Az alvajdák megyei bíráskodása Szentimrén
The Judicial Activity of Transylvanian Vice-Voivodes in Sântimbru/Szentimre as Counts (Comites) of Alba/Fehér County

Summary/Abstract: From the beginning of the 14th century until the first third of the 15th century, the Transylvanian vice-voivodes, as deputies of the voivodes of Transylvania, performed judicial activity in Szentimre (Romanian: Sântimbru) on the octave (i.e. the eighth day) of the most important religious holidays. In this capacity, their judgments were part of the voivodal justice system. During the same period, the vice-voivodes also held the office of count (comes, Hungarian: ispán) of Fehér (Rom.: Alba) County and, along with the two noble magistrates (iudices nobilium, Hung.: szolgabíró) of the county, held a county court (sedes iudiciaria, i.e. sedria) for the nobility of the respective county, similarly on the eighth day of ecclesiastical feasts. The vice-voivodal and the county court were certainly held at the same time, and the charters issued by the vice-voivodes in their capacity as ispán of Alba County sometimes included measures falling under vice-voivodal jurisdiction. Between 1431 and 1440, the vice-voivode’s court was held alternately in Szentimre and Torda (Rom.: Turda), but after 1440, the fi rst locality was abandoned as a site of vice-voivodal judicial activity. Since vice-voivodes no longer judged in this locality, they also ceased to be the counts of Fehér County (from that time onwards, the voivode appointed an ispán to head the county). Nevertheless, the sedes iudiciaria of Fehér County continued to hold their sessions on the eighth day of religious holidays, unlike the courts of justice of the other Transylvanian counties, which met every two or three weeks, on the same day of the week.

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