page_title: Reynold Básztély
section_title: Powerful baron
hierarchical_section_title: Reynold Básztély / Powerful baron
context_page_description: Reynold (II) from the kindred Básztély was a Hungarian baron, soldier and courtier, who was a staunch supporter of Duke Stephen. Originating from a royal servant family, he elevated into the nobility due to his military successes and loyalty. At the peak of his career, he served as Palatine of Hungary in 1289. He was the ancestor of the powerful Rozgonyi family.
context_section_description: Following the sudden death of Stephen V and the coronation of the child ruler Ladislaus IV in August 1272, Reynold elevated into the aristocracy as a staunch supporter of the royal power, which weakened in the 1270s feudal anarchy, when two rival baronial groups fought each other for the supreme power. Becoming a member of the royal council, Reynold was appointed Master of the stewards around September 1272, holding the dignity until the autumn of 1274. He became a stable point in the court administration in that period, when twelve "changes of government" took place in the first five regnal years of Ladislaus IV. Following the Battle of Föveny in September 1274, where Henry Kőszegi was killed and the Kőszegi–Gutkeled–Geregye baronial group lost power, Reynold was replaced by Herbord Osl. He regained the position in June 1275, but soon lost again in September. Simultaneously with his position of Master of the stewards, he also functioned as ispán of Szolgagyőr (Galgóc) ispánate (1273–74; 1275), which located in the territory of Nyitra County. When the Kőszegis returned to the power by August 1276, Reynold served as Master of the stewards third time, but it was a short term of office too.
  According to Simon of Kéza's Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum, Reynold and his brothers, Andrew, Solomon and Ladislaus bravely fought in the Battle on the Marchfeld on 26 August 1278, where Ottokar II was killed. During the skirmish, Reynold kept and guarded the royal banner. While magister Simon described the events of the battle, he detailed exclusively the heroism of the Básztély brothers; therefore notable historians, like Gyula Pauler and Sándor Domanovszky considered that the chronicler originated from Dunakeszi, which belonged to the ownership of the clan. Despite Reynold's loyalty and military skills, he did not hold any dignities in the royal court for the next decade, albeit it is presumable that he is identical with that Reynold, who was styled as ispán of Valkó County in 1279.
  He reached the peak in his career, when he was appointed Palatine of Hungary without any antecedents sometimes around August 1289, during the last regnal years of Ladislaus, who became politically isolated by then. By the next month, already Nicholas Kőszegi held the dignity, according to a charter issued on 8 September. As another document, which was transcribed in the next day, refers to Reynold as an incumbent palatine, Gyula Pauler argued there were two palatines in the kingdom simultaneously during that time, as a precursor of the established political administration during the late reign of Andrew III of Hungary. Accordingly, Reynold was responsible for the affairs in Cisdanubia. However Attila Zsoldos, who formerly also shared this viewpoint, questioned Pauler's theory, proving that the royal charter, which issued on 9 September, and its transcribed version on 30 September were non-authentic. Thus it is sure that Reynold bore the dignity on 21 August, but soon he was replaced by Kőszegi by 8 September (Reynold's predecessor Amadeus Aba was last styled as palatine in 1288). Historian Tibor Szőcs considers that Nicholas Kőszegi arbitrarily used the title of palatine in September 1289, without the recognition of the monarch. He argues some texts of the non-authentic charters from that period were based on authentic documents.
  Alongside Peter, son of Petenye and a certain James, the elderly Reynold served as noble judge (Hungarian: szolgabíró; lit. "servants' judge") of Zemplén County sometimes after 1289 (some historians dated to around 1286 and 1291). Reynold died by September 1296, when he was referred to as a deceased person. His sons remained marginal nobles, without holding any office; their lowborn status hindered to inherit their father's influence, who rose to the elite due to his talent and loyalty. One of them Julius appeared as a familiaris of the powerful oligarch Amadeus Aba. The Rozgonyis returned to the forefront of the Hungarian nobility only in the early 15th century, during the reign of Sigismund.
caption: Aftermath of the Battle on the Marchfeld; Reynold Básztély kept the royal Árpád banner in the background
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