Hungary in the era of St. Ladislas

Studija prikazuje stanje u Kraljevini Ugarskoj u razdoblju kralja Ladislava I. (1077. 1095.), ali počinjući od 1063. kada se on pojavljuje na političkoj sceni. Prvi dio rada razmatra općenite karakteristike u zemlji. Drugi dio rada bavi se ustanovom dukata, čijom se uspostavom odražava karakterističan oblik razdiobe moći unutar vladajuće obitelji u drugoj polovini 11. stoljeća. Utvrđuje se da je dukat izvorno zauzimao područje jugoistoka i Transdanubije – i njima priključenih područja preko Drave – kao i područje preko Tise oko Bihara. Sedamdesetih godina 11. stoljeća područje Njitre zamijenilo je ono oko Pečuha, a središte dukata seli se onda u područje Bihara.The study outlines the picture of the Kingdom of Hungary in the time of King Ladislas I (1077–1095), but starting back to the beginning of his advent on the political scene (1063), which is justified by the fact that he already at that time played a significant role in shaping the fate of Hungary. The first half of the study looks at the general characteristics of the country. In addition to the issues of the king and his court, secular and ecclesiastical administration, issues of legislation, and the transformation of the ethnic relations of the country, the review covers new phenomena in the society of the age. The latter include the emergence of nobility as well as that of conditional freedom connected to it. The second half of the study deals with the institution of the ducatus, establishment of which reflects a characteristic form of the division of power within the ruling family in the second half of the 11th century. According to previous ideas, the area of the ducatus in the earlier period spread in the vicinities of Bihor and Nitra. The study argues that the ducatus originally covered area from Southeast to Transdanubia – and to it associated areas on the other side of the Drava river – as well as Bihar and its environs in the areas on the other side of the Tisza river. In the 1070s, the Nitra region replaced Pécs and its surroundings, and the centre of the ducatus may have moved to the Bihar area at that time. This change might be initiated by King Solomon (1063–1074). The original territory of the ducatus would have therefore made it possible for Prince Géza and his brothers to receive help not only from Poland, easily accessible from Bihar, but also, through the Croatian marriage of their sister, from the south. However, on the perils of such arrangement for the king, the campaign in Croatia, which they and the king led jointly 1066-1067, may have brought the attention of the king and his advisers and cause further tensions