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This paper aims to answer a series of questions resulting from the presence of incomplete and superficial documentation gathered over time in the context of rehabilitation and restoration of historic houses in Turda, some of which are classified as monuments. Therefore, the following questions are considered: What is the value of a historical study in the context of an intervention? What is the structure of a historical study of a building? Who is in a position to carry out such a study and to impose permissions and restrictions? How can the research results be used? Does the history of one building illustrate wider policies of the Austro-Hungarian authorities to urbanise and modernise smaller towns in the realm? Although, this study is dedicated to a single building, located in the historical centre of the town, its detailed study and the reconstruction of its historical and architectural path can provide clues concerning the implementation of urban policies of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in provincial context. The building was classified as a historical monument, but its aspect today reflects its complicated history and the many unfortunate and misguided interventions it has undergone. It has also been neglected by existing research, and thus, its position within the „Art 1900” [Art Nouveau] has not been explored. Consequently, the present research attempts to make the most of the data recorded sporadically in various sources covering the history of Turda. On the other hand, the lack of conservation strategies for this type of heritage, reflected in a coherent legislative framework, has led until recently to a lax and confusing approach at the local administration level as well, as evidenced by the series of renovations and rehabilitation inappropriate to the original style, carried out by the local authority, owners or tenants over time. Good documentation forwarded to the authorities and current owners can, therefore, help these buildings and act as a method of educating the public, providing guidance concerning the value, functionality, and capacity of heritage to create more value for local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fall of 1494, King Vladislaus II of Hungary established his court in Sibiu (Hermannstadt/Nagyszeben) for about one month. The sovereign's stay was recorded not only briefly, throughout the royal charters issued here in that particular time frame, but also in a more peculiar manner. Two accounting records, drawn up by the town's authorities, illustrate the joint effort for a good hosting of its king. A constant concern, reflected in these two historical sources, was precisely the supply of food and the providing of related services, such as water transportation, food preparation, or animal slaughtering. Although published more than a century ago, these accounts have not been exploited so far to the full extent of their data and of their analytical perspectives. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to put into context the royal presence in Sibiu, but, more importantly, to highlight what this moment meant in terms of food, with its various features. These two accounting sources can be interrogated from the perspective of the consumed goods, the costs involved, the communal (from Sibiu's hinterland and not only) or individual contribution, sometimes determined by gender. Given that the event articulated itself as a time of celebration, food itself had an exceptional character, an aspect suggested by these financial records, especially regarding the quantities they noted down. Thus, they outline the profile of a city capable of assuming and sustaining the presence of the Hungarian royal court, while also letting the specifics of the local economy to be seen -- from acquiring oriental spices, to preparing vegetables and meats from local or regional households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Realm of St. Stephan, like any other realm of Europe, was a world of political, administrative, social, juridical and cultural diversity and individualism. The best example is Transylvania, province of the realm since the 11th century, where individuals, families and communities were bound direct to the kingship, by given word and by written privilege. While archaic societies like the Szeklers kept their bounds with the kingship through the given word by the late Middle Ages, the rights and obligations of the Transylvanian Saxons towards the kingship were established, since their early settlement in the mid 12th century, through the written privilege. In this paper we aim to analyse the military obligations of the Transylvanian Saxon towns, seats and districts, established by the Hungarian kings in the 13th and 14th centuries. The main idea is that the four „local authonomies" of the Transylvanian Saxons (Sibiu, Brașov, Bistrița and The Two Seats - Mediaș and Șeica Mare), along with the city of Cluj, had distinct military obligations towards the kingship, (at least) until 1486, when the Transylvanian Saxon University was established. According to this obligations, the towns, seats and districts of the Transylvanian Saxons raised militias and hired mercenaries, in order to take part at the royal campaigns. Since the 15th century there are preserved several orders of mobilization, issued by the Hungarian kings or by the Transylvanian voivodes and vicevoivodes for the towns, seats and districts of the Transylvanian Saxons. One can observe that the latter fulfilled this orders only if they received them direct from the king or from his appointed deputy. The mobilization orders issued by the voivodes, vicevoivodes and other military captains of Transylvania were simply ignored by the leaders of the Transylvanian Saxon towns, seats and districts. They relied on their written privileges and on their actual military might (militias and mercenaries), without fearing consequences from their Transylvanian neighbours. Yet, historical sources are mentioning the participation of the Transylvanian Saxon militias in campaigns led by the king or by the voievodes in Wallachia, Moldavia and in Transylvania itself (1426, 1427, 1442, 1467, 1476, 1479, 1526), which demonstrate that the Transylvanian Saxons fulfilled their military obligations towards the Hungarian Crown, even if this particular cases the orders of mobilization are not preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]