Aldor_csaba Manor Tokens

7/24/2019 Aldor_csaba Manor Tokens

1/6

435

Starting from the Middle Ages the serfs, peasantlaborers hereditarily attached to the manor in a stateof semi-bondage, had several duties to perform forthe State, Church and lord, in the form of labor,products and money. Additionally there were alsoother special contributions for the state, the army,and the Christianity money which put a heavy bur-den on the peasants.

According to the Urbarial Conscription from1820, the so-called Czirky conscription, the serfshad to perform a total of about 8 million days ofenforced labor robota (statute labor), from which56% manual robota, 29% days of work with 4 yokedanimals and 12% days of work with 2 yoked ani-mals. However, the data recorded by the conscrip-tion is slightly exaggerated. In the most of cases, the9-point questionnaire was filled with the data sup-plied by the peasant and the boyars representative,and the peasants often considered that its in theirinterest to declare that they had worked more daysas they really did.

On the 30thof September 1813, Emperor Fran-cisc of Austria issued an order for the chancellor ofransylvania, Samuel eleki, stressing that the peas-ants are constantly complaining about the excessiverobota they have to perform. Four years later, duringhis ransylvanian visit, the Emperor is bombardedagain with complaints by the serfs. As a result, inthe summer of the same year, the urbarial issue ispresented to the State Council, who passed it tothe president of the Hungarian Chamber, AntonCzirky. Te Conscription is launched finally, in thesummer of 18201.

As the main purpose of this urbarium was torelieve the burdens, the serfs doesnt hesitate andexaggerate most of the figures they declare to berecorded by the conscription, but often are affraidto sign the paper (with an X by their name), as theconsequences could be quite harsh for them, whilethe land owners are interested in keeping the robotaon the same level as before.

Although the data recorded by the Conscriptionis not accurate, these questionnaires are importantand intersting documents from those times, as theycan be the source of a study regarding the economi-cal and social situation of our villages.

Te robota had various forms. In exemple, theserfs of Gy. Vass, from the Alba County, had to per-form 3-4 days of manual work, and to scythe day byday for up to 4 weeks. From J. Zudors serfs in thesame county, one had to pay 7 florins as an annualtax and to perform 6 weeks of robota in the summer,while an other had to pay 10 florins, as they couldbargain2. Borsos Zs.s serf is forced to perform man-ual labor 8 weeks each year, while Nagy P.s peas-ants work 3-4 weeks with the yoked animals, and doother manual work uninterrupted from early springuntil the winter3.

Te necessity of a fair accountancy of the labordays appeared already in the 17thcentury, and thisway in the early 1700s the first robota-tokens areintroduced, as a recognition of the labor performedby the serfs. In accordance with the labor for whichthey were issued, these can be classified in: manualrobota tokens, sigillum manuale and tokens forrobota with yoked animals, sigillum iugale4.

As there were only a few serfs who could read,on most of the tokens there was a sign or a letterby which these could be easily identified, for whatkind of work they were issued. Tis way, a scythe,an arm or a hand, or the letter F (Fuss-robot) werethe symbols for the manual labor, while a cart-wheelmeant robota with yoked animals. Many of the to-kens had a hole, so the peasans could collect themon a string, and show the collection to the lord at theend of each year, as a prove for the fulfilled duties.5

If by any reason the serf did not show all thetokens when they was accounted, he had to buythe missing pieces with products or money. In theearly 19th century, one day of robota with yokedanimals was billed at 20 kreuzers, while one day ofmanual robota at 10 kreuzers6. Although after 1848,

1PRODAN, David 1989, 307-308.2

Ibidem, 330.3Ibidem, 330-331.

4GOHL, dn 1913, 6.5

Ibidem, 1.6ZOMBORI, Lajos 1996.

Csaba Balzs ldor

MANOR TOKENS USED IN THE 19thCENTURY

IN BANAT

A S 2009, 435440


2/6

436

Csaba BALZS LDOR

according to the IXthAustrian law issued in the sameyear, there should be no more robota tokens, some ofthese markers will still be in use for a long time.

Te serfdom is canceled in 1848, but the lordsstill need the workforce on their domains, so prob-ably to account the labor days they have kept thesame token-system by which the peasants couldprove how many days they have worked.

Tis articles purpose is to present the tokensused in the 19th century on 3 domains from theformer Cara-Severin county: Domeniile Forazesti(Freti), Poganyesti (Pogneti) and Rumunyesti(Romneti), wrongly categorized in the literature(GOHL, dn 1913; ZOMBORI, Lajos 1996) asrobota-tokens. Description of the tokens:

1. oken with nominal value of , Freti(Zombori KS-I.1, Schffer 492-1.1). Obverse:Hungarian legend FORAZESI URADALOM(Freti Domains), Winkler de Forazest familyarms, without the crown, with 4mm center hole,a small crown above and baroque-style decorationsin the left and right field. Reverse: above in an ovalframe the nominal value, garlands in the left andright. Brass, 24 mm7.

2. Te same as nr. 1, but silvered brass.3. oken with nominal value of , Freti (Neu-

mann 28462, Gohl 5, Zombori KS-I.2, Schffer492-1.2). Obverse: Hungarian legend FORAZESIURADALOM (Freti Domains), with 4mm

center hole, below the Winkler de Forazest familyarms. Reverse: above in an oval frame the nominalvalue, garlands in the left and right fields. Brass, 24 mm.

4. Te same as nr. 3, but silvered brass.5. oken with nominal value of , Freti

(Neumann 28461, Gohl 6, Zombori KS-I.3, Schffer492-1.3). Obverse: Hungarian legend FORAZESIURADALOM (Freti Domains), with 4mmcenter hole, below the Winkler de Forazest familyarms, above a small crown, and the bust of a knightin armor. Baroque-style decorations in the left and

right fields. Reverse: above in an oval frame thenominal value, garlands in the left and right fields.Brass, 27.5 mm.

6. Te same as nr. 5, but silvered brass (Fig. 1/5).7. oken with nominal value of 1, Freti (Neu-

mann 28460, Gohl 7, Zombori KS-I.4, Schffer492-1.4). Obverse: Hungarian legend FORAZESIURADALOM (Freti Domains), with 4.5mmcenter hole, below Winkler de Forazest family arms.Without decorations in the left and right fields. Re-verse: above in an oval frame the nominal value,

garlands in the left and right fields. Brass, 27.5mm. (Fig. 1/6).

8. Te same as nr. 7, but silvered Brass.9. oken with nominal value of , Pogneti

(Zombori KS-II.1, Schffer 577-1.1). Obverse:Hungarian legend POGANYESI URADALOM(Pogneti Domains), with 4mm center hole.Reverse: Above is the nominal value in a cartridgewhich continues in garlands in the left and rightfields. Below the Joannovics of Pogneti familyarms. Brass, 24.3 mm.

10. Te same as nr. 9, but silvered brass.11. oken with nominal value of , Pogneti

(Gohl 73, Zombori KS-II.2, Schffer 577-1.2). Ob-verse: Hungarian legend POGANYESI UR ADA-LOM (Pogneti Domains), with 4mm centerhole. Reverse: Te nominal value in a cartridgebelow, which continues in garlands in the left andright fields. Below the Joannovics of Pogneti fam-ily arms. Brass, 24.3 mm. (Fig. 1/7).

12. Te same as nr. 11, but silvered brass.13. oken with nominal value of , Pogneti

(Zombori KS-II.3, Schffer 577-1.3). Obverse:Hungarian legend POGANYESI URADALOM(Pogneti Domains), With 4mm center hole. Re-verse: the nominal value in a cartridge above, whichcontinues in garlands in the left and right fields. Be-low the Joannovics of Pogneti family arms. Brass, 27 mm.

14. Te same as nr. 13, but silvered brass.15. oken with nominal value of 1, Pogneti

(Zombori KS-II.4, Schffer 577-1.4). Obverse:Hungarian legend POGANYESI URADALOM(Pogneti Domains), with 4mm center hole. Re-verse: the nominal value in a cartridge above, whichcontinues in garlands in the left and right fields. Be-low the Joannovics of Pogneti family arms. Brass, 27 mm.

16. Te same as nr. 15, but silvered brass.17. oken with nominal value of , Romneti

(Neumann 28485, Gohl 75, Zombori KS-III.1,

Schffer 590-1.1). Obverse: Hungarian legendRUMUNYESI URADALOME (property ofRomneti Domains), with 4mm center hole,below the Fbry family arms, baroque-style deco-rations in the left and right fields, above a smallcrown and a pelican with outspread wings. Reverse:the nominal value in an oval frame above, gar-lands in the left and right fields. Brass, 23 mm.(Fig. 1/1)

18. Te same as nr. 17, but silvered brass (Schffer590-2.1).

7

We would like to thank Mr. Erwin Schffer for the pictures ofthe tokens.


3/6

437

Manor tokens used in the 19thcentury in Banat

19. oken with nominal value of , Romneti(Neumann 28484, Gohl 76, Zombori KS-III.2,Schffer 590-1.2). Obverse: Hungarian legendRUMUNYESI URADALOME (property ofRomneti domains), with 4mm center hole, be-low the Fbry family arms, baroque-style decorationsin the left and right fields, above a small crown and apelican with outspread wings. Reverse: thr nominalvalue in an oval frame above, garlands in the left andright fields. Brass, 23 mm. (Fig. 1/2)


21. oken with nominal value of , Romneti(Neumann 28483, Gohl 77, Zombori KS-III.3,Schffer 590-1.3). Obverse: Hungarian legendRUMUNYESI URADALOME (property ofRomneti Domains), with 4mm center hole,below the Fbry family arms, baroque-style decora-tions in the left and right fields, above a small crownand a pelican with outspread wings. Reverse: thenominal value in an oval frame above, garlands inthe left and right fields. Brass, 27 mm. (Fig. 1/3)


23. oken with nominal value of 1, Romneti(Neumann 28482, Gohl 78, Zombori KS-III.4,Schffer 590-1.4). Obverse: Hungarian legendRUMUNYESI URADALOME (property ofRomneti Domains), with 4mm center hole,

below the Fbry family arms, baroque-style decora-tions in the left and right fields, above a small crownand a pelican with outspread wings. Reverse: thenominal value in an oval frame above, garlands inthe left and right fields. Brass, 27 mm. (Fig. 1/4)


Te Freti (Forazest, Forrsfalva) village to-day is under the administration of Pietroasa parish,in the imi country, east from the town of Fget.It was first mentioned in a 1548 document with the

name of Forrsfalva, property of nobleman Ioan deBozwar. Te Domains are in the Crowns possessionuntil 1823, when they are obtained by the broth-ers Carl i Franz Winkler8. Later, at the end of the19thcentury the domain is acquired by the Bethlenfamily9, and in the agricultural statistics from 1897we see the name of the grof Bethlen Andrs as theowner the Freti10.

Te presence of the Winkler family arms indi-cates that these tokens were issued after 1823, while

the fact that Josef Neumann mentions them in Be-schreibung der bekanntesten Kupfermunzenconfirmsthat they were already in use in the 6thdecade of the19thcentury.

Te resemblance between the Freti, Pognetiand Romneti tokens can only mean that these weremade approximately in the same period, in the sameworkshop, by the same craftsman. Tey are all al-most identical in size: 23-24mm for the ones withnominal value of and , respectively 27-27.5 mmfor the ones with nominal value of and 1. Testylistic similarities between the three sets are morethan obvious: each set is composed of 4 tokens withthe same nominal, each token has a 4mm cent-er hole, the reverse of several of the same nominalvalues from the 3 series are almoust identical (i.e.the reverse of the from Romneti is the same asthe reverse of the from Freti, etc.). Te familyarms of the lord appear on each one, and the manorsname, written in Hungarian. Beside all these, there isalso a silvered series for each of the three sets.

Te Pogneti tokens could not been in use be-fore 1835. Located at North-East from Lugoj, thedomains were donated to the Joannovics family bythe Emperor Francisc I at November 6, 183411 . Itseems that the one who issued the tokens was lordJoannovics Ills, and this fact limits the issue date tothe 1835-1850 period.

Tis fits also the Romneti tokens. At only a few

miles from Freti, the village joined the Fbryfamily possessions by the imperial donation to F-bry Janos in 1833, who was probably the issuer ofthe tokens12.

Te literaure (GOHL, dn 1913; ZOMBORI,Lajos 1996) presents these markers as robota-tokens,and the authors believe that the nominal values (, ,, 1) represent days of forced labor. But these markersdoesnt show the characteristics of the usual robota-to-kens from that period. Tere is no symbol on themwhich to suggest the type of labor (sigillum manualeor sigillum iugale), they dont have a crude execution

as the other robota-tokens which often were made byblacksmiths, or by prisoners13. Tis is the main rea-son why the weight of the robota-tokens is usually notmentioned in the literature, as it could vary significant-ly for pieces issued in the same series. Te main criteriawhich was respected for all the robota-tokens was thesimplicity, as most of the serfs could not read.

A special category of tokens in which we couldclassify these Freti, Pogneti and Romnetitokens could only be the one of the manor tokens

8GOHL, dn 1913, 8.9

Ibidem.10Gazdaczimtr 1897.

11GOHL, dn 1913, 15.12

ZOMBORI, Lajos 1996.13Ibidem, 10.


4/6

438

Csaba BALZS LDOR

issued for the day-laborers. Te manors frequentlyhired also free peasants for various works. Teseday-, or season-workers received on several domainstokens in accordance with the performed labor. Temanor tokens usualy have a more tidy, careful ex-ecution, opposite to the robota-tokens, although insome cases the latter ones was used also as manortokens, but with special countermarks which to in-dicate that they were issued for day-laborers.

Te nominals (, , , 1) on the tokens fromthe three domains can only mean days of labor. Itsfor sure that these had no cash value, as the wouldhave been a very unusual nominal for this period.Te center holes purpose was for the peasants to col-lect them on a string.

In conclusion, the Freti, Pogneti and Ro-mneti tokens were issued and used in the sameperiod. Tey cannot be considered robota-tokens,and probably were used as manor tokens for the day-laborers. Tey were issued in the late 1830s and usedfor at least one decade, being one of the most beauti-ful tokens from the former Empire.

Tese little pieces of metal are the witnesses ofthe last years of the ransylvanian serfdom. Te lawwhich put an end to this over 300-year long periodcomes in 1848, but without a redistribution of theland, recognizing only the former serf as a free peas-ant and owner of the land from his possession. Tedefinitive abolition of the serfdom comes a few yearslater, with the imperial patents from 1853-1854.

Balzs ldor, Csaba Maros Megyei Mzeum, Marosvsrhely, Horea u. 24., RO-540036; [email protected]

Gazdaczimtr =A magyar korona orszgainak mezgazdasgi statisztikja, 2,Gazdaczimtr, Magyar Kirlyi Kzponti StatisztikaiHivatal, Budapest, 1897.

GOHL, dn1913 Magyar robotjegyek, Numizmatikai Kzlny, XII (Separatum), Budapest.

NEUMANN, Josef18581872 Beschreibung der bekanntesten Kupfermnzen, Praga.

PRODAN, David1989 Problemaiobgiei n Transilvania, 1700-1848, Ed. tiinific i Eniclopedic, Bucureti.

SCHFFER, Erwin

2003 Jetoane - semne valorice i mrci, Editura Corvin, Deva.ZOMBORI, Lajos 1996 Magyar robotbrck, uradalmi pnzek s gazdasgi napszmok, V-Kiad, Budapest.


5/6

439


19. szzadi bnsgi uradalmi pnzek(Kivonat)

A jobbgyok munka-, termny- s pnzbeli jrandsggal tartoztak az llamnak, az egyhznak, a fl-

desrnak. Az elvgzett munka egybevethet nyilvntartsnak ignye mr a 17. szzadban felmerlt, s az1700-as vek elejtl n. robotbrckkal nyugtztk.A dolgozat az egykori Krass-Szrny vrmegye hrom 19. szzadi uradalmnak az uradalmi pnzeit

trgyalja, amelyeket korbban a szakirodalom tvesen robotbrcnak tekintett. A hrom uradalom: Fora-zesti (Freti), Poganyesti (Pogneti) s Rumunyesti (Romneti).

A hrom uradalomban kibocstott uradalmi pnzek kztti hasonlsg alapjn ezeket nagyjbl ugyan-abban az idszakban gyrtottk, egyazon mester, egyazon mhelyben. Br a szakirodalom robotbrcknaktekinti ket, inkbb a napszmosok uradalmi pnzeinek jellegzetessgeit mutatjk. Nem jellik rajtuk azebben az idszakban szoksos mdon a munkt, amelynek ellenrtkl kibocstottk, s ellenttbena Habsburg-birodalom robotbrcinak tbbsgvel, amelyeket gyakran kovcsok vagy ppen rabok ksz-tettek, kezdetleges kivitelezsben kidolgozsuk figyelmes munkra vall.

Freti, Pogneti s Romneti uradalmi pnzeit kevssel 1840 eltt bocsthattk ki, legkevesebb egy

vtizedet voltak hasznlatban, s az egykori Birodalom terletn a legszebb uradalmi pnzek kz szmt-hatk.

Jetoane de moii utilizate n secolul al XIX-lea n Banat(Rezumat)

ranii iobagi au de ndeplinit obligaii sub form de munc, produse i bani - fa de Stat, biseric imoier. Necesitatea unui sistem corect de contorizare a zilelor de munc s-a impus deja n secolul al XVII-lea, astfel la nceputul anilor 1700 apar primele mrci de robot, acordate iobagilor n semn de recunoaterea muncii prestate.

Aceast lucrare i propune s studieze mrcile aflate n uz n secolul al XIX-lea pe trei moii din fostulcomitat Cara-Severin: Domeniile Forazesti (Freti), Poganyesti (Pogneti) i Rumunyesti (Romneti),

categorizate greit n literatura de specialitate, ca mrci de robot.Asemnrile mai mult dect evidente ntre seriile de mrci emise la Freti, Pogneti i Romnetine ndeamn s credem c ele au fost fabricate aproximativ n aceeai perioad de timp, de acelai meter,n acelai atelier. Dei literatura de specialitate prezint aceste mrci ca mrci de robot, ele prezint maidegrab caracteristicile jetoanelor de moii pentru zilieri. Nu au nsemnele folosite n mod uzual pe mrcilede robot din aceast perioad pentru a indica munca pentru care au fost emise. Au o execuie atent spredeosebire de majoritatea mrcilor de robot din Imperiul Habsburgic, care, fiind fcute deseori de fierari sauchiar de deinuii din nchisori, au un aspect rudimentar.

Mrcile de la Freti, Pogneti i Romneti eu fost emise cu puin nainte de 1840 i s-au aflat nuz cel puin un deceniu, fiind unele dintre cele mai frumoase jetoane de moii emise pe teritoriul fostuluiImperiu.


6/6

440

Csaba BALZS LDOR

Figure 1.


Aldor_csaba Manor Tokens

Documents

Transcript of Aldor_csaba Manor Tokens