To eradicate the depravity of heresy: a Hungarian crusade in the early thirteenth century? In: Merceneries and Crusaders. Ed. Attila Bárány. Debrecen, 2024. 87-104. (original) (raw)

Abstract

This paper is a short contribution to the history of the crusades led against so-called heretics in the first half of the thirteenth century. The topic is well known in the Western historical research, as well as in the popular culture, due to the significance of the campaigns in Southern France against the Cathars, also known as the Albigensian Crusade, in the early thirteenth century. Nonetheless, the idea of a crusade to exterminate the depravity of heresy emerged in relation to other territories and local groups as well. The relationship between the Kingdom of Hungary and its southern neighbour, Bosnia offers a quite similar example, as accusations of heterodoxy played an important role in the efforts of the Hungarian rulers to assert their overlordship over the territories of Bosnia. The issue appeared as early as the outset of the thirteenth century, when accusations emerged against the Bosnian ruler, Ban Kulin claiming that he and his subjects were no true Christians. Although the monarch was able to acquit himself from the accusations due to the examination ordered by Pope Innocent III (1198–1216), there were no military actions in order at that time, yet the controversy regarding the state of Christianity in Bosnia persisted. This study investigates the situation in the 1220s and 1230s when the idea of crusaders fighting for the cause to abolish heresy arose several times, and it seems possible that a Hungarian royal prince, Duke Coloman of Slavonia, even lead his armies – as a crusader – to Bosnia. The events of the campaign(s) are scarcely known; however, the preparations are tangible in the main source material, the pontifical correspondence. Therefore I will analyse the efforts made by Honorius III (1216–1227) and Gregory IX (1227–1241) in this matter, revealing the role of crusader terminology. It is quite intriguing that Hungarian sources contain only indirect information regarding the crusade against Bosnian heresy, even though the notion of fighting infidels as crusaders a few years after the crusade of King Andrew II (1205–1235) must have been widely known among members of the lay and ecclesiastical elite of the Realm of St Stephen.

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  22. Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 103-104.
  23. "Te igitur sincere caritatis brachiis amplexantes, personam et terram tuam de Bosna, cum omnibus bonis, que in presentiarum rationabiliter possides, sub B. Petri, et nostra protectione suscipimus, et presentis scripti patrocinio communimus, districtius inhibentes, ne quis te, in fide catholica permanentem, super eadem terra, quam, sicut asseris, progenitores tui, qui fuerunt vitio heretice pravitatis infecti, ab antiquo pacifice possederunt, presumat indebite molestare" -Vetera monumenta historica, Vol. I., 120. no. CC.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9304.; Les registres de, no. 1521.
  24. Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9305.; Les registres de, no. 1522.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9303.; Les registres de, no. 1523.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9304.; Les registres de, no. 1521.; Az Árpád-házi hercegek, hercegnők és a királynék okleveleinek kritikai jegyzéke� -Regesta ducum, ducissarum stirpis Arpadianae necnon reginarum Hungariae critico-diplomatica. Ed. Zsoldos, Attila, Budapest, 2008. no.
  25. See Fried, Johannes, Der päpstliche Schutz für Laienfürsten� Die politische Geschichte des päpstlichen Schutzprivilegs für Laien (11�-13�
  26. Jahrhundert). Heidelberg, 1980. 288.; Fine, The Late Medieval, 1987. 143-145.; Rabić, Im toten, 2016. 63-64.; Brković, Bosansko-humski kršćani, 2005. 144.; Margetić, Neka pitanja abjuracije, 2005. 98-99.; Slišković, Dominikanci, 2005. 486-487.; Dall'Aglio, Crusading, 2011. 180.; Dautović, Vampiri, 2019. 68-69.; Fine, The Bosnian Church, 1975. 138-139. 52 For the historiography see Dautović, Historiographic controversy, 2020. 68-70. 53 The investigation of Cardinal Jacob of Preneste could have had an effect on this turn of events as well. See Lorenz, Bogomilen, 2011. 116-117.; Rabić, Im toten, 2016. 63-67.; Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 106. 54 The prior of the Carthusian monastery of St. Bartholomew in Trisulto. See Majnarić, Tending the Flock, 2018. 449.; Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 106.; The term Sclavonia used in the papal Curia referred usually not to the territory of the Hungarian Kingdom (Slavonia).; See Fine, John V. A., When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans� A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early- Modern Periods� Ann Arbor, 2006. 106-109.; Font -Barabás, Coloman, 2019. 76-78. 55 "Ut autem nihil omnino desit, ad tam sanctum negocium prosequendum, universis catholicis, qui ab eodem Priore commoniti crucis assumpto charactere, ad hereticorum exterminium se accinxerint" -Vetera monumenta historica, Vol. I., 123, no. CCVIII.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9402.; Les registres de, no. 1782. 56
  27. See Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 106. 57 "tam sanctum negocium prosequendum (…) illam indulgentiam, illudque privilegium elargimur, que accedentibus in terre sacre subsidium conceduntur" - Vetera monumenta historica, Vol. I., 123, no. CCVIII.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9402.; Les registres de, no. 1782.; See Rist, The Papacy, 2009. 148, 156.; For the indulgence see furthermore Rist, Salvation, 2010. 96, 107-108.
  28. Árpádkori új okmánytár, Vol. I., 319. no. 196.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9726.; Les registres de, no. 2128.; See Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 107. 59 Fine, When Ethnicity, 2006. 71-79.; Font -Barabás, Coloman, 2019. 76-78.; Lorenz, Bogomilen, 2011. 108.
  29. See Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 107-108.; Coloman had a conflict around 1232 with his father as well. See Zsoldos, Attila, "Az Aranybulla megújítása 1231-ben [The Renewal of the Golden Bull in 1231]", = Aetas 37:2, 2022, 5-20. 13-14.; Zsoldos, Attila, The Golden Bull of Hungary� Budapest, 2022. 188-189.
  30. Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9728.; Les registres de, no. 2125, 2126.; See Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 107.
  31. Berend, Nora, At the Gate of Christendom: Jews, Muslims and 'Pagans' in Medieval Hungary, c� 1000-c� 1300� Cambridge, 2001. 156-160.; Zsoldos, The Golden Bull, 2022. 199-202. conceduntur" -Codex diplomaticus Hungariae, Vol. III/2., 397.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9738.; Les registres de, no. 2129.; See See Rist, The Papacy, 2009. 156. 70 For the protections as the crusaders' privileges see Brundage, Medieval Canon Law, 1969. 160-170. 71 "studio ad exterminium pravitatis heretice laborabis" -Árpádkori új okmánytár, Vol. I., 322. no. 199.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9735.; Les registres de, no. 2123.; The bishop of Zagreb, the ecclesiastical leader of the core-territory of the Slavonian duke, was informed about these intentions too.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9733-9738.; Les registres de, no. 2121-2124, 2127-2129.; See Basić, Ivan, "O pokušaju ujedinjenja zagrebačke i splitske crkve u XIII. stoljeću [Attempt for Unification of the Churches of Zagreb and Split in the Thirteenth Century]", = Pro tempore 3, 2006, 5-43. 34. 72 "Cum illustrissimum in Christo filium Colomannum regem illustrem, qui zelo fidei ac devotionis accensus signo vivifice crucis assumpto proposuit hereticos de Sclavonie partibus in manu forti et brachio extento viriliter extirpare" -Vetera monumenta historica, Vol. I., 130, no. CCXXII.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9736.; Les registres de, no. 2124. 73 It cannot be forgotten that the use of armed force against heretics and schismatics was rightful according to Canon Law.; Smith, The Interface, 2020. 137. 74 With further literature see Rabić, Im toten, 2016. 61.; Dautović, Vampiri, 2019. 69-70. 75 Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 9986.; Les registres de, no. 2726.; See Lorenz, Bogomilen, 2011. 115ff; Rabić, Im toten, 2016. 62ff; Slišković, Dominikanci, 2005. 489.; Dautović, Nulla spes sit, 2021. 108. historica, Vol. I., 169. no. CCCV.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 10691.; Les registres de, no. 4697. 95 Regesta ducum, ducissarum, no. 18.
  32. Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 10822-10824.; Les registres de, no. 4991-4993. 97 "Venerabili fratri nostro episcopo Bosnensi in opus huiusmodi, ac alia, que negocio fidei opportuna fuerint, convertendam, postposito difficultatis obstaculo, integre assignetis" -Vetera monumenta historica, Vol. I., 173. no. CCCXIV.; Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, no. 10832.; See Rist, The Papacy, 2009. 148. 98 See with further literature Basić, O pokušaju, 2006.; Font -Barabás, Coloman, 2019. 96-98.
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