Oligarch (Kingdom of Hungary) facts for kids
An oligarch (say: OL-ih-gark) was a very powerful lord in the Kingdom of Hungary during the late 1200s and early 1300s. These lords were also called provincial lords. They were so strong that they controlled huge areas of land. They even took over many powers that usually belonged only to the king! Because of their great power, some people even called them petty kings – like mini-kings in their own regions.
Who Were These Powerful Lords?
These powerful lords became very strong when the kings of Hungary were weak. They built their own armies and ruled their lands almost like independent rulers. They collected taxes, made their own laws, and even decided who could live and work in their territories. This made it very hard for the actual king to rule the whole country.
A Time Without a Clear King (1301–1310)
From 1301 to 1310, there was a period called an "Interregnum." This means there was no clear king on the throne. This time was perfect for the oligarchs to become even more powerful. They fought among themselves and sometimes even against the different people who wanted to be king. Each oligarch tried to make their own territory bigger and stronger.
Here are some of the most important oligarchs during this time:
- Amadeus Aba controlled a large part of Northeast Hungary.
- Stephen Ákos was powerful in the Borsod region.
- Stephen Babonić ruled in Lower Slavonia.
- James Borsa had control over the Tiszántúl area.
- Matthew Csák was one of the most powerful. He ruled a huge part of Northwest Hungary.
- Ugrin Csák controlled Upper Syrmia.
- Dujam Frankopan was a strong lord in the Croatian Littoral.
- Ladislaus Kán held great power in Transylvania.
- Henry Kőszegi ruled parts of Southern Transdanubia and Upper Slavonia.
- Ivan Kőszegi controlled Western Transdanubia.
- Stephen Dragutin Nemanjić was a Serbian ruler who controlled Lower Syrmia.
- Nicholas Pok had influence in the Szamosköz region.
- Dominic Rátót was a lord in Nógrád.
- Paul Šubić was a very strong lord in Croatia and Bosnia.
- Theodore Vejtehi controlled the Banat of Severin.
How the Kings Fought Back
Eventually, a new strong king named Charles I came to power. He understood that he needed to defeat these powerful oligarchs to truly rule Hungary. It took him many years and several battles to break their power. By the 1320s, King Charles I had mostly defeated the oligarchs. This helped to make Hungary a strong and united kingdom once again.
