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 HUNGARY

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HUNGARY

soon proved insufficient, and what was lacking was settleil by royal edict as cases requiring decision appeared. The Diet of 1687 also acknowlerlged the Hungarian Crown to be hereditary in the Ilapsburg family and in addition to this renounced the free elec- tion of the king.

The opening of the eighteenth century was signal- ized by the outbreak of a revolution headed by Francis RAkoczy II. The only damage which this ilid to the Church was that the work of consolidation and reor- ganization was delayed for a time. The revolt was purely political and did not degenerate into a reli- gious war; in the districts which sided with Rilkoczy the Catholic clergy also supported the prince. In 1705 Rdkoczy held a Diet at Sz6cs(';ny which passed laws regarding religious questions; the religious ordi- nances of the Diets of 160S and 1047 were renewed; religious freedom was granted to serfs; in those places

Catholic Hungary was unilisturbed. During this era the reorganization and strengthening of the Catholic Church could be vigorously carried on. The coloni- zation of the regions regained from the Turks in the later decades of the seventeenth century, and of the districts surrountling the River Temes, began after 1716. The colonists were foreigners, largely Germans, who held the Catholic Faith. As a result of this and other settlements, the Catholic population rapidly increased, so that in 1805 there were 5,105,381 Cath- olics to 1,983, .366 Protestants. The number of the parishes also grew greatly, especially in the country formerly under Turkish rule. The churches in the hands of the Protestants were reclaimed anew, but this once more led to intense friction. In order to restore religious peace, Emperor Charles VI, who was Charles III of Hungary (1711-40), appointed a com- mission for religious affairs, the decisions of which,

House of Pahh.yment. Bud.\pest

where the population was of both religions the one to which the majority of the inhabitants belonged re- ceived the church, while the minority had the right to build one for itself. After the session of the Diet of Onod, 1707, where the independence of Hungary was declared, and the Hapsburg dynasty deposed, political conditions were for a short time unfavour- able to the Church, as Protestantism was granted larger influence in the affairs of the Government, but this soon passed away. King Joseph I held a Diet at Pozsony (Presburg) in 1708, at which the religious question was again brought forward, but no agree- ment was reached. The Protestants made large demands, but the Government would not concede more than was contained in the laws of 1681 and 1687. Soon after this the revolt headed by Rdkoczy came to an end and in the Peace of Szatmar (1711) the country once more obtained rest from political disorder. The regulations of the treaty in regard to religion were that the Government should main- tain the laws of 1681 and 1687 which granted the free exercise of religion to persons of every denomination; consequently religious freedom was conceded the Protestants.

(3) From the Peace of Szatmd)r {1711) to the Present Time. — For a long period after the Peace of Szatmdr

however, were not sanctioned until 1731. These enactments, called Resolutio Carolina, confirmed the laws of 1681 and 1687 regarding religious affairs. Protestants were permitted the public exercise of their religion in the western districts of the country, according to the provisions of the law of 1681, and the private exercise of it everywhere. The Protestant ministers were forbidden to live outside of the places legally designated, but the members of their faith could seek them where they abode. The authority of the superintendents over the pastors was limited to disciplinary matters; in secular matters the pastors were subject to the civil jurisdiction. Matters per- taining to marriage were placed under the control of the bishop; the decision, however, was given in accordance with Protestant enactments. In regard to mixed marriages, it was enacted that the mar- riage must be entered upon before the Catholic priest, and the children be brought up in the Catho- lic religion.

Regarding church buildings the enactments of the laws of 1687 were declared to be in force. These are the more important ordinances of the Resolutio, which were supplemented later by various royal decisions. Charles VI was the last male descendant of the Hapsburgs, and he sought to have the succes-