History
According to tradition, the Cseszneky family have descended from the Bana kindred, whose origin - in György Györffy's opinion - is traceable back to the 10th century. Another notable historian Erik Fügedi suggested that the Bana Clan was a collateral branch of the Katapán (Koppán) Clan, thus descending from Pecheneg princes. According to the medieval Gesta Hungarorum, Ketel Cuman (in fact Pecheneg) khagan joined the people of Hungarian Grand Prince Álmos at Kiev in 884 CE. After the conquest of Hungary, one part of Ketel's clan settled down between Sátorhalom and the Tolcsva river, while the other part where the Vág river falls into the Danube. At the bank of the Vág, Ketel's son, Alaptolma, constructed the castle of Komárom, where later they were buried in a Pagan way. Ketel's descendants the Koppán or Katapán Clan founded the Benedictine Abbey of Koppánmonostor. Other historians think that the relationship between the Koppáns and the Banas was cognatic rather than agnatic, and the Banas descended from the Counts of Bana, who were vassals of the Avar Tudun, and as such subvassals of Charlemagne. The Bana Clan had its primeval estates around Bana village and in the Bakony mountains. They were hereditary Wildgraves of Bakony. Probably an early member of the family wore the famous sabretache of Bana.
The sabretache of Bana
The direct forefather of the Cseszneky family, Count Apa from the Koppán-Bána Clan, accompanied King Andrew II on his campaign to the Holy Land. According to a record from 1230, Pope Gregory IX investigated the complaint of Pannonhalma Abbey, because Count Apa and his son Jakab had occupied the Benedictines' possessions and fishing places in Gönyű. Another son of Apa, Mihály, was mentioned in 1225 as King Andrew II's equerry, and later he rendered important services to King Béla IV during the Mongolian invasion. Mihály's son, another Jakab, who was the royal swordbearer, constructed Csesznek Castle around 1263 . He and his descendants took the name Cseszneky after the castle.
The ruins of Csesznek Castle
After the extinction of the House of Árpád, in the struggle for the throne, Jakab Cseszneky's sons supported the claim of Charles Robert of Anjou, and after the victory of the king they served faithfully the Angevin Dynasty. Even though Csesznek Castle, from which their name had derived, was sold in 14th century, they obtained other important estates in the Transdanubian region and in Csallóköz. The family members held key positions in the royal court and in the counties during the reign of Charles Robert and Louis the Great. The Cseszneky heirs shared their charters in 1412.
The Cseszneky estates in the 16th century continured to be concentrated in Győr, Pozsony, Komárom and Veszprém counties, and many members of the family excelled at fighting against the Turks. György Cseszneky was appointed by Queen Mary, widow of King Louis II, to be castellan of Tata during the difficult times after the disastrous battle of Mohács. Mihály Cseszneky, as the vice-castellan of Várpalota, played an important role in the defense of Várpalota against a ten times superior Turkish army in 1566. János Cseszneky was an infantry commander in Győr, and perhaps it was due to his braveness that the Ottomans could not take the castle of Győr only one year after his death in 1594. Gábor and Mátyás Cseszneky walked on the fields of Mars along with Bálint Balassi during the Long Ottoman War (1591-1606). Benedek Cseszneky also used bravely his sword for the defense of the fatherland, and also played a role in the conclusion of the Peace Treaty of Pozsony in 1626 between King Ferdinand II and Prince Gabriel Bethlen. Amidst the battles, several family members find the time for education as well, János Cseszneky in 1673, while Mátyás in 1692 studied at the University of Nagyszombat, which had been founded by Péter Pázmány.
Endre Veszprémi: Ferenc Rákóczi II meets Tamás Esze
After the expulsion of Turks, the most important event in the history of Csesznekys was Rákóczi's War for Independence, in which many members of the family played an active role. Following Francis II Rákóczi's defeat, the glory of the Cseszneky family was also on the decline, and they lost most of their estates.
In the middle of the 18th century, one branch of the family moved to Bácska, where they leased several royal estates, while others settled down in Szabadka and other market towns in the region. In 1848 and 1849 several members of the Bácska branch fought at Szabadka and Csantavér against the Serbian rebels. During the period of the dual monarchy, Mihály Cseszneky and his son, Ferenc played an important role in the development of Hungarian mill industry and agriculture. In World War I, many family members sacrificed their lives for the country. After the war, a significant part of the Cseszneky family's fortunes was confiscated by the Serbian state.
During the rule of Regent Miklós Horthy, Count Gyula Cseszneky was known for his patriotic poems, while his brother, Mihály gained distinction for the restoration of the mill industry of Hungary, mutilated by the imposed Peace Treaty of Trianon.
Due to the terror of the Arrow-cross Party at the end of World War II, then the Soviet occupation and Communist dictatorship, some members of the family were forced to leave Hungary. Those who stayed were imprisoned or deported to forced labour camps.
In 2023, in recognition of his merits, Miklós Cseszneky was granted princely rank along with a Javanese princely title (Kangjeng Pangeran) by His Majesty the King of Mangkualaman (Pakualaman). Subsequently, further royal houses accorded him princely status.
Despite many trials and tribulations, after eight centuries, the Cseszneky family still keeps alive its ancestral traditions. The current head of the family is Prince Miklós Cseszneky, and members of the family today live in Hungary, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Brazil.