Late Medieval Hungary

Th is paper discusses the section of the Jewry-Oath preserved in the Tripartitum, as well as the tradition and the documentable spread of this legal act in the Kingdom of Hungary. It presents the main characteristics compared to Western European legal practices, such as that of the cartula sigillata in the 13th century, the unique tool of law and scribal practice which can be defi ned as a replacement of the Jewry-Oath. The latter process was especially diffi cult as it required the presence of two individuals in possession of rabbinic knowledge, as well as authenticated, credible Hebrew sources, which were hardly obtainable for Christians: initially the Torah scroll, later, for simplicity, in many cases the Talmud. Furthermore, the oath had to be taken in a synagogue. Th e article also aims to offer a more sophisticated historiographic narrative of István Verbőci by analysing one of his letters, which defines the quality of and access to legal services in his time and mentions the Jews as well as the Gypsies as subjects of the Holy Crown, that is, as parts of the communitas regni.

Extended version of the paper 'Diplomats of the Kings...' published in 'Reform and Renewal' volume.
Who represented the kings abroad, which were the features of this activity? I have compiled a database of embassies between 1490–1526. (This is published in 2/2020 issue.) A total of 178 missions are detected with 111 identified people. These were mainly led to the neighboring countries. The ruler employed confidental courtiers. “General diplomats” could be deployed everywhere, “specialists” were sent many times to the same destination. There was no tendency to establish permanent embassies.