Franz Griselini Bánság-képe
Franz Griselini’s Image of the Banat

Summary/Abstract: Franz Griselini was an Italian-born polymath whose best known work was “The History of the Banat of Temesvár”. Published in Vienna in 1780, this German-language book had a great influence on later historiography, which is proven by the great number of references to Griselini. In the introduction of his book, he describes the Banat as a special European phenomenon, „a homeland of brave nations that respect each other’s religions and habits”. He was the first to pinpoint multiculturalism as a particular characteristic of the Banat. He compiles the early history of the Banat from the works of ancient and medieval historians. He distinguishes the following ages in the history of the territory: Dacian, Hun, Avar, Frank, Slavonic and Hungarian, which are held together by the area’s stable geographical frame (the Southern banks of the Tisza and the Danube and the Maros-Tisza Angle) and the successive systems of fortification (Dacian ramparts, the Ring of the Avars, francavilla, the Slavic duchy, and the Hungarian castles). The Hungarian conquest of the Banat is represented by the captaincy of Kund, followed by the rule of chieftain Csanád. The latter is credited with establishing the counties and later, the Duchy of Temes. The transformation of the forms of territorial governance that emerged on the estates of the nobility is used to illustrate the historical continuity of the Banat. The monuments of the Ottoman era are used to provide a local illustration of common Hungarian history. He confesses that, lacking adequate source material, he continued the historical argumentation from György Dózsa, through the siege of Temesvár (Timișoara) up to the fall of Várad (Oradea) from the point of view of Transylvania and Hungary. It was only after this that the Banat comes into focus again with his mention of events from the Ottoman era. The larger section of the book, and the one more valuable for historians, begins with the age of the anti-Ottoman wars. Interesting details are described about the campaigns of Eugene of Savoy: about the intention to reach the planned new border that would have run in a straight line from the Danube to the Craiova river, and about the mutual attempts at border revision during the negotiations in Karlowitz. After having accepted that the Eyalet of Temesvár remained under Ottoman rule, while Transylvania and Partium would belong to the Empire, the Habsburgs signed the treaty. Griselini then describes the Hapsburg era of the Banat. His evaluation of the treaty of Passarowitz is quite interesting. He claims that the House of Austria extended their Hungarian territories and the emperor came into possession of three Hungarian provinces: Hungary, Transylvania and the Banat. From here on, he is practically writing contemporary history, as the era he depicts is not far from his own, so much so that he actually partook in some of the events.

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