JANOS X DRUGETH: STATESMAN AND PHILANTHROPIST, 1611 – 1645

Abstract

The paper covers the hitherto unknown aspects of the life and political activity of the representative of the aristocracy of North-Eastern Hungary, prominent military and statesman – count Janos Drugeth, the founder of the Jesuit gymnasium in Uzhhorod. Without a thorough study of the history of the Drugeth family with Italian roots, Zemplen and Ung counties' history is also incomplete – yet historical science still lacks a comprehensive monograph that would present members of this family with scientific thoroughness. During the XIV – XVII centuries, the Homonnai Drugeth family determined the national and regional politics. Among its members, we find robber knights and counterfeiters as well as merciful church builders. Although they were removed from the royal court in the XV century, they managed to preserve and even increase their estates. After their estates remained on the border between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Principality of Transylvania after 1541 (when the Hungarian country was divided into three parts), the political role of the Drugeths became more important again. As royal politicians, with the support of the Habsburgs, the Drugeths repeatedly acted as claimants to the throne in the struggle for the title of the prince of Transylvania. That is partly the reason for the "negative" perception of the Drugeths in Hungarian history, which viewed the Principality of Transylvania (and its rulers – Istvan Bocskai, Gabor Bethlen, and Gyorgy I. Rakoczi) as champions of Hungarian independence and religious freedom. That is why the Hungarian lords' characters on the other side of the struggle, including the protagonist of the present paper – Janos Homonnai Drugeth, were usually portrayed in "dark colors." His career and upbringing connected him to the royal court (King Ferdinand II) and the Catholic Church (the Jesuits). He probably supported the Catholic renewal (counter-Reformation) out of personal attachment and conviction. The person from the Transylvanian chronicles, which entered the historical canon, was recorded as a prototype of the «sin of the papacy.» That is probably why only one engraving of him remained intact. However, he ran an exceptional career (he became the high ispan of two counties, became a state judge and chief captain of Upper Hungary), he received the title of count, which was subsequently inherited in his family. The settlement of the Jesuit gymnasium in Uzhhorod is connected to his name. Unfortunately, his most lasting work could only be completed after his death - on April 24, 1646, in the church of his family castle, the unity of the Greek Eastern followers of the area, and the Roman Catholic Church – i.e., the union in Uzhhorod - was proclaimed. One of the crucial tasks of the present paper is to compile the career of Janos Homonnai Drugeth, its most essential stages, his political and public role based on the available sources, and to attempt to rehabilitate his person.