City of Svätý Jur

The beginnings of settlement of the city are estimated to be prehistoric. Around 3000 BC, people of the Late Stone Age, who were already engaged in agriculture, settled on an elevated island in the swamp of the Šúr forest. The origin of a huge fortified settlement dates from the Great Moravian period. It belonged to the system of so-called Bratislava Gate together with other guard fortresses in Bratislava, Devín and Devínská Nová Ves. The oldest written monument about St. George is from 1209, but it is not a document about the founding of the city. According to her, in 1209 Svätý Jur became a free market town (forum liberum).

History
Until 1209
This period is in the history of St. George the most extensive in time, but at the same time the least mapped. There are four archeological finds for about 4,000 years - the first from the Neolithic (from the turn of the 4th-3rd millennium BC); only the discovery of the only bronze sword in the territory of St. George (around 1500 BC) is known from the Middle Bronze Age; traces of Hallstatt settlement (older Iron Age) from around 800 BC and the last is the Great Moravian fortified settlement, which was built and used in the second half of the 9th and early 10th century AD

The small number of finds, their scattering in the area of today's St. George and, moreover, the large time lag between them do not allow to assume a continuous settlement during this period. It can only be stated that the territory of St. George was sporadically settled due to its favorable natural conditions, especially in terms of defense. The modesty of most archaeological finds does not even allow a precise determination of the cultural affiliation of the population settled here.

An exception is the youngest archeological find - a fortified settlement. Its builders and users were the Great Moravian Slavs. Jurassic fortified settlement provided protection to the population from a wide area and was an important military facility in the territory of Great Moravia. It is not until the 9th century AD that a more or less continuous settlement (Slavic) of today's territory of St. George can be expected.

1209 - 1543
The second period begins with the first written report, in which Svätý Jur presents itself as a relatively important and long-established site with a church, market and central position within a larger territorial unit - the manor. The employment of the local population was probably already before 1209 viticulture and winemaking.

With a donation, Svätý Jur in 1209 became the property of the ancestors of the family of counts from Svätý Jur and Pezinok. After being destroyed by the Tatars (in 1241) and the Czech King Přemysl Otakar II. (in 1271 and 1273) Thanks to viticulture and German colonists, Svätý Jur formed into an agricultural town with its own, albeit limited, self-government. It consisted of a mayor, 4-6 oaths and a vineyard master, who was in charge of supervising the vineyards of the town's inhabitants.

Together with Pezinok, which was owned by a related branch of the family, Svätý Jur became the seat of the counts and the economic center of their property. At the end of the 13th century, solid stone castles (the so-called White Stone in Jura) were built in the towns. Initially, the more important Svätý Jur receded into the background during the 14th century, and Pezinok came to the fore, which was not so strongly focused on viticulture.

From the war damage and natural disasters that affected Svätý Jur, especially in the 15th and 16th centuries (for example, it was burned down by the Hussites on June 12, 1434), the townspeople recovered more easily thanks to viticulture, which was a very profitable branch of production, and last but not least support from its owners, who were among the most influential feudal lords of medieval Hungary. In 1543, when the last male member of the family of counts from Svätý Jur and Pezinok died, Svätý Jur had extensive rights and economic advantages, which entitled the inhabitants of the town to expect a favorable future.

1543 - 1647
The third period is the most turbulent part of the history of St. George. It is marked not only by the struggle against the will of wealthy landowners and the effort to break free from serf zeal, but also by the growth of wealth, the source of which was traditional viticulture.

After the extinction of the family of counts, Svätý Jur as well as Pezinok (the fates of both towns were common until 1647) together with the manor of the same name belonged to the king. However, the need for funds to wage wars with the Turks forced the Hungarian monarchs to deposit their property with wealthy feudal lords. In the years 1543-1602, St. Jur was gradually backed up by several feudal lords - the Šerédy family, Eck of Salm, Ján Kružič and Štefan Ilešházim. These inspirational landowners, in an effort to maximize income, did not respect the customary rights and freedoms of the town and its inhabitants.

The wronged support of the monarch could not wait for long. It was not until 1598 during the reign of Rudolf II, who sought support in the cities in the fight against the Hungarian nobility, that the Jurans received a promise of help from the monarch. As the royal treasury was empty again, the townspeople had to pay a lien from their own funds (along with Pezinok 145,000 gold). They got the money they needed from loans at high, 8 percent interest. In 1602, St. Jur redeemed itself and became a royal town. At the same time, the town also became the owner of a large estate, which included 7 entire villages and parts of 12 villages.

The unstable political situation, caused by the anti-Habsburg uprising of Štefan Bočkaj, and the resulting economic difficulties have hit the indebted Saint Jur particularly hard. The townspeople could not even pay interest on huge debts, and in the years 1606-1610 they were again paid to Štefan Ilešházim.

Except for the intervention of King Matthew II. in 1615 the difficult situation of Juranov was resolved. The king paid half the debt and St. Jur was given the privilege of a free royal town. However, the townspeople had to give up the manor and were charged a fee of 400 shackles (22,000 liters) of good wine, which they had to take to the royal table every year. The struggle for fullness did not end until 1647, when Ferdinand III. elevated St. Jur to the status of free royal cities.

The wronged support of the monarch could not wait for long. It was not until 1598 during the reign of Rudolf II, who sought support in the cities in the fight against the Hungarian nobility, that the Jurans received a promise of help from the monarch. As the royal treasury was empty again, the townspeople had to pay a lien from their own funds (along with Pezinok 145,000 gold). They got the money they needed from loans at high, 8 percent interest. In 1602, St. Jur redeemed itself and became a royal town. At the same time, the town also became the owner of a large estate, which included 7 entire villages and parts of 12 villages.

The unstable political situation, caused by the anti-Habsburg uprising of Štefan Bočkaj, and the resulting economic difficulties have hit the indebted Saint Jur particularly hard. The townspeople could not even pay interest on huge debts, and in the years 1606-1610 they were again paid to Štefan Ilešházim.

Except for the intervention of King Matthew II. in 1615 the difficult situation of Juranov was resolved. The king paid half the debt and St. Jur was given the privilege of a free royal town. However, the townspeople had to give up the manor and were charged a fee of 400 shackles (22,000 liters) of good wine, which they had to take to the royal table every year. The struggle for fullness did not end until 1647, when Ferdinand III. elevated St. Jur to the status of free royal cities.

1647 - 1848
After gaining the privileges of a free royal city, Svätý Jur was legally at the level of such cities as Bratislava, Trnava or Košice. He had full self-government in the public, judicial and economic spheres. The superior and thus also the appellate instance was the monarch.

The self-government was represented by a 12-member city council, chaired by the mayor. The council dealt with all matters of the city and was also a judicial forum. Its members were also the burgher, in charge of managing the economy, the city captain, who was in charge of military and police matters, and the city notary, who handled the written agenda and managed the city archives. In addition to the city council, the so-called the external council, which, under the leadership of the tribune of the people, decided only on the most important issues and represented the interests of the whole bourgeoisie. All functions (except the notary) were elected. The elections were held every year on April 24, but only full citizens could vote. The city apparatus also included other officials - a city lawyer, an orphan's father, tax collectors, a valet, a market mayor, a farmer, a scribe, a police station and others.

Supervision of vineyards, guarding, supervision of workers, division of vineyards, their valuation was in charge of the vineyard master (pereg), 4-6 hunting lodge. This office did not develop into a separate body, its work was guided by the instructions of the city council of the burghers. There were no major changes in the self-government of the city in the years 1647-1848 / 49, although the rulers tried to intervene in this area of city life.

The anti-Habsburg uprising in the second half of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century and especially the invasion of the Turks of 17 September 1663 had a great influence - negative - on the development of the town during this period. Army subsistence, higher taxes and frequent natural disasters (fires) caused the town's decline and townspeople. there was another serious reason. Viticulture - the material base of St. George's prosperity - fell into crisis in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It was caused by the expulsion of the Turks from the southern regions, which again revealed competition from cheap southern wines, and a decline in exports of Hungarian wine to the Czech Republic, Silesia, Poland and Austria.

Compared to Pezinok or Modra, Svätý Jur was worse off by the underdevelopment of other industries - crafts and trade. The economic decline was not prevented by the waiver of the 400-year-old annual fee (in 1741) during the reign of Maria Theresa.

During this period, religious disputes between evangelicals and Catholics became particularly acute in 1674, when evangelical pastors and teachers had to leave St. Jur. The city school also disappeared. Its successor became a grammar school, founded by the Piarist Order, which was an instrument of recatholicization in the city. The disputes subsided after the issuance of the tolerance patent of Joseph II. from 1781.

The anti-Habsburg uprising in the second half of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century and especially the invasion of the Turks of 17 September 1663 had a great influence - negative - on the development of the town during this period. Army subsistence, higher taxes and frequent natural disasters (fires) caused the town's decline and townspeople. there was another serious reason. Viticulture - the material base of St. George's prosperity - fell into crisis in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It was caused by the expulsion of the Turks from the southern regions, which again revealed competition from cheap southern wines, and a decline in exports of Hungarian wine to the Czech Republic, Silesia, Poland and Austria.

Compared to Pezinok or Modra, Svätý Jur was worse off by the underdevelopment of other industries - crafts and trade. The economic decline was not prevented by the waiver of the 400-year-old annual fee (in 1741) during the reign of Maria Theresa.

During this period, religious disputes between evangelicals and Catholics became particularly acute in 1674, when evangelical pastors and teachers had to leave St. Jur. The city school also disappeared. Its successor became a grammar school, founded by the Piarist Order, which was an instrument of recatholicization in the city. The disputes subsided after the issuance of the tolerance patent of Joseph II. from 1781.

The anti-Habsburg uprising in the second half of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century and especially the invasion of the Turks of 17 September 1663 had a great influence - negative - on the development of the town during this period. Army subsistence, higher taxes and frequent natural disasters (fires) caused the town's decline and townspeople. there was another serious reason. Viticulture - the material base of St. George's prosperity - fell into crisis in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It was caused by the expulsion of the Turks from the southern regions, which again revealed competition from cheap southern wines, and a decline in exports of Hungarian wine to the Czech Republic, Silesia, Poland and Austria.

Compared to Pezinok or Modra, Svätý Jur was worse off by the underdevelopment of other industries - crafts and trade. The economic decline was not prevented by the waiver of the 400-year-old annual fee (in 1741) during the reign of Maria Theresa.

During this period, religious disputes between evangelicals and Catholics became particularly acute in 1674, when evangelical pastors and teachers had to leave St. Jur. The city school also disappeared. Its successor became a grammar school, founded by the Piarist Order, which was an instrument of recatholicization in the city. The disputes subsided after the issuance of the tolerance patent of Joseph II. from 1781.