans and the Kingdom of Hungary, the use of the title voivode is documented primarily in the lands under the rule of the Hungarian kings.[2] Vlach voivodes were first mentioned in 1247.[3] In that year, King Béla IV of Hungary (r. 1235–1270) granted the "region of Szörény" (modern Turnu-Severin in Romania) to the Knights Hospitaller as far as the Olt River save the lands ruled by two Vlach voivodes, Litovoi and Seneslau.[4]

Although the duties of a voivode and of a knez sometimes overlapped, or, more often, knezes provided council to the voievode in his duties, in general the voivode retained the warlord duties associated with the meaning of the word, whereas knezes delt with the civil issues of the customary law. The situation is illustrated in the 1436 agreement between Vlachs in Cetina region and Ivan VI Frankopan.[5]

Romanian voivodes in the Kingdom of Hungary

In 1326, the comes of Csanád, Nicholaus, gifts to Diocese of Várad the property called Hudus where voivode Negul "sits and dwells" (considet et commoratur). [6]

In 1335, Ladislaus Jánki, archbishop of Kalocsa, was facilitating under command from the king the settlement of voivode "Bogdan, son of Mykula" in the Kingdom of Hungary.[7]

Queen Elizabeth of Bosnia allows Romanians from Bereg County to choose from among themselves a voivode, in 1364.[8]

See also

References
  1. Miloš Luković: Zakon Vlachom (Jus Valachicum) in the Charters Issued to Serbian Medieval Monasteries and Kanuns Regarding Vlachs in the Early Ottoman Tax Register, 2015, page 36
  2. Bónis 2003, pp. 275–276.
  3. Nägler 2005, p. 230.
  4. Makkai 1994, pp. 196–197.
  5. Dragomir, Silviu (1924). Originea coloniilor române din Istria] [Origin of Romanian Colonies in Istria]. Cultura Națională. pp. 3–4, .
  6. Ioan Bogdan: Originea voivodatului la români (The Origin of Romanian Voievodeship), page 195
  7. Ioan Bogdan: Originea voievodatului la români (The Origin of Romanian Voievodeship), page 195
  8. Ioan Bogdan: Originea voievodatului la români (The Origin of Romanian Voievodeship), page 198

Sources
  • Bónis, György (2003). Hűbériség és rendiség a középkori magyar jogban [Vassalage and Estates in Medieval Hungarian Law] (in Hungarian). Osiris. ISBN 963-389-426-3.
  • Makkai, László (1994). "The Emergence of the Estates (1172–1526)". In Köpeczi, Béla; Barta, Gábor; Bóna, István; Makkai, László; Szász, Zoltán; Borus, Judit (eds.). History of Transylvania. Akadémiai Kiadó. pp. 178–243. ISBN 963-05-6703-2.
  • Nägler, Thomas (2005). "Transylvania Between 900 and 1300". In Pop, Ioan-Aurel; Nägler, Thomas (eds.). The History of Transylvania, Vol. I (Until 1541). Romanian Cultural Institute. pp. 199–231. ISBN 973-7784-00-6.
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