Homicide Investigation and County Authority in the Middle of the 15th Century

A Feud in Gagy

Abstract

My paper focuses on a special feud. In 1469 a peasant, Bátori Gergely attacked the estate of Gagyi Balázs and killed Csabacsüdi András, the retainer of Gagyi Balázs. There were three investigations into the case, two of them made by the office-holders of Abaúj County, who questioned the witnesses. In the third case a monk from the convent of Jászó and a homo regius lead an investigation. All the investigators strengthened the prosecution, which is quite understandable because the questions to the witnesses were compiled by the complainant, and the investigators also were his own men.