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Treaty of Speyer (1570)

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The Treaty of Speyer, signed at the Diet of Speyer in 1570, was a peace agreement between the two Hungarian Kingdoms, Royal Hungary led by Maximilian II, and the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom, ruled by John Sigismund Zápolya. John Sigismund abdicated as King of Hungary, however Maximilian II recognized John Sigismund's authority as "Prince of Transylvania" and in return John Sigismund accepted Maximilian II as King of Hungary with suzerainty over his principality.[1]

John Sigismund's realm in 1570

John Sigismund became princeps Transsylvaniae et partium regni Hungariae dominus – Prince of Transylvania and of a part of the Kingdom of Hungary.[2] According to the treaty Principality of Transylvania continued to be part of the Kingdom of Hungary in the sense of public law.[3]

Unlike Kingdom of Croatia, however medieval Transylvania was not an autonomous region, it was just one of the many administrative districts of medieval Kingdom of Hungary.[4] After the treaty of Speyer, the etablishment of Principality of Transylvania emerged into an autonomous principality.

This treaty, like the earlier Treaty of Nagyvárad, endorsed the principle of a united Hungary. Partium and Transylvania were entrusted to John Sigismund Zápolya, as a vassal of Maximilian. As mentioned above, the Zápolyas had already held the Partium, but now the Habsburgs recognized their lordship. In a sense, John Sigismund traded title for territory.

References

  1. ^ Andrew Pettegree, The Reformation World, Routledge, 2000, p. 192
  2. ^ István Keul, Early modern religious communities in East-Central Europe: ethnic diversity, denominational plurality, and corporative politics in the principality of Transylvania (1526–1691), BRILL, 2009, p. 61
  3. ^ Anthony Endrey, The Holy Crown of Hungary, Hungarian Institute, 1978, p. 70
  4. ^ Carlile Aylmer Macartney (2008). Hungary: From Ninth Century Origins to the 1956 Uprising. Transaction Publishers. p. 23. ISBN 9780202366654.