House of Garai

Garai or Garay (Croatian: Gorjanski) were a Hungarian-Croatian noble family, a branch of the Dorozsma (Durusma) clan, with notable members in the 14th and 15th centuries. They were lords of Csesznek.

Name and origin

The name means of Gara / Gorja (modern village of Gorjani near Đakovo in Croatia), their estate. By origin the Garai family was Hungarian, but since they frequently administered the southern regions of the Kingdom of Hungary, the South Slavic rendition of the surname is also used. Their old possessions were in Valkó county.

Notable members of the family

Nicholas I's branch of the family

• Nicholas I Garai (Croatian: Nikola I Gorjanski, Hungarian: Garai Miklós I), the chief governor of Pressburg, was a palatine to the King of Hungary (1375–1385). He was killed in 1386.
  • Nicholas I's first son John Garai (Ivan Gorjanski, Garai János; 1371–1429) was the governor of Temesiensis and Pozsega banates. John's daughter, Dorothy Garai, was Queen of Bosnia as spouse of King Tvrtko II of Bosnia.
  • Nicholas I's second son Nicholas II Garai (Nikola II Gorjanski, Garai Miklós II; 1367–1433) was Palatine to the King of Hungary (1402–1433) ban of Macsó, Usora, Soli, Slavonia, Croatia and Dalmatia, and married to Jelena Lazarević, daughter of Serbian Prince Lazar. In 1396 he fought the Ottomans in the Battle of Nicopolis which was lost due to others' errors. In 1416 Sigismund extended their armorial bearings showing the Order of the Dragon and the Order of the Scarf. He presented the patent to his brother-in-law Garai Miklós. Nicholas II's granddaughter Anna was engaged to Matthias Corvinus.
    • Nicholas II's son, Ladislaus Garai (1410–1459) was a Palatine of the Kingdom of Hungary (1447–1458). Based on an agreement with the Hunyadi family he originally supported Matthias Hunyadi as king. Later when Hunyadi did not keep the bargain the barons of the Garai party opposed Matthias Hunyadi. Nor did he marry Anna.
  • Nicholas I also married his daughters well: Ilona was married to the magnate Nicholas II Szécsi, Elizabeth married Simon Szécsényi and Dorothea married Nicholas Frankopan, ban of Croatia and Dalmatia.

Paul Garai's branch of the family

• Nicholas I's uncle, Paul Garai (Croatian: Pavao Gorjanski, Hungarian: Garai Pál, Serbian: Pavle Gorjanski; 1280–1353), was also a ban of Macsó. His successors to this position were his son-in-law John Alsáni and his grandson Paul Alsáni.
  • Paul's son, Paul Bánfi de Gara (died in 1377/80) was the governor of Zala County.
  • Paul's other son, Stephen Bánfi de Gara (died in 1346/47) was also the governor of Zala.
    • Stephen's son, Paul Bánfi de Gara (died in 1386) was the governor of Zala as well.
      • Paul's son, Dezső Bánfi de Gara (died in 1437/40) was a ban of Macsó.

See also

• Nobility and royalty of the Kingdom of Hungary
• Croatian nobility

External links

• http://garaiak.spaces.msn.com
• http://worldroots.com/brigitte/theroff/balkan.htm
• Map: Lands ruled by Miklos Garai in 1400 AD
• Garai Tombstone 1380-5 Janus Pannonius Museum, Pécs Hungary
• Siklos Church founded 1332 by Garai to honor St. Anne
• 1416 Extension of Garai Armorial Bearings by Sigismund