Today I've improved my article on the history of the recently renovated Hollókő castle (literally: Raven Stone castle), Hungary by adding 88 new pictures and a more detailed historical description. All shares are appreciated.
Hollókő castle is in north Hungary and it had a busy history before the age of the Ottoman wars. The Kacsics Clan used to own the surrounding area and they were the ones who began building the core of the castle, an old stone tower. They may have built the first part before the Mongolian invasion in 1241.
The legend of the castle is connected to Kacsics András, though. Allegedly, he was busily building Sztrahova castle not far away from there. Lord Kacsics happened to fall in love with a married lady.
He had her abducted but the woman’s old nurse was a witch who helped her lady to escape magically. She summoned ravens, the devil’s children who were stealing the stones of Sztrahova castle each night while it was being built.
The ravens used the stones to build the castle that now we call Hollókő. Before soon, Lord Kacsics gave in to them and let the lady go.
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In the following years, the castle witnessed wars against the Bohemian Hussite mercenaries of Jan Giskra whose men took Hollókő for a short period. Hollókő was the place where Giskra signed a truce with the Hungarian king in 1442.
Then, Szécsényi László seemed to have regained it as it was he who pledged Hollókő castle and its villages in 1454 to his son-in-law, Losonczi Albert, in exchange for 16,000 gold Forints.
A year later, the castle was gifted to Lady Advig, the wife of Losonci Albert, and his daughter, Anna. According to a document issued by King Matthias Corvinus, the king gave Hollókő to Palatine Gúthi Országh and Losonczi Albert in 1461, in recognition of their military deeds in Upper Hungary.
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When the Ottomans took the castle of Nógrád in 1544, Hollókő suddenly became a Borderland castle. The few defenders of the fort tried to prevent the Turkish raids. Its captain was Kapitan György who had a famous duel in 1550 with the Agha of Szanda castle, Bey Hubiar in the fields of Buják.
Pasha Ali of Buda was taking the forts of Nógrád county one by one in 1552 and he took Hollókő, too. It was taken easily as the castle was abandoned because of the hostility between its captains, Zsáki (Száki?) Imre and Zsáki András. Pasha Ali demanded they surrender the castle. Imre got frightened and wanted to cede Hollókő but his brother András refused it.
As it turned out, Imre drew his sword on his brother and the castle fell into Ali’s hands without a gunshot in July 1552. Then, the Turks left behind 24 guards and went on with their campaign.
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You can read the full article on my page, along with many more pictures:
https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/ottoman-occupied-lands/holloko/
