Difference between revisions of "The laws of Hungarian Kings"

Revision as of 13:23, 6 March 2007

Some examples

As the following examples will show, animals are mentioned in many different contexts:

1) The laws of King Stephen I

horse "...if anyone will be found working on Sunday with a horse - the horse will be confiscated - it can be redeemed with an ox.." Relation: similar regulation relating working with an ox - should be taken and given to the men of the castle to be eaten (Stephen I: 8).

"...if someone eats meat on Ember days he shall be incarcerated for a week...(King Stephen I: 10)" Relation: same punishment imposed for eating meat on Friday (Stephen I: 11); on the other hand Ishmaelits were forced to eat pork meat (Coloman: 46; Coloman: 49); Latins were forced to abstain from meat on Mondays and Tuesdays (the canons of the synod of Szabolcs - art. 31).

"...if someone eats meat on Friday he shall be incarcerated for a week (King Stephen I: 11)..." Relation: same punishment imposed for eating meat on Ember days (Stephen I: 10); on the other hand Ishmaelits were forced to eat pork meat (Coloman: 46; Coloman: 49); Latins were forced to abstain from meat on Mondays and Tuesdays (the canons of the synod of Szabolcs - art. 31).

"...ispan is obliged to pay fifty young oxen to the kindred of his wife which he killed; warrior or wealthy man ten; commoner five (King Stephen I: 15)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by composition in young oxen in laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"... perjury is punished by loss of hand or its redemption with fifty young oxen; in case of commoner twelve young oxen (King Stephen I: 17)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by fine in young oxen in laws of the first kings - Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)..."

"... procuring liberty for a bondman of other person is punished by fine of fifty young oxen; in case of commoner twelve young oxen (King Stephen I: 21)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by fine in young oxen in laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"...for beating a person looking for fled warrior or bondman a fine of ten young oxen is imposed (King Stephen I: 25)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by fine in young oxen in laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"...or abduction of a girl abductor pays ten young oxen; commoner five young oxen (King Stephen I: 27)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by fine in young oxen in laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"...for arson of houses penalty of sixteen young oxen worth forty solidi is imposed (King Stephen I: 25)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by fine in young oxen in laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"... for invasion of houses penalty of one hundred young oxen is imposed for ispan; ten young oxen in case of warrior; five in case of a commoner (King Stephen I: 35)" Relation: crimes obviously punished by fine in young oxen in laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

2) The laws of King Stephen II

"...every ten villages were supposed to build a church and endow it with a horse and mare and six oxen and two cows and thirty small animals (King Stephen II: 1)"

"...for liberation of a slave who killed a freeman payment of one hundred and ten young oxen was required (King Stephen II: 4)" Relation: fine and compensation of damages was often paid in young oxen in the statutory laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"...for theft committed by a bondman compensation of five young oxen was required as a redemption for the nose of the thief; in case of the second theft another five young oxen as redemption of his ears (King Stephen II: 4)" Relation:penalties often imposed in young oxen in the statutory laws of the first kings (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Ladislas III: 29)

2) The laws of King Ladislas

"...if someone is tracing a stolen object, villagers are not allowed to destroy the traces by turning out their beasts (King Ladislas II: 5)"

"...if bondman or freeman steals a goose or a hen he shall lose one eye and restore the stolen thing (King Ladislas II: 12)" Relation: similar price range of caused damage is used in case of cleric-thief (Ladislas II: 13)

"...cleric who has stolen a goose or a hen or fruit or something similar - punished by switches (King Ladislas II: 13)" Relation: similar price range of caused damage is used in case of bondman or freeman (Ladislas II: 12)

"...for stealing a thing worth less than ten denariis thief repays twelve times and additionaly an ox (Ladislas II: 14)" Relation: otherwise crimes punished obviously by payment in young oxen (Stephen I: 15; Stephen I: 17; Stephen I: 21; Stephen I: 25; Stephen I: 27; Stephen I: 32; Stephen I: 35; Stephen II: 4; Stephen II: 6; Ladislas III: 29)

"...no merchant is allowed to buy or sell an ox or a horse along the frontiers of Hungarian kingdom - only if for plowing or transport (Ladislas II: 15)" Realtion: special regime of the sale of horses and oxen is mentioned also in Ladislas II: 16; II: 17; II: 18

"...who intends to sell a horse in the area of frontiers shall be deprived of the horse and put in prison until his innocence is verified (Ladislas II: 16)" Relation: special regime of the sale of horses and oxen is mentioned also in Ladislas II: 15; II: 17; II: 18

"...ispan who allows horses and oxen to be sold beyond the frontiers shall be deprived of his office (Ladislas II: 17)" Relation: special regime of the sale of horses and oxen is mentioned also in Ladislas II: 15; II: 16; II: 18

Documentary Notes

The Laws of the medieval kingdom of Hungary.

Time period: 1000-1030

Language: Latin

References and Sources

http://jmvk.compunet.hu/szoveg/kiadvany_new/szentistvan.htm

The laws of King Stephen I and II:

Szechenyi National Library,Clmae 433; Clmae 407; Fol. Lat. 4023

The laws of King Ladislas:

Codex Thuroczi - Cod. Lat. 407; Codex Ilosvay - Fol. Lat. 4023

Bak, Janos M., Gyorgy Bonis, James Ross Sweeney, ed. and tr. The Laws of the medieval kingdom of Hungary. Vol. 1: 1000-1301. Decreta regni mediaevalis Hungariae. Tom. I: 1000-1301. The Laws of Hungary. Series I: 1000-1526. 2nd revised ed. Idyllwild, CA: Charles Schlacks, Jr., 1999. Zavodsky, Levente. A szent Istvan, szent Laszlo es Kalman korabeli torvenyek es zsinati hatarozatok forrasai. Budapest: Szent-Istvan-Tarsulat Tud. es Irod. Osztalya. 1904.

contributor Tomas Gabris