ПИСМО ХЕРЦЕГА МАТИЈЕ КОСАЧЕ ФРАЊИ БАЋАЊИЈУ
A LETTER OF DUKE MATIJA KOSAČA TO FERENC BATTHYÁNY

Summary/Abstract: The paper presents a critical edition and analysis of a hitherto unknown letter of Duke Matija (Matthew) Kosača, son of Duke Petar (Peter) Balša Kosača and leader of the Slavonian branch of the Kosača family in the period from circa 1514 to circa 1520. The letter, written on 1 April 1517, is addressed to the royal chamberlain and collector of the Slavonian extraordinary tax (dica), Ferenc (Francis) Batthyány, also a nobleman from Slavonia. Duke Matija first informes Batthyány that he is sending him a letter from the treasurer László (Ladislaus) Szalkai. Then, reminding Batthyány of his friendship and the merits of Petar Balša in the service of King Vladislaus II, he presents his financial problems regarding some pledged possessions. Finally, Matija tells Batthyány that he should believe the words of Juraj (George) Potočki as Matija’s authorised envoy. The analysis concludes that Duke Matija probably wanted to receive a subsidy from King Louis II through a portion of collected tax and he needed help from Batthyány and Szalkai to achieve that goal. On the other hand, it is unlikely that he wanted to evade taxation of his estates since there is a list which confirms that the tax was eventually paid. The letter is important for sigillography because it contains the impression of the signet ring of Duke Matija, whose motifs, although insufficiently visible, clearly differ from the earlier seals of the Kosača family.

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