The Bethlen Castle in Criş (Mureş County): overview of the archaeological excavations and a short revisited early history of the estate
The Bethlen Castle in Criş (Mureş County): overview of the archaeological excavations and a short revisited early history of the estate

Summary/Abstract: The present article discusses the early history and evolution of the Bethlen castle in Criş and the constructions undertaken by the members of the Bethlen family, based on the preserved written sources and the results of the archaeological investigations. The literature connects the very first constructions in Criş to Mark Bethlen; however, the written sources and the excavations indicate the existence of a much earlier settlement, dated approximately to the 12th and 13th centuries, about which little is known. Written documents mentioned an already existing manor house in 1435, and in 1482 the sons of Mark Bethlen divided their father’s house between themselves. Based on the written sources, in the beginning of the 16th century there already existed three manor houses in Criş, one that belonged to Gregory Bethlen, another to Bernard Bethlen, and a third (built from wood) to Nicholas Bethlen. For now, the re-evaluation of the results of the older and newer excavation results is crucial in understanding the early constructions, which are hard to identify in the archaeological record since the site of the castle had been continuously used through the ages.

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