Nádor és helyettese: Druget János és Vilmos
The Palatine and his Deputy: János and Vilmos Druget

Summary/Abstract: THE PALATINE AND HIS DEPUTY: JÁNOS AND VILMOS DRUGET The study briefly surveys the activites of János Druget, of Neapolitan origins, as palatine of Hungary (1328–1333). These were for the most part in keeping with the practice pursued in the time of his brother and predecessor in the office, Fülöp Druget (1323–1327), but changes can also be observed in some regards. One of the latter is the fact that he kept his palatinal court at Óbuda, as is proven by several pieces of information. On the other hand, the author treats exhaustively the developments which took place in the government of the Hungarian Kingdom during the Neapolitan journey of King Charles I (1301–1342) in 1333–1334. Since palatine János accompanied the ruler, Charles entrusted the kingdom’s government to the son of his palatine, Vilmos, then ispán of Szepes and Abaúj, and decorated him with the so far unknown title of “deputy palatine” (vices gerens palatini). This measure provoked the jealousy of some of the oldest among the partisans of king Charles. Their leader was Tamás Szécsényi, to the royal family, and could count on the support of Queen Elizabeth, who also remained at home. The aim of the queen and the voevode was to squeeze deputy palatine Vilmos out of effective government by undermining the king’s confidence in him. Vilmos himself may have unwillingly played into their hands by taking, probably arbitrarily, the title of palatine. Vilmos was also blamed for the general collapse of internal security in the country, taken as proof of his inability to assume the office of deputy palatine. The accusations were revealed to Charles while he was still in Slavonia en route to the Adriatic Sea. The king, understandably, gave way to the demands of the queen and the barons; indeed, on the eve of a journey which would remove him for several months from his kingdom, the single most important consideration for him must have been the tranquillity of the kingdom, which thus seemed secured. Although Vilmos was allowed to retain the title of deputy palatine, effective control of the country was conceded to his opponents. Yet the fact that after the death of János Druget, in May 1334 Charles did appoint Vilmos as palatine, proves beyond doubt that the concession he had made to the queen and her companions was no more than tactical, and by no means a proof that he abandoned the plans he cherished with regard his favourite.

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