Somlyó végvárrá szervezése és az Apafi-korszak első éveinek központi kormányzata = The Organisation of Somlyó Into a Fortress and the Central Government of the First Years of the Apafi Period

Szalai, Ágnes (2025) Somlyó végvárrá szervezése és az Apafi-korszak első éveinek központi kormányzata = The Organisation of Somlyó Into a Fortress and the Central Government of the First Years of the Apafi Period. TÖRTÉNELMI SZEMLE, 67 (1). pp. 31-50. ISSN 0040-9634

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Abstract

The events of the crisis of power posed serious challenges to Prince Mihály Apafi I and his government: the functioning of the Transylvanian state became completely disorganised. The biggest problem was the increasing Ottoman pressure on the Principality. After the conquest of Várad and with it a large part of Partium (1660), the Ottomans created a new province with Várad as its centre. The exact boundaries between the Principality of Transylvania and the vilayet of Várad were not clearly defined, and this area was also characterised by the so-called joint sovereignty (condominium). Therefore, in order to protect the Transylvanian state and its (taxpaying) inhabitants, it became imperative to organise a new system of outlying fortresses as soon as possible, and the government chose Somlyó fortress as one of the links in the chain. The aim of this study is to show how, following the second crisis of power, the privately owned Somlyó castle became a modest substitute for Várad thanks to the decisions of the government, especially the princely council, which acted as an advisory body to the prince. At the same time, the sources uncovered in connection with the organisation of Somlyó into a fortress provide an opportunity to nuance the role and influence of the princely council in the government.

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