Judge royal
The judge royal, also justiciar, chief justice or Lord Chief Justice, was the second-highest judge, preceded only by the palatine, in the Kingdom of Hungary between around 1127 and 1884. After 1884, the judge royal was only a symbolic function, but it was only in 1918 — with the end of Habsburgs in the Kingdom of Hungary — that the function ceased officially.
There remain significant problems in the translation of the title of this officer. In Latin, the title translates as 'Judge of the Royal Court', which lacks specificity. In Hungarian, he is 'Judge of the Country', with 'country' in this sense meaning 'political community', being thus broadly analogous to the German 'Land'. English has no obvious translation for Landesrichter, which is the direct German translation of országbíró.
List of office-holders
Twelfth century
Thirteenth century
| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1201 | Achilles | Emeric | also ispán of Keve County | |
| 1202–1204 | Julius Kán | Emeric | first rule; also ispán of Csanád County, and ispán of Nyitra County | |
| 1205–1206 | Smaragd | Andrew II | also ispán of Szolnok County | |
| 1207 | Marcellus Tétény | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Csanád County | |
| 1208–1210 | Nicholas | Andrew II | also ispán of Pozsony County, and ispán of Keve County | |
| 1211–1212 | Marcellus Tétény | Andrew II | second rule; also ispán of Keve County | |
| 1212–1213 | Julius Kán | Andrew II | second rule; also ispán of Bács County | |
| 1214 | Marcellus Tétény | Andrew II | third rule; also ispán of Csanád County | |
| 1214 | Martin Hont-Pázmány | Andrew II | also ispán of Csanád County | |
| 1215–1217 | Atyusz Atyusz | Andrew II | according to a non-authentic charter also in 1218; also ispán of Bács County | |
| 1219–1221 | Julius I Rátót | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Keve County | |
| 1221–1222 | Bánk Bár-Kalán | Andrew II | also ispán of Fejér County, and ispán of Bodrog County | |
| 1222 | Pousa Bár-Kalán | Andrew II | ||
| 1222 | Lawrence Atyusz | Andrew II | also ispán of Nyitra County | |
| 1222 | Solomon Atyusz | Andrew II | also ispán of Moson County | |
| 1222–1224 | Batiz Negol | Andrew II | also ispán of Békés County | |
| 1224–1230 | Ladislaus I Kán | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Békés County, ispán of Nyitra County, and ispán of Bács County | |
| 1231–1232 | Benedict, son of Samud | Andrew II | ||
| 1232–1234 | Demetrius Csák | Andrew II | first rule; also ispán of Bács County | |
| 1234–1235 | Ladislaus I Kán | Andrew II | second rule; also ispán of Bács County | |
| 1235–1239 | Julius I Rátót | Béla IV | second rule; also ispán of Csanád County, and ispán of Keve County | |
| 1239–1241 | Andrew, son of Serafin | Béla IV | also ispán of Pozsony County ; killed in the Battle of Mohi | |
| 1241 | Paul Geregye | Béla IV | first rule; also ispán of Fejér County | |
| 1242 | Ladislaus I Kán | Béla IV | third rule | |
| 1242–1244 | Demetrius Csák | Béla IV | second rule; also ispán of Moson County | |
| 1244 | Mojs | Béla IV | only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal | |
| 1245–1246 | Stephen I Gutkeled | Béla IV | also ispán of Nyitra County | |
| 1246 | Demetrius Csák | Béla IV | only a non-authentic charter refers to him as judge royal, if so, he was also ispán of Bodrog County in the same period | |
| 1247 | Ladislaus I Kán | Béla IV | fourth rule | |
| 1247 | Roland Rátót | Béla IV | first rule | |
| 1248–1254 | Paul Geregye | Béla IV | second rule; also ispán of Zala County | |
| 1254–1260 | Henry Kőszegi | Béla IV | also ispán of Somogy County | |
| 1262–1265 | Lawrence, son of Kemény | Béla IV | also ispán of Zala County, and ispán of Moson County | |
| 1267–1269 | Ernye Ákos | Béla IV | first rule; possibly held office until 1270 based on information relating to his deputy; also ispán of Vas County | |
| 1270–1272 | Nicholas Monoszló | Stephen V | also ispán of Somogy County | |
| 1272 | Denis Péc | Ladislaus IV | first rule; also ispán of Varaždin County | |
| 1272–1273 | Alexander Karászi | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Orbász County | |
| 1273 | Ladislaus II Kán | Ladislaus IV | first rule; also ispán of Baranya, Szeben Counties and Bánya ispánate | |
| 1273 | Matthew II Csák | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bánya ispánate | |
| 1273 | Ladislaus II Kán | Ladislaus IV | second rule | |
| 1273–1274 | Nicholas Gutkeled | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bánya ispánate | |
| 1274 | Ernye Ákos | Ladislaus IV | second rule; also ispán of Szatmár County | |
| 1275 | Denis Péc | Ladislaus IV | second rule; also ispán of Zala County | |
| 1275 | Thomas Hont-Pázmány | Ladislaus IV | first rule; also ispán of Pozsony County and Sempte ispánate | |
| 1275 | Nicholas Geregye | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bánya ispánate | |
| 1275–1276 | Ugrin Csák | Ladislaus IV | ||
| 1276 | Mojs, son of Mojs | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Somogy County | |
| 1276 | Maurice | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Vas County | |
| 1276 | James Bána | Ladislaus IV | ||
| 1277 | Denis Péc | Ladislaus IV | third rule | |
| 1277 | Roland Rátót | Ladislaus IV | second rule | |
| 1278 | Julius II Rátót | Ladislaus IV | ||
| 1278–1279 | Stephen II Gutkeled | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Moson County | |
| 1280 | Peter Aba | Ladislaus IV | ||
| 1280–1281 | John | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Bars County | |
| 1283 | Rubinus Hermán | Ladislaus IV | ||
| 1283–1285 | Amadeus Aba | Ladislaus IV | first rule | |
| 1285 | Demetrius Balassa | Ladislaus IV | also ispán of Zólyom County | |
| 1288 | Gregory Péc | Ladislaus IV | ||
| b. 1289 | Ivánka Hont-Pázmány | Ladislaus IV | mentioned as "quondam iudex curie domini regis" in 1300; made a will and testament in 1289 | |
| 1289 | Amadeus Aba | Ladislaus IV | second rule | |
| 1290 | Andrew | Ladislaus IV | only non-authentic charters refer to him as judge royal, if so, he was also ispán of Nyitra County in the same period | |
| 1291–1293 | Thomas Hont-Pázmány | Andrew III | second rule | |
| 1293–1297 | Apor Péc | Andrew III | ||
| 1298–1300 | Stephen Ákos | Andrew III |
Fourteenth century
Fifteenth century
| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1409–1414 | Simon Rozgonyi | Sigismund | ||
| 1415–1423 | Peter Perényi | Sigismund | also ispán of Ung, Zemplén Counties, and ispán of Szatmár and Ugocsa Counties | |
| 1423–1425 | Stephen Kompolti | Sigismund | ||
| 1425–1435 | Matthew Pálóci | Sigismund | also ispán of Szabolcs, Ung and Bereg Counties, and ispán of Borsod and Heves Counties, and ispán of Abaúj County | |
| 1435–1440 | Stephen III Báthory | Sigismund, Albert | ||
| 1440 | John Kórógyi | Ladislaus V | appointed by Queen Regnant Elizabeth, later the Estates considered his term as illegitimate | |
| 1441–1446 | George Rozgonyi | Vladislaus I, Ladislaus V | also ispán of Pozsony, Abaúj and Zemplén Counties, and ispán of Szepes County | |
| 1446–1470 | Ladislaus Pálóci | Ladislaus V, Matthias I | elected by the Diet; also castellan of Buda | |
| 1470–1471 | John Rozgonyi | Matthias I | dismissed after participation in John Vitéz's conspiracy against Matthias | |
| 1471–1493 | Stephen V Báthory | Matthias I, Vladislaus II | also Voivode of Transylvania following the victorious Battle of Breadfield | |
| 1494 | Paul Kinizsi | Vladislaus II | also ispán of Temes County, and captain-general of the united southern frontier | |
| 1494–1500 | Peter Geréb | Vladislaus II |
Sixteenth century
Seventeenth century
| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1606–1608 | Sigismund Forgách | Rudolph | first rule; also ispán of Nógrád County | |
| 1608–1609 | Valentine Drugeth | Matthias II | also ispán of Zemplén County, and ispán of Máramaros County ; allegedly poisoned | |
| 1610–1618 | Sigismund Forgách | Matthias II | second rule; also ispán of Nógrád County, ispán of Szabolcs County, and ispán of Sáros County ; Captain of Upper Hungary | |
| 1618–1620 | George Drugeth | Matthias II, Ferdinand II | also ispán of Ung County, and ispán of Zemplén County ; died in exile in Poland | |
| 1622–1625 | Nicholas Esterházy | Ferdinand II | also ispán of Bereg County, and ispán of Zólyom County, also Captain of Lower Hungary | |
| 1625–1631 | Melchior Alaghy | Ferdinand II | also ispán of Zemplén County, and Captain of Upper Hungary | |
| 1631–1636 | Paul Rákóczi | Ferdinand II | also ispán of Sáros and Torna Counties | |
| 1636–1645 | John Drugeth | Ferdinand II, Ferdinand III | also ispán of Ung County, ispán of Zemplén County, and Captain of Upper Hungary | |
| 1646–1649 | Paul Pálffy | Ferdinand III | also ispán of Pozsony County, and member of the Royal Privy Council | |
| 1649–1654 | Ladislaus Csáky | Ferdinand III | also ispán of Zólyom County, and ispán of Komárom County | |
| 1655–1670 | Francis Nádasdy | Ferdinand III, Leopold I | also Royal Governor of Hungary, ispán of Vas County, ispán of Zala County, and ispán of Somogy County ; executed for treason after the failed Magnate conspiracy | |
| 1670–1681 | Adam Forgách | Leopold I | also ispán of Nógrád County, and ispán of Borsod and Csongrád Counties, Master of the treasury, member of the Gubernium | |
| 1681–1687 | Nicholas Draskovich | Leopold I | died during the Diet of 1687 | |
| 1687–1699 | Stephen Csáky | Leopold I | also perpetual count of Szepes County, Captain of Upper Hungary | |
| 1700–1703 | Adam Batthyány | Leopold I | also Ban of Croatia, Captain of Transdanubia, and Captain of Kanizsa |
Eighteenth century
| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1704–1712 | George Erdődy | Leopold I, Joseph I, Charles III | also ispán of Varaždin County | |
| 1713–1714 | Nicholas I Pálffy | Charles III | also perpetual count of Pozsony County, and Crown Guard | |
| 1714–1731 | Stephen Koháry | Charles III | famous poet; also perpetual count of Hont County ; founded a Piarist elementary school in Kecskemét | |
| 1731–1741 | John Pálffy | Charles III, Maria Theresa | also perpetual count of Pozsony County | |
| 1741–1748 | Joseph Esterházy | Maria Theresa | also ispán of Komárom County | |
| 1748–1759 | George Leopold Erdődy | Maria Theresa | also ispán of Árva County, ispán of Bars County, and ispán of Varaždin County ; Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece | |
| 1759–1765 | Joseph Illésházy | Maria Theresa | also perpetual count of Liptó and Trencsén Counties | |
| 1765–1773 | Nicholas II Pálffy | Maria Theresa | also perpetual count of Pozsony County | |
| 1773–1783 | George Fekete | Maria Theresa, Joseph II | also ispán of Arad and Zaránd Counties | |
| 1783–1786 | John Csáky | Joseph II | also ispán of Szepes County | |
| 1786–1787 | Christopher Niczky | Joseph II | also ispán of Temes County | |
| 1788–1795 | Charles Zichy | Joseph II, Leopold II, Francis | also President of the Vice-regency Council ; Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece | |
| 1795–1802 | Peter Végh | Francis | also ispán of Baranya County |
Nineteenth century
Twentieth century
| Term | Incumbent | Monarch | Notes | Source |
| 1917–1918 | Aurel Dessewffy | Charles IV | last judge royal of the Kingdom of Hungary |