THE ROLE OF THE NOBILITY OF NORTH-EASTERN HUNGARY IN THE ESTABLISHING OF PROTESTANTISM

The article focuses on the problems of the participation and role of the nobility of North-Eastern Hungary in the process of spiritual renewal, caused by the Reformation. New ideological and spiritual trends have embraced the entire Hungarian society, however, not every social group responded equally to the challenges of time. Among the first aristocrats and nobility who accepted the teachings of Luther and made significant efforts for the establishment of the Reformation in North-Eeastern Hungary were: Perenii, Dragphi, Bebeki, Druget, Batory, Magochi and others. Following large landowners, the medium and small gentry and large masses of ordinary people of various ethnic groups quickly joined the camp of Reformation.The main activity of gentry-Protestants were focused on the philanthropy and patronage. Material support and government patronage contributed to the opening and successful functioning of schools, the training of successful young people abroad, book publishing, etc.For the establishment of the Reformation at the lands of modern Transcarpathia the main role had the Druget’s – the landlords of Uzhanshchyna and Zempinshchina and Uzhhorod. Under the patronage of Druget’s from 1546, the Protestant community already existed in Uzhhorod.The author observes that the limited source material and the engagement of some individual authors, the problem is not sufficiently studied. Hungarian and Slovak authors have some research, but for national historiography the theme is "terra incognita". It is the task of the proposed article – join to highlight the issue.