The History of the Castle

After the fall of the Lengyel family, as János Szapolyai lost favor, King Ferdinand I confiscated his estates and granted the castle of Szigliget and its surroundings to Bálint Török. However, the captain of Szigliget, István Kulcsár, did not wish to hand over the castle peacefully to Bálint Török. Imre Martonfalvay, one of Török’s deacons, managed to take the castle without firing a shot. Török appointed him captain of the castle, and he soon began expanding the “great castle,” adding outer walls as well. He built a new tower, several bastions and cellars, as well as a well. Thanks to Martonfalvay’s construction works, the layout of the Szigliget Castle developed essentially into its 16th-century form, which later constructions did not significantly alter. This period is often referred to as the Turkish threat era. The captain of Szigliget and Fonyód, Bálint Magyar, became a legendary figure. He successfully repelled numerous Turkish attacks, defending not only Fonyód and Szigliget, but also preventing the Ottomans from expanding the borders of their occupied territories in Veszprém and Tihany. After the death of Bálint Magyar, Szigliget and Fonyód returned to the Lengyel family. However, two years later, in the summer of 1575, the Turks captured Fonyód. The castle of Szigliget itself was not in very good condition, as in 1580 István Lengyel intended to offer it to the royal treasury due to financial difficulties. In 1613, and later in 1618 and 1622, it was ordered that the garrisons of Szigliget, Keszthely, and Csobánc castles be maintained with paid soldiers. In 1606, János Lengyel was the captain of the castle; around 1630, Boldizsár Lengyel held the position. The garrison consisted of 12 hussars, 25 infantry soldiers, and one gunner, who received a monthly wage of 125 forints. The financial strength of the Lengyel family gradually increased, their estates became more stable, and in connection with this—and the weakening of Ottoman power—the castle was repaired and fortified. During Boldizsár’s time, a map of the castle was made in the mid-17th century, depicting its appearance and including decorative elements. Later, Gáspár Boldizsár became captain of the castle. At his own expense, he built ships to stop further Turkish attacks. In 1647–1648, 400–500 men were stationed in the castle, and ships were anchored along the lakeshore to support defense. Miklós Zrínyi, the chief ispán of Zala County at the time, provided 200 men as reinforcement. These ships were indeed necessary, as the Turks also had watercraft for military purposes on the southern shore. With the decline of Ottoman power, the military significance of the castle gradually diminished. After the end of the occupation, Szigliget no longer played a role in the defense of the country. Later, it became part of the Lengyel family’s estates, but maintaining it proved costly. Its destruction dates back to the end of the 17th century: on a stormy day, lightning struck, setting it on fire and destroying much of it. At that time, many documents of the castle—letters, records, and other notes—were also lost. The destruction was further accelerated by the decree issued in 1702 by Emperor Leopold I, which ordered the demolition of most Hungarian castles, citing the security of the western borders and the empire’s difficult financial situation. During Rákóczi’s War of Independence, the kuruc troops occupying Transdanubia no longer used the castle, which was then left in a ruined state. The stones of the castle were later used for building houses in the village. In the second half of the 18th century, the Lengyel family built a mansion below the castle. The marshy area surrounding Szigliget, which had once significantly contributed to the castle’s defense, was drained and construction began. A map from 1792 already shows the boundary ditches, the roads of the settlement, and the houses. Economic development boosted viticulture, and the number of houses increased. Later, most of the estate came into the ownership of the Lencsés family. Serfs were freed in 1844. From them, the Esterházy family acquired Szigliget, and the last owner of the castle ruins was also from this family. The settlement, mainly based on agriculture, gradually expanded and reached its present extent. The village center, the beach, and the harbor were built, and today tourism has become the main profile of the village.