Szekler Nation and Medieval Hungary

In the13th century the Szeklers were granted a territory (Terra Sirulorum) on the eastern border of the kingdom of Hungary. These lands were donated by the king to the community as a whole in exchange for the armed border guard service. The use of Szekler customary law based on a military-judicial -- and most likely multi-ethnic - clan structure was confirmed by the Hungarian crown. <br/><br/>Based on extensive archival sources from the 13th to 16th centuries this fascinating book examines how customary law maintains complex structures of clan membership as a condition of access to judicial and military dignities and how the Szeklers developed rules for land ownership and devolution. These documents recall legal principles in which the clan has pre-eminence over individuals all free and equal before their laws. In this period one can observe an evolution towards individual property a factor of inequality constantly shaped and limited by the Szeklers' determination to safeguard their freedom.<br/><br/>This unique text is vital reading for scholars interested in Hungarian history medieval law and clan structures.