Sárd (Șard, Schard) is located in Transylvania, Romania. It is just 8 kilometers from Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia) to the northwest, towards Zalatna. The settlement was established by German people who were invited to Hungary. The place was first mentioned in 1238.
King László IV placed the settlement under the authority of the Bishop of Transylvania, and the settlement received “hospes” privileges in 1295.
The church was surrounded by a stone wall in the 15-16th century, a stone tower was guarding it. You can see the coat of arms of the Báthory family on it.
Since 1570, the place used to be a market town until the 19th century. The small town was part of Fehér County, later part of Alsó-Fehér County. Its last Saxon priest (Mátyás Gylokai) was mentioned in 1563 but during the next decades, the population has changed to Hungarian and Wallachian (Romanian).
After the unlucky Polish war of Prince Rákóczi György II, Crimean Tatar and Ottoman troops punished Transylvania. The Crimean Tatars burned the place in 1658 to the ground. (...) The history of the place is equally sad in the 19th century...
You can read more about it and find more pictures on my page:
https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/transylvania/sard/
