Beckov vo Vedomostiach Mateja Bela
Beckov in the Notitia of Matthias Bel

Summary/Abstract: The encyclopaedist and polyhistor Matej Bel elaborated in his work Notitia an interesting topographic, ethnographic and historical insight into contemporary life of significant settlements of Hungary in the early 18th century. Such is the case with the castle and the town Beckov processed in the volume describing Trencin County, which issue by press, however, the author did not live a life. The text of Notitia of Trencin County appeared in the original (Latin) version only in 2011. Beckov is in them, despite its importance, processed very shortly. This is due to the lack of material about Beckov, which had Matej Bel available. The conclusion follows from it, that M. Bel never visited Beckov. Therefore he gives attention to secondary informations, like was the legend about the origin Beckov's castle, which, no one knows why, wrongly associated with Matthias Corvinus. Extensively he expands on the most famous nobleman of Beckov's castle, who was Stibor from Stiborice. famous nobleman of Beckov's castle, who was Stibor from Stiborice. He considers Stibor's relation to the villeins on the base of the folk tradition, which compares with the sources. On example of the rapid destruction of neglected Beckov's castle he criticizes carving up of properties by the inheritance laws, as a result of which is failure of properties (castles). In part of description of the town, he pays attention to its localization nearby the river Váh, major buildings, and in particular the way of life of its inhabitants, who are occupied mainly with agriculture. The full translation of Bel's description of Beckov (castle and town) to Slovak we publish in annex of studies.

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