# Judge royal

The judge royal, also justiciar, chief justice or Lord Chief Justice (German: Oberster Landesrichter, Hungarian: országbíró, Slovak: krajinský sudca or dvorský sudca, Latin: curialis comes or iudex curiae regiae), was the second-highest judge, preceded only by the palatine, in the Kingdom of Hungary between around 1127 and 1884. After 1884, the judge royal was only a symbolic function, but it was only in 1918 — with the end of Habsburgs in the Kingdom of Hungary (the kingdom continued formally until 1946) — that the function ceased officially.
There remain significant problems in the translation of the title of this officer. In Latin, the title translates as 'Judge of the Royal Court', which lacks specificity. In Hungarian, he is 'Judge of the Country', with 'country' in this sense meaning 'political community', being thus broadly analogous to the German 'Land'. English has no obvious translation for Landesrichter, which is the direct German translation of országbíró.

## List of office-holders
### Twelfth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes |
| 1127–c. 1131 | George | Stephen II | "curialis comes" |
| b. 1135 | Julius | Béla II | "comes curialis regis" |
| 1135 (?) | Bucan | Béla II | "comes curialis"; only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal, if so, he was also ispán of Bihar County in the same period |
| 1138 | George, son of Cronik | Béla II | "curie regalis officia disponens" |
| 1145 (?) | Rednald | Géza II | "curialis comes"; only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal |
| 1146 | Cadarius | Géza II | |
| 1148 | Gereon | Géza II | "regie curie curam gerens" |
| 1150–1158 | Héder | Géza II | ancestor of the Héder clan |
| 1158 (?) | Appa | Géza II | "curialis comes maior"; only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal |
| 1162–1164 | Gabriel | Stephen III | |
| 1163 | Brocca | appointed by anti-king Stephen IV | appointed by anti-king Stephen IV |
| 1164–1172 | Lawrence | Stephen III | |
| 1171 (?) | Peter | Stephen III | "curialis comes"; only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal |
| c. 1174–1181 | Cumpurdinus | Béla III | |
| 1183 | Peter | Béla III | |
| 1184 | Charena | Béla III | |
| 1185–1186 | Mog | Béla III | |
| 1188–1193 | Dominic Miskolc | Béla III | also ispán of Bodrog County (1192–1193) |
| 1197–1198 | Esau | Emeric | according to non-authentic charters already since 1193–1195; also ispán of Csanád County (1197–1198) |
| 1198 | Peter, son of Töre | Emeric | also ispán of Szolnok County (1198) |
| 1199 | Mika Ják | Emeric | also ispán of Bihar County (1198–1199) |
| 1199–1200 | Vejte Csanád | Emeric | also ispán of Nyitra County (1199–1200), and ispán of Krassó County (1200) |

### Thirteenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes |
| 1201 | Achilles | Emeric | also ispán of Keve County (1201) |
| 1202–1204 | Julius Kán | Emeric | first rule; also ispán of Csanád County (1202–1203), and ispán of Nyitra County (1204) |
| 1205–1206 | Smaragd | Andrew II | also ispán of Szolnok County (1205–1206) |
| 1207 | Marcellus Tétény | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Csanád County (1206–1207) |
| 1208–1210 | Nicholas | Andrew II | also ispán of Pozsony County (1208), and ispán of Keve County (1208–1209, 1209–1210) |
| 1211–1212 | Marcellus Tétény | Andrew II | second rule; also ispán of Keve County (1211–1212) |
| 1212–1213 | Julius Kán | Andrew II | second rule; also ispán of Bács County (1212–1213) |
| 1214 | Martin Hont-Pázmány | Andrew II | also ispán of Csanád County (1214) |
| 1215–1217 | Atyusz Atyusz | Andrew II | according to a non-authentic charter also in 1218; also ispán of Bács County (1215) |
| 1219–1221 | Julius I Rátót | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Keve County (1219–1221) |
| 1221–1222 | Bánk Bár-Kalán | Andrew II | also ispán of Fejér County (1221–1222), and ispán of Bodrog County (1222) |
| 1222 | Pousa Bár-Kalán | Andrew II | |
| 1222 | Lawrence Atyusz | Andrew II | also ispán of Nyitra County (1222) |
| 1222 | Solomon Atyusz | Andrew II | also ispán of Moson County (1222) |
| 1222–1224 | Batiz Negol | Andrew II | also ispán of Békés County (1222–1224) |
| 1224–1230 | Ladislaus I Kán | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Békés County (1224), ispán of Nyitra County (1224–1225), and ispán of Bács County (1226–1230) |
| 1231–1232 | Benedict, son of Samud | Andrew II | |
| 1232–1234 | Demetrius Csák | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Bács County (1233–1234) |
| 1234–1235 | Ladislaus I Kán | Andrew II | second rule; also ispán of Bács County (1234–1235) |
| 1235–1239 | Julius I Rátót | Béla IV | second rule; also ispán of Csanád County (1235), and ispán of Keve County (1236–1238) |
| 1239–1241 | Andrew, son of Serafin | Béla IV | also ispán of Pozsony County (1235–1241); killed in the Battle of Mohi |
| 1241 | Paul Geregye | Béla IV | first rule; also ispán of Fejér County (1238–1241) |
| 1242 | Ladislaus I Kán | Béla IV | third rule |
| 1242–1244 | Demetrius Csák | Béla IV | second rule; also ispán of Moson County (1242–1244) |
| 1244 (?) | Mojs | Béla IV | only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal |
| 1245–1246 | Stephen I Gutkeled | Béla IV | also ispán of Nyitra County (1245–1246) |
| 1246 (?) | Demetrius Csák | Béla IV | only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal, if so, he was also ispán of Bodrog County in the same period |
| 1247 | Ladislaus I Kán | Béla IV | fourth rule |
| 1247 | Roland Rátót | Béla IV | first rule |
| 1248–1254 | Paul Geregye | Béla IV | second rule; also ispán of Zala County (1248–1255) |
| 1254–1260 | Henry Kőszegi | Béla IV | also ispán of Somogy County (1247–1260) |
| 1262–1265 | Lawrence, son of Kemény | Béla IV | also ispán of Zala County (1262–1264), and ispán of Moson County (1263, 1264) |
| 1267–1269 | Ernye Ákos | Béla IV | first rule; possibly held office until 1270 based on information relating to his deputy; also ispán of Vas County (1267–1269) |
| 1270–1272 | Nicholas Monoszló | Stephen V | also ispán of Somogy County (1270–1272) |
| 1272 | Denis Péc | Ladislaus IV | first rule; also ispán of Varaždin County (1272) |
| 1272–1273 | Alexander Karászi | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Orbász County (1272–1273) |
| 1273 | Ladislaus II Kán | Ladislaus IV | first rule; also ispán of Baranya, Szeben Counties and Bánya ispánate (1273) |
| 1273 | Matthew II Csák | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bánya ispánate (1273) |
| 1273 | Ladislaus II Kán | Ladislaus IV | second rule |
| 1273–1274 | Nicholas Gutkeled | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Gecske ispánate (1273–1275) |
| 1274 | Ernye Ákos | Ladislaus IV | second rule; also ispán of Szatmár County (1274) |
| 1275 | Denis Péc | Ladislaus IV | second rule; also ispán of Zala County (1275) |
| 1275 | Thomas Hont-Pázmány | Ladislaus IV | first rule; also ispán of Pozsony County and Sempte ispánate (1275) |
| 1275 | Nicholas Geregye | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bánya ispánate (1275) |
| 1275–1276 | Ugrin Csák | Ladislaus IV | |
| 1276 | Mojs, son of Mojs | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Somogy County (1275–1276) |
| 1276 | Maurice Osl | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Vas County (1276) |
| 1276 | James Bána | Ladislaus IV | |
| 1277 | Denis Péc | Ladislaus IV | third rule |
| 1277 | Roland Rátót | Ladislaus IV | second rule |
| 1278 | Julius II Rátót | Ladislaus IV | |
| 1278–1279 | Stephen II Gutkeled | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Moson County (1278–1279) |
| 1280 | Peter Aba | Ladislaus IV | |
| 1280–1281 | John | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bars County (1281) |
| 1283 | Rubinus Hermán | Ladislaus IV | |
| 1283–1285 | Amadeus Aba | Ladislaus IV | first rule |
| 1285 | Demetrius Balassa | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Zólyom County (1285–1287) |
| 1288 | Gregory Péc | Ladislaus IV | |
| b. 1289 | Ivánka Hont-Pázmány | Ladislaus IV | mentioned as "quondam iudex curie domini regis" in 1300; made a will and testament in 1289 |
| 1289 | Amadeus Aba | Ladislaus IV | second rule |
| 1290 (?) | Andrew | Ladislaus IV | only non-authentic charters refer to him as judge royal, if so, he was also ispán of Nyitra County in the same period |
| 1291–1293 | Thomas Hont-Pázmány | Andrew III | second rule |
| 1293–1297 | Apor Péc | Andrew III | |
| 1298–1300 | Stephen Ákos | Andrew III | |

### Fourteenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1301–1311 | Presumably the position was vacant during the period of the Interregnum | Presumably the position was vacant during the period of the Interregnum | Presumably the position was vacant during the period of the Interregnum | Presumably the position was vacant during the period of the Interregnum |
| 1311–1314 | John Csák | Charles I | betrayed the King and joined his distant relative, Matthew III Csák in 1314 | |
| 1314–1324 | Lampert Hermán | Charles I | also ispán of Csanád County (1314–1324), ispán of Nyitra County (1322–1324), ispán of Zala County (1323–1324), and castellan of Tapolcsány (1322–1324) | |
| 1324–1328 | Alexander Köcski | Charles I | also ispán of Vas County (1327–1328), and castellan of Varna, Beszterce and Sárvár (1327–1328) | |
| 1328–1349 | Paul Nagymartoni | Charles I, Louis I | also castellan of Beszterce (1328–1349) | |
| 1349–1354 | Thomas Szécsényi | Louis I | also ispán of Keve County (1349–1350), ispán of Turóc County (1350–1354), and castellan of Beszterce (1349–1354) | |
| 1354–1355 | Nicholas Drugeth | Louis I | also ispán of Turóc County (1354–1355), and castellan of Beszterce (1354–1355) | |
| 1355–1358 | Nicholas Szécsi | Louis I | first rule; also ispán of Turóc County (1355–1358), and castellan of Beszterce (1355–1358) | |
| 1359 | Nicholas Csák | Louis I | | |
| 1360–1369 | Stephen Bebek | Louis I | also castellan of Beszterce (1360–1369) | |
| 1369–1372 | Nicholas Szécsi | Louis I | second rule | |
| 1372–1373 | James Szepesi | Louis I | first rule | |
| 1373 | Peter Cudar | Louis I | also ispán of Trencsén, Sáros and Zólyom Counties (1372–1373) | |
| 1373–1380 | James Szepesi | Louis I | second rule; also ispán of Trencsén and Szepes Counties, castellan of Beszterce (1373–1376), and judge of the royal free cities (1376–1378) | |
| 1381–1384 | Nicholas Szécsi | Louis I, Mary | third rule; also ispán of Pozsony, Vas and Sopron Counties (1381–1382) | |
| 1385 | Thomas Szentgyörgyi | Mary | | |
| 1385–1386 | John Kaplai | Mary | first rule | |
| 1386 | Emeric Bebek | Charles II | first rule | |
| 1386–1392 | Emeric Bebek | Mary & Sigismund | second rule after a short period of vacancy; also ispán of Bars County (1386–1388), ispán of Bereg County (1388–1390), ispán of Liptó and Turóc Counties (1390–1392), and castellan of Boldogkő (1386–1392) | |
| 1392–1395 | John Kaplai | Mary & Sigismund | second rule | |
| 1395 | Simon Szécsényi | Sigismund | | |
| 1395–1397 | John Pásztói | Sigismund | also ispán of Nógrád County (1395–1397) | |
| 1397–1408 | Frank Szécsényi | Sigismund | participated in a rebellion against Sigismund in 1401 | |

### Fifteenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes |
| 1409–1414 | Simon Rozgonyi | Sigismund | |
| 1415–1423 | Peter Perényi | Sigismund | also ispán of Ung, Zemplén Counties (1415–1423), and ispán of Szatmár and Ugocsa Counties (1415–1419) |
| 1423–1425 | Stephen Kompolti | Sigismund | |
| 1425–1435 | Matthew Pálóci | Sigismund | also ispán of Szabolcs, Ung and Bereg Counties (1425–1435), and ispán of Borsod and Heves Counties (1425–1427), and ispán of Abaúj County (1425) |
| 1435–1440 | Stephen III Báthory | Sigismund, Albert | |
| 1440 | John Kórógyi | Ladislaus V | appointed by Queen Regnant Elizabeth, later the Estates considered his term as illegitimate |
| 1441–1446 | George Rozgonyi | Vladislaus I, Ladislaus V | also ispán of Pozsony, Abaúj and Zemplén Counties (1440–1446), and ispán of Szepes County (1443–1445) |
| 1446–1470 | Ladislaus Pálóci | Ladislaus V, Matthias I | elected by the Diet; also castellan of Buda (1455–1470) |
| 1470–1471 | John Rozgonyi | Matthias I | dismissed after participation in John Vitéz's conspiracy against Matthias |
| 1471–1493 | Stephen V Báthory | Matthias I, Vladislaus II | also Voivode of Transylvania (1479–1493) following the victorious Battle of Breadfield |
| 1494 | Paul Kinizsi | Vladislaus II | also ispán of Temes County (1478–1494), and captain-general of the united southern frontier |
| 1494–1500 | Peter Geréb | Vladislaus II | |

### Sixteenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes |
| 1500–1517 | Peter Szentgyörgyi | Vladislaus II, Louis II | also Voivode of Transylvania (1498–1510) |
| 1518–1524 | Lawrence Újlaki | Louis II | |
| 1524–1525 | Ambrose Sárkány | Louis II | also ispán of Zala County (1515–1526) |
| 1525–1526 | John Drágfi | Louis II | also ispán of Kraszna County (1515–1526); killed in the Battle of Mohács |
| 1527–1542 | Alexius Thurzó | Ferdinand I | also Royal Governor of Hungary (1532–1542), ispán of Trencsén County (1527–1543); ispán of Pest-Pilis County (1532–1542), and Perpetual count of Szepes County (1531–1543) |
| 1530–1540 | Gregory Pestyéni | ruled for John I in the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom | ruled for John I in the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom |
| 1542–1554 | Thomas Nádasdy | Ferdinand I | also ispán of Vas County (1537–1562), Captain of Transdanubia (1542–1546, 1548–1552), Supreme Commander (1552–1562) |
| 1554–1566 | Andrew Báthory | Ferdinand I, Maximilian | also ispán of Somogy County (1532–1566), ispán of Liptó County (1534–1566), ispán of Szatmár County (1548–1563), and ispán of Szabolcs County (1551–1556); killed in the Siege of Kanizsa |
| 1566–1567 | Gabriel Perényi | Maximilian | also ispán of Abaúj County (1550–1567) |
| 1567 | Christopher Országh | Maximilian | also ispán of Nógrád County (1552–1567) |
| 1567–1568 | Stephen Bánffy | Maximilian | also ispán of Zala County (1541–1568) |
| 1568–1584 | Nicholas Báthory | Maximilian, Rudolph | also ispán of Szabolcs and Szatmár Counties (1563–1584), and ispán of Somogy County (1567–1584) |
| 1586–1605 | Stephen Báthory | Rudolph | also ispán of Somogy County (1573–1605), ispán of Szabolcs County (1586–1605), and ispán of Szatmár County (1589–1605); joined Stephen Bocskay's rebellion |

### Seventeenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes |
| 1606–1608 | Sigismund Forgách | Rudolph | first rule; also ispán of Nógrád County (1600–1621) |
| 1608–1609 | Valentine Drugeth | Matthias II | also ispán of Zemplén County (1599–1609), and ispán of Máramaros County (1609); allegedly poisoned |
| 1610–1618 | Sigismund Forgách | Matthias II | second rule; also ispán of Nógrád County (1600–1621), ispán of Szabolcs County (1612–1621), and ispán of Sáros County (1614–1621); Captain of Upper Hungary (1609–1618) |
| 1618–1620 | George Drugeth | Matthias II, Ferdinand II | also ispán of Ung County (1603–1620), and ispán of Zemplén County (1610–1620); died in exile in Poland |
| 1622–1625 | Nicholas Esterházy | Ferdinand II | also ispán of Bereg County (1617–1635), and ispán of Zólyom County (1618–1645), also Captain of Lower Hungary (1622–1625) |
| 1625–1631 | Melchior Alaghy | Ferdinand II | also ispán of Zemplén County (1622–1631), and Captain of Upper Hungary (1630–1631) |
| 1631–1636 | Paul Rákóczi | Ferdinand II | also ispán of Sáros and Torna Counties (1622–1636) |
| 1636–1645 | John Drugeth | Ferdinand II, Ferdinand III | also ispán of Ung County (1626–1645), ispán of Zemplén County (1631–1645), and Captain of Upper Hungary (1636–1640) |
| 1646–1649 | Paul Pálffy | Ferdinand III | also ispán of Pozsony County (1641–1653), and member of the Royal Privy Council (1646–1653) |
| 1649–1654 | Ladislaus Csáky | Ferdinand III | also ispán of Zólyom County (1645–1655), and ispán of Komárom County (1646–1655) |
| 1655–1670 | Francis Nádasdy | Ferdinand III, Leopold I | also Royal Governor of Hungary (1667–1670), ispán of Vas County (1633–1670), ispán of Zala County (1665–1670), and ispán of Somogy County (1666–1670); executed for treason after the failed Magnate conspiracy |
| 1670–1681 | Adam Forgách | Leopold I | also ispán of Nógrád County (1621–1681), and ispán of Borsod and Csongrád Counties (1649–1681), Master of the treasury (1663–1679), member of the Gubernium (1673–1679) |
| 1681–1687 | Nicholas Draskovich | Leopold I | died during the Diet of 1687 |
| 1687–1699 | Stephen Csáky | Leopold I | also perpetual count of Szepes County (1670–1699), Captain of Upper Hungary (1681–1699) |
| 1700–1703 | Adam Batthyány | Leopold I | also Ban of Croatia (1693–1703), Captain of Transdanubia (1685–1703), and Captain of Kanizsa (1690–1703) |

### Eighteenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes |
| 1704–1712 | George Erdődy | Leopold I, Joseph I, Charles III | also ispán of Varaždin County (1690–1712) |
| 1713–1714 | Nicholas I Pálffy | Charles III | also perpetual count of Pozsony County (1694–1714), and Crown Guard (1701–1714) |
| 1714–1731 | Stephen Koháry | Charles III | famous poet; also perpetual count of Hont County (1711–1731); founded a Piarist elementary school in Kecskemét |
| 1731–1741 | John Pálffy | Charles III, Maria Theresa | also perpetual count of Pozsony County (1732–1751) |
| 1741–1748 | Joseph Esterházy | Maria Theresa | also ispán of Komárom County (1709–1748) |
| 1748–1759 | George Leopold Erdődy | Maria Theresa | also ispán of Árva County (1709–1759), ispán of Bars County (1713–1759), and ispán of Varaždin County (1728–1759); Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (1751) |
| 1759–1765 | Joseph Illésházy | Maria Theresa | also perpetual count of Liptó and Trencsén Counties (1724–1766) |
| 1765–1773 | Nicholas II Pálffy | Maria Theresa | also perpetual count of Pozsony County (1751–1773) |
| 1773–1783 | George Fekete | Maria Theresa, Joseph II | also ispán of Arad and Zaránd Counties (1751–1788) |
| 1783–1786 | John Csáky | Joseph II | also ispán of Szepes County (1757–1795) |
| 1786–1787 | Christopher Niczky | Joseph II | also ispán of Temes County (1779–1787) |
| 1788–1795 | Charles Zichy | Joseph II, Leopold II, Francis | also President of the Vice-regency Council (1788–1795); Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (1808) |
| 1795–1802 | Peter Végh | Francis | also ispán of Baranya County (1782–1802) |

### Nineteenth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1802–1806 | Francis Szentivány | Francis | also ispán of Sáros County (1790–1823) | |
| 1806–1825 | Joseph Ürményi | Francis | also ispán of Fejér County (1802–1825); Chancellor of the University of Pest (1806–1825) | |
| 1825–1827 | Joseph Brunszvik | Francis | also ispán of Nógrád County (1806–1827) | |
| 1828–1839 | Anton Moses Cziráky | Francis, Ferdinand V | also ispán of Fejér County (1825–1845); President of the Curia Regia and Chancellor of the University of Pest (1828–1839) | |
| 1839–1848 | George Majláth, Sr. | Ferdinand V | also ispán of Hont County (1828–1843), Speaker of the House of Magnates (1848); King Ferdinand V appointed Royal Governor for a short time in 1848 | |
| 1848–1860 | Vacancy during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and after its suppression | Vacancy during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and after its suppression | Vacancy during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and after its suppression | Vacancy during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and after its suppression |
| 1860–1863 | George Apponyi | Francis Joseph I | also Speaker of the House of Magnates (1861); one of the initiators of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 | |
| 1863–1865 | George Andrássy | Francis Joseph I | | |
| 1867–1883 | George Majláth, Jr. | Francis Joseph I | the last office-holder who had judicial powers; also Speaker of the House of Magnates (1867–1883); killed during a robbery | |
| 1884–1888 | Paul Sennyey | Francis Joseph I | ceremonial position since 1884; also Speaker of the House of Magnates (1884–1888) | |
| 1888–1893 | Ladislaus Szőgyény-Marich | Francis Joseph I | | |
| 1895–1917 | Béla Orczy | Francis Joseph I, Charles IV | | |

### Twentieth century

| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1917–1918 | Aurel Dessewffy | Charles IV | last judge royal of the Kingdom of Hungary | |