View source for Captaincies of the Kingdom of Hungary

[[File:Central europe 1572.png|thumb|300px|right|Captaincies of Kingdom of Hungary around 1572.]]
The '''Captaincies of the Kingdom of Hungary''' ({{langx|hu|Magyar királyi főkapitányságok}}) were administrative divisions, military districts in the 16th and 17th centuries. The [[Ottoman Empire]] meant a constant threat to the kingdom, therefore the Habsburg Hungarian kings needed to establish a well-working military administration. The captaincy (''főkapitányság'') was administered by the [[Royal Captain-general of the Captaincy (title)|Royal Captain-general of the Captaincy]].
In 1542, the Hungarian kingdom, primarily for military and administrative purposes, was divided into two captaincies, Captaincy of Cisdanubia (mostly [[Upper Hungary]]) and Captaincy of Transdanubia (the remaining territories).<ref>Pálffy 1999, p. 28.</ref> Captaincy of Győr was founded in 1556. In 1563 Captaincy of Lower Hungary was established (today approx. the present-day regions of western and central [[Slovakia]]). By 1566, Kanizsa at southwestern [[Transdanubia]] also evolved into a new captaincy.<ref name="Pálffy 1999, p. 92">Pálffy 1999, p. 92.</ref>
Irrespective of the military districts, there were coexistent superior (''nemesi'' – ''noble'') captaincies,<ref name="Pálffy 1999, p. 92"/> with their own captain-generals, however their role was different (organization of ''insurrectio'', logistics etc.).
==Superior (''nemesi'' – ''noble'') captaincies==
*Captaincy of Cisdanubia (from 1542)
*Captaincy of Transdanubia (from 1542)
*Captaincy of Upper Hungary (superior) (from 1554?)
*Captaincy of Croatia-Slavonia<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pálffy|first=Géza|title=The Habsburg Defense System in Hungary Against the Ottomans in the Sixteenth Century: A Catalyst of Military Development in Central Europe|url=https://www.academia.edu/1391739|journal=Warfare in Eastern Europe, 1500-1800. Leiden, Boson: Brill, 2012|pages= 44}}</ref>
==Captaincies==
===Captaincy of Győr===
The Captaincy of [[Győr]] (also called ''Duna-Balaton Köz'') was located mainly at the western parts of Kingdom of Hungary (the territories between lake [[Lake Balaton|Balaton]] and river [[Danube]]). The captaincy was established in 1556, because of newly arisen military and administrative concerns,<ref>Pálffy 1999, p. 63.</ref> though it formally worked as a separate district from 1554.<ref>Imre Szántó, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0aB9AAAAMAAJ&q=1554 A végvári rendszer kiépítése és fénykora Magyarországon, 1541–1593], Akadémiai Kiadó, 1980, p. 40</ref> Its seat was in town of [[Győr]]. In 1594, the Ottomans captured Győr,<ref>Pálffy 1999, p. 142.</ref> however the united armies reconquered it in 1598.<ref>Pálffy 1999, p. 151.</ref>
===Captaincy of Kanizsa===
The Captaincy of Kanizsa or ''Captaincy of Balaton-Drávaköz'' was established in 1566.<ref name="Pálffy 1999, p. 92"/> Its territory was situated mainly between the [[Lake Balaton]] and [[River Drava]]. Initially, the main military center of the southern territories was in [[Szigetvár]],<ref name="katolikus">{{cite news |url=http://www.lexikon.katolikus.hu/Z/Zala%20v%C3%A1rmegye.html |title=Zala vármegye |publisher=Magyar Katolikus Lexikon }}</ref> however, in 1566 the town [[Siege of Szigetvár|fell to the Turks]]. The seat got to the newly formed captaincy of [[Captaincy of Kanizsa|Kanizsa]].<ref name="katolikus"/> In 1600 Kanizsa also fell. In 1607 [[Körmend]] became the new center of the reorganized captaincy.<ref name="katolikus"/>
===Captaincy of Lower Hungary===
The Captaincy of Lower Hungary (''Alsó-Magyarországi''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mek.oszk.hu/00000/00056/html/102.htm|title = Kisokos - Magyarország megyéi régen}}</ref> in Hungarian, also called ''Bányavárosok'', ''Bányavidék'' and ''Dunán-innen''<ref name="Pálffy 1999, p. 6">Pálffy 1999, p. 6.</ref>)
was established in 1563 as Article of 16 of 1563 stipulated.<ref name="Pálffy 1999, p. 6"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=3ysiAAAAMAAJ&q=1563%3A16 Hadtörténelmi közlemények, Volume 21], 1974, p. 36</ref> Its territory was located mainly at the region of present-day western and central [[Slovakia]]. Its headquarter was in Nyitra (now [[Nitra]]), and later, in accordance with the military situation, in Surány (now [[Šurany]]) (from 1568 to 1581), Léva (now [[Levice]]) (from 1581 to 1589), Érsekújvár (now [[Nové Zámky]]) (from 1589 to 1663) and from 1663 in Komárom ([[Komárno]]).<ref>Július Bartl, [https://books.google.com/books?id=3orG2yZ9mBkC&q=Slovak+History%3A+Chronology+%26+Lexicon Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon], Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 2002, p. 62</ref>
===Captaincy of Upper Hungary===
The Captaincy of Upper Hungary ({{langx|hu|Felső-Magyarországi Főkapitányság }} or ''Kassai Főkapitányság'') was located mainly at the northeastern parts of Kingdom of Hungary (mainly present-day eastern Slovakia, [[Carpathian Ruthenia]] and northeastern part of the [[Great Hungarian Plain]]). In 1554 town of Kassa (now [[Košice]]) became its seat.<ref name="katolikus2">{{cite news |url=http://lexikon.katolikus.hu/K/Kassa.html |title=Kassa |publisher=Magyar Katolikus Lexikon }}</ref> Its Captain-general was usually called just "Captain of Kassa" (''Kassai kapitány'').<ref name="Pallas">{{cite news |url=http://mek.oszk.hu/00000/00060/html/035/pc003591.html |title=Felső-magyarországi főkapitányság |publisher=A PALLAS NAGY LEXIKONA }}</ref>
===Captaincy of Croatia===
Also known as the Karlstadt ([[Karlovac]]) Captaincy.
It was located on the border of [[Croatia]] and [[Bosnia (region)|Bosnia]]. This part of the [[Military Frontier]] included the geographic regions of [[Lika]], [[Kordun]], [[Banovina (region)|Banovina]] (named after "Banska krajina"), and bordered the [[Adriatic Sea]] to the west, [[Venetian Republic]] to the south, Habsburg Croatia (the river [[Sava]]) to the west, and the [[Ottoman Empire]] to the east.
It existed from around 1559<ref>{{Cite book|last=Štefanec|first=Nataša|title=Država ili ne. Ustroj Vojne krajine 1578. godine i hrvatsko-slavonski staleži u regionalnoj obrani i politici|publisher=Srednja Europa|year=2011|location=Zagreb|pages= 398, 475–477}}</ref> to 1873 when it was demilitarized and eight years later (in 1881) merged into the [[Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)|Kingdom of Croatia]].
The capital city was [[Karlovac]] and the official languages were [[Latin]] and [[Chakavian]].
===Captaincy of Slavonia===
Captaincy of Croatia, also known as the Warasdin Captaincy, Habsburg Croatia, Kingdom of Slovenje, Slovenski Orsag, Kaikavian Kingdom of Slavonia, regnum Sclavoniae and Vend.
It was created in 1578<ref>Štefanec 2011, p. 407.</ref> and lasted until 1873 when it was demilitarized and eight years later (in 1881) merged into the [[Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)|Kingdom of Croatia]].
Its main purpose was to help the Habsburgs hold the line against the Ottoman invasion.
Their attempt succeeded and the Ottomans were held there until [[Slavonia]] was returned to the Habsburg rule following [[Great Turkish War]] and [[Treaty of Karlowitz]] in 1699.
The capital city was [[Zagreb]] (Agram) and the official languages were [[Latin]] and [[Kajkavian language|Kajkavian]].
==Sources==
*[[Géza Pálffy|Pálffy, Géza]]|: [http://www.3d.hu/hkkk/files/tanacsadok/palffy_europa.pdf A császárváros védelmében. A győri főkapitányság története 1526–1598]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Győr–Moson–Sopron Megye Győri Levéltárának kiadványa, Győr, 1999.
*Štefanec, Nataša. [https://www.academia.edu/38531539/Dr%C5%BEava_ili_ne._Ustroj_Vojne_krajine_1578._godine_i_hrvatsko-slavonski_stale%C5%BEi_u_regionalnoj_obrani_i_politici_State_or_Not._Organization_of_the_Military_Border_in_1578_and_Croatian-Slavonian_Estates_in_Regional_Defense_and_Politics_Srednja_Europa_Zagreb_2011_ Ustroj Vojne krajine 1578. godine i hrvatsko-slavonski staleži u regionalnoj obrani i politici]. Srednja Europa: Zagreb, 2011.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Hungary under Habsburg rule]]
[[Category:17th century in Slovakia]]