Barons

  By Raider, 1 January 2007; Revised 1 January 2007
  Category: Hungarian History

In Western Eurpe the term baron usually referred to those lords who were the direct vassals of the king in the chain of vassality.

In Hungary there was no chain of vassality. In fact, there was no vassality at all. The barons were the officials of the kingdom, appointed and deposed by the king.

These barons were (under King Sigismund of Hungary):
  1. the Count Palatine (comes palatinus)
  2. the Voivode of Transylvania (woyuoda Transsiluanus)
  3. the Judge of the Royal Court (iudex curiae regiae)
  4. the Bans of Slavonia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Macsó, and Severin (bani)
  5. the Master of the Treasury (magister tavernicorum)
  6. the Master of Janitors (ianitorum regalium magister)
  7. the Master of Stewards (dapiferorum regalium magister)
  8. the Master of the Cup-Bearers (pincernarum regalium magister)
  9. the Marshall (agasonum regalium magister)
  10. the Counts of Bratislava (hung. Pozsony) and Timis (hung:Temes)
  11. the High Treasurer (summus thesaurarius)
  12. the Count of the Szeklers
  13. the Secret Chancellor
All of the barons were entitled as magnificus vir.