Az Andreanum és az erdélyi szászok az etnikai autonómiák rendszerében a középkori Magyarországon
Andreanum — the Letter of Privilege of Transylvanian Saxons Living in the System of Ethnic Autonomies in Medieval Hungary

Summary/Abstract: The Hungarian monarchy in the 13th century proved to be apt to accept in the people arriving at its territory recognizing their public and civil law norms. Some of the immigrants have become urban citizens (burghers) and the rights sticking to their person and community have developed into urban rights. Several other groups have developed their privileges included in letters of privilege into ethnical autonomy on the territories they used to live. Among the rights that could be recognized and given by the king the free election of judges and parsons was the basis of autonomy on which the organisation of jurisdiction was built. Some groups of people have created their military ruling and jurisdiction according to their social development, these being similar in many ways and showing differences as well. The territorial configuration and jurisdiction of people with ethnic autonomy concluded in the bench system. This insured not only their independence but it was the only way the organisation of justice could come into existence for the medieval man living in the world of common law because these people could administer justice in civil law (law of inheritance, family and property) only according to the norms known by the respective group of people. The monarchial judgement seeming wise to people of our days was the result of necessity. In return for privilege the monarch in power wanted military service that appears less or more among duties besides taxes in case of all groups of people. The high importance of letters of privilege from the 13th century is given by the fact that the above mentioned people lived up to the end of the 19th century for about 600-650 years according to the norms included - though with certain changes and alteration. The high importance of Andreanum published almost 780 years ago lies int he fact that it contains the enlisted privileges and duties in their most complete form and for the first time.

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