Sigfrid Of Pannonhalma
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Sigfrid (; 1300s – 11 March 1365) was a Hungarian
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
friar and prelate in the 14th century, who served as Abbot of Garamszentbenedek from 1330 to 1355, then Abbot of Pannonhalma from 1355 until his death. He was a leading figure of the 14th-century Benedictine reformist movement in Hungary.


Early life

Sigfrid began his ecclesiastical career as a member of the royal chapel in the court of King Charles I of Hungary. Later, Charles' son and successor
Louis I of Hungary Louis I, also Louis the Great (; ; ) or Louis the Hungarian (; 5 March 132610 September 1382), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1342 and King of Poland from 1370. He was the first child of Charles I of Hungary and his wife, Elizabeth of ...
also referred to Sigfrid as his chaplain. By 1327, Sigfrid became abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Széplak (Krásna, present-day a borough of
Košice Košice is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of approximately 230,000, Košice is the second-largest cit ...
, Slovakia). In this capacity, he was among those five abbots in Upper Hungary, who requested the cathedral chapter of Nyitra (Nitra) in October 1327 to transcribe the 1225 papal bull of Pope Honorius III, which calls to hold annual Benedictine chapters.


Abbot of Garamszentbenedek

Sigfrid was elected as abbot of the Garamszentbenedek Abbey (present-day Hronský Beňadik, Slovakia) sometime between 13 August 1329 and 13 July 1330, most likely in the latter year. John, his successor as abbot of Széplak was already mentioned by the last
will and testament A will and testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property (estate (law), estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person (executor) is to manage the property until its fi ...
of
William Drugeth William Drugeth (also Druget, , , ; 1300s – September 1342) was a distinguished Kingdom of Naples, Neapolitan-born Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526), Hungarian baron and military leader in the first half of the 14th century. Along with his family ...
on 9 August 1330. While serving in Garamszentbenedek, Sigfrid proved to be a leading figure of the 14th-century Benedictine reformist movement in Hungary.
Pope John XXII Pope John XXII (, , ; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death, in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Papacy, Avignon Pope, elected by ...
supported the abbot in his efforts. In his two letters (June 1332), the pope ordered to summon cathedral and collegiate chapters annually and entrusted Sigfrid and Nicholas III of Pannonhalma to organize and conduct the first such meeting in the next year. Simultaneously, Pope John XXII also instructed Mieszko of Bytom, the Bishop of Nyitra to restore the privileges and revenues of the Garamszentbenedek Abbey upon the request of Sigfrid. According to historian Kristóf Keglevich, Sigfrid resided in the
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at
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at the time, when these papal bulls were sent to Hungary, thus, he was actively involved in the elaboration of the reform points.
Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII (, , ; 1285 – 25 April 1342), born Jacques Fournier, was a cardinal and inquisitor, and later, head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1334 to his death, in April 1342. He was the third Avignon pope and reformed monasti ...
continued to support the reformist Benedictine movement. His bull ("''Summi magistri''") also prescribed the holding of annual chapters within the order and instructed four abbots in Hungary – including Sigfrid – to supervise it in 1336. On the other hand, Sigfrid had endeavored to recover of former Benedictine monasteries for the order, which had previously fallen into foreign hands (secular or other ecclesiastical order). In the name of the pope, Sigfrid sent a letter to
Nicholas Dörögdi Nicholas Dörögdi (; died 1361) was a Hungarian prelate in the first half of the 14th century. He was elected Archbishop of Esztergom between 1329 and 1330, then Bishop of Eger from 1330 until his death. Ancestry and early life Nicholas was born ...
, the
Bishop of Eger The Archdiocese of Eger () is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Hungary, its centre is the city of Eger. History * 1000: Established as Diocese of Eger * August 9, 1804: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Eger w ...
in 1337 to reclaim former Benedictine monasteries – Kolozsmonostor, Bulcs (Bulci), Bizere,
Garáb Garáb is a village in Nógrád County, Hungary, with a population of 49 inhabitants (2014). The name is derived from the Slavic languages word ''grab'', meaning hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the fam ...
,
Mogyoród Mogyoród is a small traditional village in Pest County, Hungary. The Battle of Mogyoród took place here on 14 March 1074, between Solomon, King of Hungary and his cousins Géza and Ladislaus, who were claiming rights to the throne. To commemo ...
– unlawfully usurped by others in the territory of his diocese for the Benedictine friars, in addition to the Priory of Béla (Bijela) in the Diocese of Zagreb. Upon the request of Sigfrid and Daniel, the abbot of Visegrád, Archbishop
Csanád Telegdi Csanád Telegdi (; died 1349) was a Hungarian prelate in the first half of the 14th century. He served as Bishop of Eger from 1322 to 1330, then Archbishop of Esztergom from 1330 until his death. Descending from an old Hungarian kindred, he was a ...
transcribed Pope Benedict's letter in June 1338. In the document, Sigfrid was styled as "visitor to the Holy See" ("''visitator per sedem deputatus apostolicam''") which proves his leading role in the Hungarian Benedictine reformist movement. A general council of the Benedictine Order was held in Visegrád between 2 and 6 June 1342, which was co-chaired by Sigfrid alongside William Hammer, the abbot of Pannonhalma. One of the resolutions confirms that Sigfrid successfully recovered the aforementioned abbeys for the Benedictines. During this process, however, the Garamszentbenedek Abbey was forced to incur severe financial expenses. The general council ruled that the superiors of the five recovered abbeys had to compensate Sigfrid and his convent with 400 golden
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s. In the spring of 1344, Sigfrid traveled to Avignon and petitioned three cases at the court of
Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI (; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death, in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Black Death (1 ...
. Upon his request, the pope instructed the Benedictines in Hungary to strive to save the approximately 40 abbeys that have been declining since the
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by implementation of a common budget and appointment of ''procurator''s in order to perform the necessary tasks. Sigfrid also managed to reach the Benedictines to take over the abandoned Greek-ryte abbey of Szávaszentdemeter in
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(present-day Sremska Mitrovica,
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), when Pope Clement instructed
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, Bishop of Nyitra to accomplish it. Sigfrid and his allies were committed to establish an informal connection and a common political position among the Benedictine abbeys in Hungary. Beyond Garamszentbenedek, Sigfrid selflessly defended the interests of the minor and more modest income monasteries, using his influence and personal connections either in the Hungarian royal court or the Holy See. He also maintained good relationship with the professional staff of the judicial courts and the royal chapel. With his efforts, Sigfrid also gained opponents for himself: in June 1340, Boleslaus, the abbot of
Báta Báta is a village in Tolna County Tolna (, ; ) is an administrative county (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary), comitatus or vármegye) in present-day Hungary as it was in the former Kingdom of Hungary. It lies in central Hungary, on the west bank ...
that he had illegally and unjustly squandered the money of the Benedictines in Hungary. Boleslaus withdrew the charges before witnesses were present at Avignon, possibly under duress. Nevertheless, the momentum of the Hungarian Benedictine reform movement seems to be breaking after 1344. Beside his requests at Avignon, Sigfrid also performed papal mandates in Hungary during his abbacy. Along with
Nicholas Neszmélyi Nicholas Neszmélyi de Poroszló (died 25 July 1360) was bishop of Pécs in the Kingdom of Hungary from 30 March 1346 to 26 March 1360, not long before his death. Life Nicholas was born into a Polish nobility, Polish noble family from Silesia. H ...
,
Bishop of Pécs A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
and Daniel, the abbot of Visegrád, he was entrusted to investigate circumstances in favor of the establishment of the Diocese of Szepes (Spiš) by Pope Clement VI in April 1348. Subsequently, the investigators summoned all stakeholders in the region to examine the conditions for ascension in December 1348. Despite the efforts, Szepes remained a
provostry A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches. Historical development The word (Latin for 'set over', from , 'to place in front') was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary. It was soon more specifical ...
for centuries. Sigfrid was a confidant of King Louis I. According to historian Sarolta Homonnai, the experience gained during the reform of the Benedictines in Hungary provided him with sufficient legal and diplomatic knowledge to prove himself suitable and to have a place in creating the diplomatic background for the young Hungarian monarch's first Neapolitan campaign. In the preparatory phase, Sigfrid was sent to the court of King
Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...
at the turn of 1345 and 1346 in order to gain the political alliance and support of English monarch. According to Edward's charter issued in March 1346, he had negotiated with the abbot and sent his envoy, friar Walter de Mora together with Sigfrid into Hungary. Walter's cost accounting narrates that the English legation had was forced to procrastinate because of Sigfrid, who had spent several days in the cities of the
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and Hungary –
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,
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
and
Székesfehérvár Székesfehérvár (; ; ; ; Serbian language, Serbian: ''Стони Београд''; ), known colloquially as Fehérvár (), is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the Regions of Hungary, regional capital of C ...
– during the church holidays, but it is also possible that he completed a diplomatic mission in Germany. They arrived to
Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
, where Louis' royal camp was set up during the
Siege of Zadar The siege of Zara or siege of Zadar (; ; 10–24 November 1202) was the first major action of the Fourth Crusade and the first attack against a Catholic city by Catholic crusaders. The crusaders had an agreement with Venice for transport acro ...
. During his abbacy, Sigfrid has in several cases achieved the confirmation and renewal of the old privileges, rights and proprietary of the Garamszentbenedek Abbey, for instance in 1347 in the occasion of altogether eight royal charters by Louis I. He was also involved in various lawsuits over the lawful possession of landholdings with his neighbors. For instance, the town of Bars (present-day Starý Tekov, Slovakia) contested the abbey's ownership over the surrounding lands Zengő and Szőlen in the 1330s. After a lengthy lawsuit,
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Thomas Szécsényi Thomas (I) Szécsényi (; died 1354) was a Hungarian powerful baron and soldier, who rose to prominence during King Charles I's war against the oligarchs. He belonged to the so-called "new aristocracy", who supported the king's efforts to restor ...
ruled in favor of the Garamszentbenedek Abbey in 1341. Sigfrid also acquired the thirds of duty at Bars for his abbey in 1335, after the decision of
Palatine A palatine or palatinus (Latin; : ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman Empire, Roman times.
William Drugeth during a general assembly in the province. Sigfrid also became embroiled in conflict with the influential Becsei family; during the same diet, he accused ''
ispán The ispánRady 2000, p. 19.''Stephen Werbőczy: The Customary Law of the Renowned Kingdom of Hungary in Three Parts (1517)'', p. 450. or countEngel 2001, p. 40.Curta 2006, p. 355. (, , and ),Kirschbaum 2007, p. 315. deriving from title of župan, ...
'' Töttös Becsei that his late father Emeric arbitrarily modified the boundaries of their neighboring estates at Kovácsi (today Kozárovce, Slovakia). According to the verdict, Emeric Becsei usurped several lands and revenues of the abbey unlawfully during his lifetime. The abbey land of Knyezsic (today Žitavany, Slovakia) was stormed and looted by the troops of the neighboring Kistapolcsányi (or Tapolcsányi) family – including Nicholas, the king's former tutor, while several serfs were murdered or assaulted. Sigfrid had numerous conflicts with the Tapolcsányis thereafter, for instance in Malonya (present-day a borough of Tesárske Mlyňany, Slovakia). Sigfrid successfully recovered the village Barátka in Bars County for the Garamszentbenedek Abbey in 1347, after a long-standing trial. The abbot also tried to defend the monastery's interests and possessions in
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(Transtisia), mostly laid in
Csongrád County Csongrád (; , archaically also ''Црноград/Crnograd,'' ) is a town in Csongrád County in southern Hungary. History At the time of the Hungarian Conquest (the end of 9th century) the Maros Valley was under Bulgarian control. The fortre ...
. During the litigation processes, Sigfrid hired professional lawyers, primarily a certain Mikó, son of Hippolytus, who acted in this capacity throughout from 1340 to 1365.


Abbot of Pannonhalma

Sigfrid was transferred to the most important Benedictine monastery, the Pannonhalma Abbey in late 1354 or early 1355.
Pope Innocent VI Pope Innocent VI (; 1282 – 12 September 1362), born Étienne Aubert, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 December 1352 to his death, in September 1362. He was the fifth Avignon pope and the only one with the ...
confirmed his election on 13 April 1355. His abbacy in Pannonhalma proved to be more passive due to his advanced age. In 1356, Pope Innocent VI ordered Sigfrid to install Nicholas Zsigrai, a canon of Esztergom as the new of provost of the collegiate chapter of Hánta (present-day a borough in
Kisbér Kisbér () is a town in northern Hungary, in Komárom-Esztergom county. It is the administrative centre of Kisbér District. The town was first mentioned in 1277. Royal Stud Kisber was home to the Imperial-Royal Stud where a Thoroughbred Horse r ...
). In 1358 and 1361, at his request, Louis I of Hungary annulled all previous measures that undermined the monastery's property and rights. His name is associated with the late
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...
reconstruction of the abbey building in the local Benedictine historiography, but later excavations contradict this tradition. Sigfrid died on 11 March 1365. His ornate red marble tombstone has survived.


References


Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sigfrid of Pannonhalma 1300s births 1365 deaths 14th-century Hungarian clergy Hungarian abbots Benedictine abbots Year of birth unknown 14th-century Christian abbots