FUN WITH HUNGARICANA #7 : THE LIBRI REGII in HUNGARICANA : WHAT'S INSIDE?

This post continues on the exploration of the Hungariacana databases.

Please note that there are extensive collections that are not uploaded onto databases. ***

NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF HUNGARY - HUNGARICANA - DATABASES - LIBRII REGII

Let's start with what "Librii Regii" means. This are Latin for "Royal Books" just as Királyi Könyvek, is Hungarian for "Royal Books" as well. But they are casually referred to as King's Books.

The collection contains 67 volumes of official records from the Hungarian Chancellery, documenting important state documents issued by the Kings of Hungary and Austria-Hungary between years 1527 and 1867. (So that includes Queen Maria Theresa's time on the throne.) Patents of nobility are just part of this collection. There are also wills, the ownership and transfer of ownership of land (a principal aspect of wealth), as well as many other aspects of royal decrees (laws, policies, and rules). *** However, you may need to ask an archivist at the National Archives of Hungary for some help, unless you can make your way through the Latin handwriting.

When you go to the link you will see a number of images (start pages) and the numbers below them indicate the DATES that are covered.

There are some images that are PRESS PRINTED IN LATIN.

There are some images that are handwritten in LATIN.

And there are some of these in HUNGARIAN.

BECAUSE SOME IMPORTANCE WAS GIVEN TO THESE DOCUMENTS, many were made with an attention to readability and neatness - beauty.

I'm going to link to a book of heraldry - family crests - coat of arms.  These are for the TITLED NOBILITY OF AN ERA and this book has over ONE THOUSAND PAGES. THIS BOOK IS FOR THE YEARS 1901- 1909.

HUNGARICANA ARCHIVES : BOOK IMAGE 71.1 KIRALYI KONYVEK  This is the cover image but you can SEE the artistic representations of each coat of arms.  The very first one has a crow holding an envelope in its mouth.  

YOU WILL ALSO SEE THAT THREE GREEN HILLS ARE PRESENT IN MANY OF THESE COAT OF ARMS...

This motif is so common in Hungarian arms, and I've not found a definitive reason why.  I venture that these indicate the Carpathian mountains and the story of how the tribal people who were seeking a homeland followed a White Stag through. Without reading the information given, I cannot say that this also indicates that the original members of the family were part of that adventure.

You will also see arms with swords. These indicate that the person battled or persevered over the Ottoman Turks who were in control of Hungarian lands for centuries - depending on locations - 

LINK TO MAJOR ARPAD HUNGARICANA - ROYAL BOOK - MAJOR ARPAD image 0082

This particular book may be of interest also because there are a good number of GERMAN SURNAMES included, including some who are listed as Medicinae Doctor (M.D.): Literally "Teacher of Medicine".  However, just as we call PhD educated people "Doctor", the use of this term may be honorary.

Interested in learning more about these databases.  See my past posts.  They will all come up if you click on the label  Pro Tip Hungaricana Fun

A LIST OF TITLED NOBLE FAMILIES IN HUNGARY - A GOOD WELL REFERENCED LIST - BUT OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

A LIST OF TITLED NOBLE FAMILIES IN HUNGARY - A GOOD WELL REFERENCED LIST - BUT OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

I'll admit that I think Wikipedia can be wonky and I don't rely on it, even though it often comes up first or high up in a search.  This list is well referenced and you might find the original source books in your library or perhaps in Google Books, or another way. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_titled_noble_families_in_the_Kingdom_of_Hungary

In looking over this list I want to emphasize that it is not comprehensive but is focusing on the Austrian-Hungarian empire era and these families are the ones that seem to have held onto their status for hundreds of years and were recognized by Austria.  You will notice that some were granted titles or acknowledged though they were Italian or from another country because they were living in Hungary at the time.  Most of the shown armory has the flourishes of the Austrian.

There are a number of other reference books one can use to locate those of noble or once-noble birth as well as the original Hungarian armory. Make sure your library has copies and let them know when they don't that you want them to make a purchase.  Some libraries will get rid of books that have not been taken out in a while so take them out!

Nobility was abolished in mid 19th century Hungary.  Never the less in archival records including church records many a baptism or marriage mentions that someone was of noble birth exist after 1848.  Much has been said about how this nobility was achieved and when. Rank and other conventions of nobility in Western Europe among the English and Germans has been applied to the Hungarian.

So, many a noble family died out over time.  If the family died out, sometimes a male who was married to a female from the family assumed the title or the arms.  You will see acknowledgement that something like this happened when you see a surname and the word alias (also known as) and another surname.

They died out because disease was equal opportunity, because women faced death due to pregnancy and child-birth, because men died in battle, and no offspring lived to be adult.  During the Ottoman Turk occupation of Hungary two thirds of the population was slaughtered, and women were likely raped or had to take an Ottoman Turk as a husband (and accept his religion), and so on. So, castles were built, and the people in the mountains and where castles existed had a better chance to persist than those on the flat lands. The mountainous regions were called Royal Hungary. 

A noble woman who married a non-noble man would keep her nobility and title but it would not transfer to their children.  This discouraged noble women from marrying outside their status.  People were pragmatic though and a woman would rather be married to a non-noble man who had some good income over a poor noble.  Never the less, there was pride in family history and that noble status, even if through the decades or centuries there was no land or riches remaining.  Noble status conferred privileges but also responsibilities such as military service and other obligations to one's fellows and the rulership - those of higher rank and status.  Most high nobles owned land had renters on the land.  Their opinions were sought.  They got to vote (but not in organized elections as we think of voting today).

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