Bobâlna revolt
Encyclopedia
The Budai Nagy Antal Revolt or Bobâlna Revolt (Hungarian
Erdélyi paraszt felkelés, that is Transylvanian peasant revolt), of 1437 in Transylvania
was the only significant popular revolt
in the Kingdom of Hungary
prior to the great peasant war of 1514
. The event is named after the leader of the revolt, Antal Nagy de Buda
(in Hungarian: Budai Nagy Antal), or is simply called the Transylvanian Peasant Revolt. Romanian history writing prefers using "Bobâlna Revolt", by the place where the peasant rebels first gathered (Bábolna/Bobâlna).
and military campaigns against the Ottoman Empire
, King Sigismund
put lower value silver coins into circulation in Hungary
. György Lépes, the Bishop of Transylvania decided in 1434 not to collect taxes until this money was used, however, demanded the arrears of the tithes in one sum three years later, in 1437, when valuable golden coins were issued again by the royal treasury. The peasants, having had received revenues in silver coins earlier, were not able to pay taxes in the new valuable currency. When the peasant
s refused to pay, the bishop excommunicated
them. The peasants were also aggrieved over the unwillingness of their lords to respect their right of free movement.
Furthermore, the bishop required payments from petty noblemen and even from Vlach (Romanian) peasants who did not belong to the Roman Catholic Church.
(Satu Mare) and Szabolcs
. In June an army of Hungarian and Vlach (Romanian) peasants built a camp on a hill at Bábolna (Romanian
: Bobâlna). They were joined by petty noblemen and priests. They proclaimed and demanded the recognition of an Estate of their own, called universitas Hungarorum et Valachorum - Estate of Hungarians and Romanians and were led by a poor nobleman called Antal Nagy de Buda
and five other captains (three Hungarian peasants, a Romanian peasant, and a burgher
from Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca
)). The rebels sent envoys to Transylvanian voivode László Csák. The voivode promptly executed the envoys but, after the rebel troops scored a victory over his forces, he feigned willingness to negotiate. On 6 July at Kolozsmonostor (Cluj-Mănăştur) a contract was signed between the parties that met many of the rebels' demands. Both parties also sent envoys to King Sigismund
of Hungary asking for arbitration.
However, on 16 September the Transylvanian nobility, the Saxon
burghers, and the Székely
free guards formed an alliance of mutual aid, which was termed the Union of Kápolna (Căpâlna
). The alliance was designed to protect Transylvania from Tatar and Ottoman
incursions, and to support feudal landlords in the noble counties (Comitates
) in their fight against the peasants.
A new treaty with the rebels was signed on 6 October at Apáti (Apateu), which repealed some aspects of the previous agreement. The new agreement exempted petty nobles from paying taxes, thus, left peasants alone with their requests. When Sigismund died in December, the allies attacked and defeated the rebels in a pitched battle. Antal Nagy de Buda
died on the battlefield. They also besieged Kolozsvár, where the surviving rebels found refuge, and took the town in January 1438.
The leaders of the revolt were executed at Torda (Turda
), while Kolozsvár was deprived of its urban privileges and its inhabitants declared peasants. On 2 February the alliance set out by the Union of Kápolna was renewed and would later become the Union of Three Nations.
Erdőntúli veszedelem (Danger Beyond the Forest).
Joseph Held, "The Peasant Revolt of Babolna, 1437-1438", Slavic Review, 36:1, March 1977, pp.25-38.
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
Erdélyi paraszt felkelés, that is Transylvanian peasant revolt), of 1437 in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
was the only significant popular revolt
Popular revolt in late medieval Europe
Popular revolts in late medieval Europe were uprisings and rebellions by peasants in the countryside, or the bourgeois in towns, against nobles, abbots and kings during the upheavals of the 14th through early 16th centuries, part of a larger "Crisis of the Late Middle Ages"...
in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
prior to the great peasant war of 1514
György Dózsa
György Dózsa was a Székely Hungarian man-at-arms from Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary who led a peasants' revolt against the kingdom's landed nobility...
. The event is named after the leader of the revolt, Antal Nagy de Buda
Antal Nagy de Buda
Antal Nagy de Buda or Antal Budai Nagy was a petty nobleman from Kolozs County, Transylvania, who led the first major peasant revolt in medieval Hungary in 1437....
(in Hungarian: Budai Nagy Antal), or is simply called the Transylvanian Peasant Revolt. Romanian history writing prefers using "Bobâlna Revolt", by the place where the peasant rebels first gathered (Bábolna/Bobâlna).
Events leading to the revolt
In order to tackle financial burdens resulting from the Hussite warsHussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
and military campaigns against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, King Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
put lower value silver coins into circulation in Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. György Lépes, the Bishop of Transylvania decided in 1434 not to collect taxes until this money was used, however, demanded the arrears of the tithes in one sum three years later, in 1437, when valuable golden coins were issued again by the royal treasury. The peasants, having had received revenues in silver coins earlier, were not able to pay taxes in the new valuable currency. When the peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s refused to pay, the bishop excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
them. The peasants were also aggrieved over the unwillingness of their lords to respect their right of free movement.
Furthermore, the bishop required payments from petty noblemen and even from Vlach (Romanian) peasants who did not belong to the Roman Catholic Church.
The rebellion breaks out
The rebellion broke out in northern Transylvania, but soon spread to the counties of SzatmárSzatmár
Szatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
(Satu Mare) and Szabolcs
Szabolcs (county)
Szabolcs is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary in present-day northeastern Hungary. The capital of the county was Nyíregyháza.-Geography:...
. In June an army of Hungarian and Vlach (Romanian) peasants built a camp on a hill at Bábolna (Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
: Bobâlna). They were joined by petty noblemen and priests. They proclaimed and demanded the recognition of an Estate of their own, called universitas Hungarorum et Valachorum - Estate of Hungarians and Romanians and were led by a poor nobleman called Antal Nagy de Buda
Antal Nagy de Buda
Antal Nagy de Buda or Antal Budai Nagy was a petty nobleman from Kolozs County, Transylvania, who led the first major peasant revolt in medieval Hungary in 1437....
and five other captains (three Hungarian peasants, a Romanian peasant, and a burgher
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
from Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
)). The rebels sent envoys to Transylvanian voivode László Csák. The voivode promptly executed the envoys but, after the rebel troops scored a victory over his forces, he feigned willingness to negotiate. On 6 July at Kolozsmonostor (Cluj-Mănăştur) a contract was signed between the parties that met many of the rebels' demands. Both parties also sent envoys to King Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
of Hungary asking for arbitration.
However, on 16 September the Transylvanian nobility, the Saxon
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
burghers, and the Székely
Székely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
free guards formed an alliance of mutual aid, which was termed the Union of Kápolna (Căpâlna
Capâlna
Căpâlna is a commune in Bihor County, northwestern Romania with a population of 1,943 people. It is composed of five villages: Căpâlna, Ginta, Rohani, Săldăbagiu Mic and Suplacu de Tinca.-References:...
). The alliance was designed to protect Transylvania from Tatar and Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
incursions, and to support feudal landlords in the noble counties (Comitates
Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary)
A county is the name of a type of administrative units in the Kingdom of Hungary and in Hungary from the 10th century until the present day....
) in their fight against the peasants.
A new treaty with the rebels was signed on 6 October at Apáti (Apateu), which repealed some aspects of the previous agreement. The new agreement exempted petty nobles from paying taxes, thus, left peasants alone with their requests. When Sigismund died in December, the allies attacked and defeated the rebels in a pitched battle. Antal Nagy de Buda
Antal Nagy de Buda
Antal Nagy de Buda or Antal Budai Nagy was a petty nobleman from Kolozs County, Transylvania, who led the first major peasant revolt in medieval Hungary in 1437....
died on the battlefield. They also besieged Kolozsvár, where the surviving rebels found refuge, and took the town in January 1438.
The leaders of the revolt were executed at Torda (Turda
Turda
Turda is a city and Municipality in Cluj County, Romania, situated on the Arieş River.- Ancient times :The city was founded by Dacians under the name Patavissa or Potaissa...
), while Kolozsvár was deprived of its urban privileges and its inhabitants declared peasants. On 2 February the alliance set out by the Union of Kápolna was renewed and would later become the Union of Three Nations.
Further reading
Hungarian author Géza Hegedüs wrote an historic novel about this event titledErdőntúli veszedelem (Danger Beyond the Forest).
Joseph Held, "The Peasant Revolt of Babolna, 1437-1438", Slavic Review, 36:1, March 1977, pp.25-38.