# Pongrác Szentmiklósi

Pongrác the Second Szent-miklós (? – 1474?) served as the archdeacon of Liptov and was one of Hungary's captains-in-chief. A supporter of John Hunyadi and King Matthias, he was also known as a robber baron, frequently changing allegiances for personal gain. He earned the nickname "King of Trenčín".

## Background

Pongrác Szent-miklós belonged to the middle noble family of Szent-miklós, occasionally referred to as Pongrác, the ancestor of the later Pongrácz family. He was the eldest son of Matthew I, though some sources refer to him as Miklós II. At that time, surnames were not yet commonly used, and Pongrác was known by several names, including Liptóik, Berencsik, and Szakolcaik, which were based on his origins or estates. He had three brothers: Stephen I, James II, and John III.
Pongrác is first mentioned in 1415 when King Sigismund brought him to the Council of Constance. His earliest independent charter dates to 1435, when he issued a document at Blatnica Castle in Turoč County, which his family had received from the king in 1403.
In 1434, Pongrác purchased Blatnica for 2,300 gold pieces from Queen Cillei Borbála.
In 1437, the Ottomans launched an attack on Szendrő, which was defended by George Brankovics. In response to a request for reinforcements, King Sigismund sent three of his trusted subjects: John Jiskra, John Hunyadi, and Pongrác. Pongrác led the group, while Jiskra and Hunyadi commanded the Transylvanian Auxiliary. Together, they defeated the Ottoman forces and drove them away.
Also in 1437, Pongrác received Branc Castle from Svaty Mikuláš, which he used as a base to begin his career as a robber baron, engaging in robbery, extortion and theft from surrounding settlements and estates.
In 1441, he transferred Blatnica to László Neczpáli, the castle captain of Szakolca, for 9,000 gold florins.

## The oligarch and robber baron

By this time, Pongrác was exploiting the chaotic conditions stemming from weak central authority, using violence to amass wealth. There was little Władysław III could do to stop him.
In March 1443, due to his services to the crown, the king forgave Pongrác and his family for their "acts of harassment, robbery and arson". However, his behavior did not change. By November of the same year, he received another pardon, but this time with a warning that he risked losing the king's favour.
In August 1444, Pongrác Szent-miklós, now a significant local power, signed a treaty of friendship with János Hunyadi, who had become one of the country's most important figures. When the Diet of Pest reorganized the country into what came to be known as the captains in chief, Pongrác was appointed the national captain of Matyusland (the area between the Danube, Vág, and Morava rivers) alongside Mihály Ország. Despite this position, he continued his plundering and acts of violence.
On May 4, 1449, Pongrác formed a defensive alliance with John Jiskra, who was also seizing castles and towns in the Highlands. This alliance included severe penalties of 10,000 florins for any failure to comply.
In 1450, John Hunyadi marched against Jiskra but could not defeat him and was compelled to negotiate peace. Pongrác also persistently raided Lower Austria, extorting taxes from towns. In response, Emperor Frederick III sent Ulrik Cillei against him in 1450, who laid siege to Szakolca. However, after Hunyadi guaranteed Pongrác's safety, Cillei withdrew.
By 1451, Pongrác had already delcared himself the Archbishop of Lippe in a charter he issued.
In 1452, Hunyadi borrowed 7,000 florins from Szent-miklós to fund his war against the Turks, mortgaging Szakolca and a portion of the tax revenue from Zsolna. At the end of that year, Hunyadi was elected governor of the country. In February of the following year, the Diet of Bratislava ordered the outlawing of Pongrác Szentmiklós, John Jiskra, and Péter Komorovszky, along with the confiscation of their property. This decision proved largely ineffective, as Pongrác remained the chief bailiff of Liptov due to his favorable relations with Hunyadi.
In September 1453, King László confirmed Pongrác's ownership of Berench, Ugroch, Wyvar, Likava, and Naghwar, and increased the pledge for Sztrecsény and Óvár from nine thousand florins to eighteen thousand florins. In addition to these estates, he constructed several smaller and larger fortifications (such as those at Nagybiccsé in Nitra), fortified his main estate Liptószentmiklós with walls, and used these as bases for further plundering and raiding. Ultimately, Hunyadi was compelled to enter into a pact with Pongrác, signed in May 1454. Under this agreement, Pongrác surrendered the castles of Berencs, Sztrecsény, and Zsolna for 4,000 florins. In return, he received "Sido Castle, Mezősomyló, Maxond, Fruzsinkavár and Sasvár" in Timis; Újvár, Nagyvár, and Likava with the chamber tax; the Liptov archbishopric; and the thirty-cent tax of Turdossin of Liptov, as well as the thirty-cent tax of Turdossin of Arava. His brothers, Stephen, James and John, were also involved in this arrangement.
Despite the pact, Pongrác remained imperious. A few months after his coronation, King Matthias stripped him of Nagyvár, Óvár and Likava, transferring them to Péter Komorovszky, who was later appointed chief bailiff of Liptov.
Pongrác of Szentmiklós died around 1474. Nontheless, the family did not entirely fall out of the king's favour; although they unsuccessfully sought restitution for their lost castles, in 1479, Matthias pardoned his three brothers and their sons for all past offenses and prohibited the courts from conducting trials regarding these cases.