Book presentation at Deutsches Historisches Institut in Rom

On 17 October 2022, the international launch of the latest publications of the Collectanea Vaticana Hungariae series (I/18, II/8, II/10)  took place at the German Historical Institute in Rome (Deutsches Historisches Institut in Rom), organised by the host institution and the ELKH-PPKE-PTE Fraknói Vilmos Vatican Historical Research Group. The prestigious event was opened by Alexander Koller, Deputy Director of the German Historical Institute. In particular, he thanked Bishop Mons. Sergio Pagano, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives, for his contribution to the academic life of the German Historical Institute. He then welcomed the Italian, German, Austrian, French and Hungarian audiences present and gave a detailed presentation of the research work of the Fraknói Research Group. He summarised the results of the recently published volumes of the Collectanea Vaticana Hungariae, based on the discovery of new sources and focusing on the relations between the Holy See and Hungary. He indicated at the outset that the volume by Tamás Fedeles provides a detailed summary of the Roman ordination of clerics from the countries of the Hungarian Holy Crown between 1426 and 1523. Antonín Kalous's volume, with its exploration of the years of Angelo Pecchinoli's legation between 1488 and 1490, provides an excellent historical model for the history of the early modern nunciature.  The third volume to be presented, the work of Gábor Nemes is a very useful repertory, collecting papal publications in the archives of the Carpathian Basin from the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Martin V until 1526, the DHI deputy director said.

The volume by Tamás Fedeles (Ordinationum Documenta Pontificia. Clerical Ordinations in the Roman Curia from the Countries of the Holy Crown of Hungary [1426-1523]) was presented by Andreas Rehberg, medieval researcher in charge at the German Historical Institute. Speaking about Fedeles' volume, he said that the historical period covered by the researcher clearly shows that with the spread of Christianity, the consecration of foreign clergy in the Roman Curia became increasingly frequent and massive.

Mons. Pagano has analysed in detail Kalous' volume on the papal legation of Angelo Pecchioli in the Hungarian royal court (1488-1490). He praised the work of the researcher, especially as the documents were researched using material from many archives other than the Vatican Archives (e.g. the State Archives of Milan, the Arcvhiwum Państwowe Poznań, the National Archives of the Hungarian National Archives, the Moravská Zemská Knihovna).
The Prefect then continued with a presentation of Gábor Nemes' Repertorium Pontificiorum Documentorum in Regnis Sacrae Coronae Hungariae existentium. He praised the excellent archival skills of the Senior Research Fellow of the Fraknói Research Group in preparing the descriptions of the Papal documents. As Rehberg had done earlier, Mons. Pagano also considered it important to specify that the lands of the crown of St Stephen covered a much larger area of Central Europe in the period than the present-day borders of the country. He underlined that the Vatican archives would also benefit from the volume, as it contains many of the original papal breves whose Vatican registers are either lost or have not been registered.

The Hungarian researchers concerned then expressed their thanks, including to the German Historical Institute, which hosted the event, and to the Bishop-Prefect, who was present in person.

First of all, Tamás Fedeles, co-leader of the EKLH-PPKE-PTE Fraknói Research Group, spoke (Italian, Hungarian) expressing his particular pleasure at Andreas Rehberg's comments on his work. 

He was followed at the podium by Gábor Nemes, Director of the Győr Diocesan Archives and Senior Research Fellow of the Fraknói Research Group. In his words of thanks (Italian, Hungarian) he referred to the rich Hungarian-related registrum collection of the Vatican Apostolic Archives and - referring back to Vilmos Fraknói - spoke in general about the large number of documents of Hungarian relevance.

Afterwards, Antonín Kalous joined the event online for a few minutes, expressing his thanks for the help he had provided and for the presentation of his work at the Rome event.

Finally, Péter Tusor, head of the Fraknói Research Group, in addition to thanking the German Historical Institute (DHI) and its staff for their cooperation, briefly outlined the past and present (HungarianItalian) of the Fraknói Research Group. He pointed out that the Collectanea Vaticana Hungariae series, which was established as a continuation of Vilmos Fraknói's Monumenta Vaticana Hungariae, has now contributed 30 volumes to the publication of the results of the Vatican's exploratory historical research.

The event concluded with a dinner hosted by the Director of the DHI.