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Trans-boundary connections and the standard of living of the Hungarian and Croatian-Hungarian nobility in the territory of the Sclavonian reign in the light of the archaeological research of castles and fortified noble residences

The process of formation of the Hungarian royal counties in the area of the present-day northern Croatia, based on the comes-comitatus- castrum axis (mayor-county-burg), began at the beginning of the 12th century. A part of the medieval "entire Slavonia" (tota Sclavonia), a separate institutional organization gathered primarily around Zagreb and spacious Križevačka County (later a couple of others, as well) was called, starting from the 13th century, "The Kingdom of Slavonia" or regnum Sclavoniae. The main focus of this work is the archaeological evidence which contribute to the interdisciplinary knowledge about the castles and fortified noble seats as well as about links and relationships among the nobility in the territory of regnum Sclavoniae and the surrounding areas. When it comes to the standard of living of the Croatian-Hungarian nobility, historical sources are rather scarce. In general, written sources and pictorial representations provide information on feasts or important ceremonies only. Archaeology provides detailed answers to questions regarding everyday life of the nobility. It is through the archaeological material (tableware, luxury knives, glassware), as well as through other indicators, such as the way the castles or mansions were equipped, i.e. heating or decorating of noble chambers by luxury tile-kilns, or the equipment of castle architecture with embossed details (door frames, window frames, etc.), that we can make out the living standard of the nobility and, which is of a special interest to us, the links with the contemporary trans-boundary workshop centers and centers of culture and art. As one would expect, the intensive influences were coming from the wide area of the Hungarian Kingdom and, following the same route, from some other countries (e.g. Italy). The question is if one may discern the connections and influences which come directly from the Holy Roman Empire. Another question here is the one of a layout disposition of fortifications, that is, whether the architectural and constructional solutions which occur in this territory of medieval regnum Sclavoniae are the "final product" imported from the central areas of the Hungarian Kingdom or, perhaps, they could be recognized as some solutions which represent elements of an older, local tradition. In this paper we will discuss these issues with the help of concrete examples of particular castles and noble strongholds on the territory of medieval regnum Sclavoniae, viewed in the broader context of the Hungarian Kingdom as well as within the trans-boundary context.

castle; nobility; medieval Slavonia; Ungarian-Croatian Kingdom

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