The History of the Castle

The history of Szigliget Castle dates back to the 13th century. At that time, Kálán of the Zala county, who had sided with the king after previously opposing him, received Szigliget as a donation from King Stephen the Younger in 1259, together with the Zala ispánság (county authority). However, a year later it was granted again to Szigliget. After the devastation caused by the Tatar invasion, King Béla IV decided to build castles throughout the country, as only these could withstand similar attacks. The castle was originally much smaller than the ruins visible today; it was expanded in later centuries. Local stonemasons, lime burners, craftsmen, and the Benedictine monks living in the surrounding area likely contributed significantly to its rapid construction, along with the serfs. The castle of Szigliget, owned by the king, was occupied between 1275 and 1289 by Péter from the Héder clan, Bishop of Veszprém. The treasures stored here—valuable church equipment, vestments, banners, and silver chalices—were taken to Veszprém, and were only returned to the clan at the beginning of the 14th century. The village’s life was closely tied to the castle, which was the target of frequent attacks. From that time on, this dependence continued, making everyday life more difficult, and the development of the settlement was hindered, as the serfs had to provide services to the castle captain as required. In 1344, King Louis the Great donated the castle and its estates to Bishop Bulcsú Csáni and later to Lőrinc, a descendant of the Istvánffy family. In 1348, the castle estates came into the hands of the Móriczhida family. For nearly a hundred years, the castle and its lands remained in their possession. During this time, the construction of the inner castle took place, and the settlement of Újfalu below the castle began, while the Árpád-era Szigliget gradually became depopulated. This process was supported by the economic prosperity during the long reigns of Louis the Great and Sigismund. In 1441, King Ladislaus I donated the castle and its domain to Kolozsi Jeromos. The donation stipulated that the recipient should provide military service in exchange, while the king granted him 200 serf plots as compensation. In 1442, the castle steward of Szigliget, Flóris Berky, attacked the Almád monastery and its estates. Due to the changing circumstances, the castle changed hands several times. After King Albert’s death, the castle was granted to Balázs Barócz. In 1444, Barócz mortgaged the Pannonhalma abbey for 3,000 gold forints, but the abbot refused to accept it, claiming that the castle belonged to Miklós Újlaki and János Hunyadi. Although this was protested, Szigliget briefly came under the possession of the Újlaki family. In 1453, the king issued a donation charter listing the castle and the villages belonging to it: Felsőtöm, Hegymagas, Nagyfalu, Sziget, and Újfalu. The mortgage was transferred several times afterward. In 1526, despite the protests of the abbot of Pannonhalma, King Louis II donated the castle and its estates to László Lengyel of Tót and his sons, after which the castle remained in the family’s possession for a century.