The Walloon settlers in Spiš in the Middle Ages

Abstract

In the kingdom of Hungary we assume the presence of a Romance-speakingpopulation as early as in the 11th century. Other groups of Latins, mainlyWalloons, immigrated during the 12th century to Transylvania, along with theFlemish people, and to other important cities of the kingdom (Esztergom,Székesfehérvár, Oradea Mare, Pécs, Zagreb). But also into Spiš county. Themost important Wallonian locality in the upper part of the country (Slovakia)was established in Spišské Vlachy located in the vicinity of the importantGerman locality of Spišské Podhradie, where Saxon “guests” were the firstto be documented in Spiš. The presence of Walloons in Spiš is generally associatedwith the construction of the nearby Spiš castle although there mayhave been other reasons for their arrival. The local settlement is first recordedin sources in 1243, when King Bela IV. granted the settlers from Spišské Vlachya special privilege. But Latin hospites in Spiš county lived not only in SpišskéVlachy and its immediate surroundings. The presence of individuals fromthe Romance language area is testified in other localities of Spiš as well,mostly in villages of the Hornád river valley (Aranyás, Mečedelovce, Odorín,Žehra and so on). The Wallonian community in Spiš wasn´t very numerousin comparison with local Slavs or German (Saxon) settlers and very soonwas gradually assimilated in the domestic Slovak or German environment.