Rákóczi appoints Count Ádám Vay as captain-general of Munkács. Although it may not require any special explanation, the unusually rich decoration and the use of parchment as a medium both indicate the extraordinary importance of the matter. The document is significant in two respects.
The appointee
Count Ádám Vay was one of the prince's closest confidants from the beginning of the war of independence and held a number of important positions. As he was almost twenty years older than the prince, Rákóczi respected him almost as a father, according to contemporary sources. It was also important that Vay had already fought against the imperial forces under Thököly. From 1703, he was court captain, later captain-general of the Jász and Kun peoples, and then this position followed. He was president of the Court Council, senator, and was even elected to the Transylvanian Prince's Council at the national assembly in Marosvásárhely. Just as Bercsényi was his most trusted advisor in military matters, he was his most trusted advisor in civil administration (it is no coincidence that both followed Rákóczi into exile). He died in Gdańsk in 1719.
The title
Munkács and its estate always played a central role in the lives of the Rákóczis. They had already established their rights to it at the beginning of the 17th century (through Zsigmond Rákóczi), but they only finally came into possession of it during the reign of György I Rákóczi, Prince of Transylvania. The two years spent here must have been a defining experience for the young Rákóczi, during which his mother, Ilona Zrínyi, heroically defended the fortress against the imperial troops. After the castle was surrendered, the imperial forces significantly fortified it, so it only fell into the hands of the Kurucs on February 16, 1704, after a long siege. Far from the Austrian hereditary provinces, it became a quasi-capital, and the prince often stayed here (it even had a mint). No wonder it was given to perhaps the most loyal follower of the captain-general. It is safe to say that even with the wildest imagination, it would be difficult to find a more interesting or important topic from this period. In light of all this, we consider this historical document to be one of the flagships of our auction.
Document in vellum with paper protected wax seal. Besides Rákóczi, János Pápai, the prince's secretary and director of the chancellery, also signed it.
Dated: Miskolc, 1 March 1704.
Protected cultural object – Unable to export.
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