A History of Central Eastern Europe

The ZUPAN came from 3 families beginning in the mid-15 th century:
The SZEPESI ZUPAN (they were
Hungarian, not Slovak) were elected by the local
magistrates (this may have distinguished them
from the earlier ALISPÁN) and had appeared
during the 15 th c. The jurisdiction of the ZUPAN
did not extend to the ZIPSERBUND towns which
constituted a legally separate province within the
county. The ZUPAN is roughly equivalent to the
German GRAF and close to our understanding of
the title COUNT. The majority of titles were not
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hereditary ones until the 19 century.
In the 16 th c, the county seat was moved
to LŐCSE (LEVOČA Slovak) possibly in conjunction
with the transfer of rule to the THURZO family. It
remained the seat until 1922.
1. 1462 – 1527: The ZÁPOLYA family provided 3 “GRAF VON SZEPES” starting in 1462 with
IMRE ZÁPOLYA to 1487, his younger brother ISTVÁN until 1499 and ISTVÁN’s son
GYÖRGY until 1527 (GYÖRGY was the younger brother of JÁNOS ZÁPOLYA [1487 – 1540]
one of 2 rival Kings of Hungary between 1526 and 1540. The other was Archduke
FERDINAND I HABSBURG);
2. 1531 – 1636: The THURZO (THURZÓ
Hungarian) SZANISZLÓ II THURZO is found as
SZEPESI ZUPAN and SZEPESI FÕISPÁN from
1559 – 1583. Undoubtedly related to the
SZEPESI ALISPÁN as the 14 th c came to a close,
the THURZO were related by marriage to the
THÖKÖLY and
3. 1638 – 1912: The CSÁKY (1638-1848) GRAF
ISTVÁN CSÁKY DE KÖRÖSSZEGH ET ADORJÁN,
became the SZEPESI FÕISPÁNJA in 1639 which
passed to his son FERENC in 1662. When FERENC died in 1670, title passed to his younger
brother ISTVÁN which then passed father-to-son: GYÖRGY from 1699 to 1742, JÁNOS to
1795, and JÓZSEF to 1799. After his death, title went to a first-cousin, EMÁNUEL (MANÓ)
GYÖRGY FERENC DE PAULA JÁNOS, until 1825, after which it returned to the original
branch once more in JÓZSEF’S son KÁROLY until1843. After 1843 the title reverted to
EMÁNUEL’S son, ÁGOSTON ISTVÁN JÓZSEF ANTAL until 1883; and then his son ZÉNÓ until
1905. ZENO’S younger brother, ALBIN RUDOLF SÁNDOR ÁGOST, is found as SZEPESI and
SÁROSI COMES, COUNT OF SZEPES AND SÁROS, until 1912, while ALBIN’S son, LÁSZLÓ
ALBIN JÓZSEF is the SZEPESI and UGOCSA COMES, COUNT OF SZEPES AND UGOCSA, for an
overlapping period ending with his death in 1909. From 1912 no mention has been found
and Slovakia would not have continued a Hungarian noble title after achieving
independence a few years later.
The actual title of SZEPESI FÕISPÁN-ZUPAN was abolished with the 1848 Hungarian
insurrection however it seems the power and benefices were not as the SZEPESI COMES appears
with much of the same privileges after this event.
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