HISTORY OF BOJNICE CASTLE
From 1637, Bojnice Castle was administered by Paul Pálffy, who finally acquired it as his hereditary property in 1645. This was the beginning of perhaps the most important stage in the construction history of the castle. The fate of Bojnice Castle is connected with the Pálffy family until the beginning of the 20th century.
Early Modern Period – the Pálffy family (half of the 17th century–20th century)
The Pálffy family was one of the most important noble families in the Kingdom of Hungary in the modern period. Initially, however, they were a small-landed noble family, related to the Bakócz family, from whom they took their coat of arms with a stag and a half-wheel. The hereditary title of count for his family was given to the prominent military commander and anti-Ottoman warrior Nicolas II Pálffy in 1599. His younger son Paul IV Pálffy became the first Pálffy holder of Bojnice Castle. Paul was one of the most important representatives of the family – in 1649 he was elected Palatine. He acquired the hereditary ownership of Bojnice Castle definitively in 1645.
Paul Pálffy was the initiator of the Baroque conversion of the castle. In the difficult period of the Ottoman raids, he prudently had the town of Bojnice surrounded by a stone wall. The wall was employed more during the Estates’ uprisings than against the Ottomans.
After Paul's death, the administration of the property was taken over by the widow Frances, née Kühn (Khuen von Belassy). She strongly promoted the recatholization of Upper Nitra – it was thanks to her that the Piarist Order opened a school in Prievidza. Thanks to her efforts, a Baroque chapel was completed at the castle, which was built by rebuilding the original cannon bastion.
Paul IV Pálffy and Frances Kühn were also the initiators of the rebuilding and development of the Bojnice spa, which thanks to them acquired an unprecedented level.
In the second half of the 17th century, the area of Upper Nitra continued to be plagued by Estates’ uprisings, battles between the imperial army and the Kurutz and their rampages, robber bands and also the Ottomans. The Kurutz – anti-Habsburg rebels – invaded Upper Nitra several times. In support of the massive Ottoman campaign in 1683, they also occupied Bojnice Castle. However, they did not control it for long. On the thirteenth of September 1683 the Ottomans were decisively defeated near Vienna. The subsequent counter-attack of the imperial army also dealt a blow to the Kurutz rebels.
Another siege of Bojnice Castle took place a few years later, in 1704, this time by the rebel troops of Francis II Rákóczi. They besieged it for eight months, but after the arrival of further Kurutz reinforcements, the exhausted castle garrison finally surrendered. In 1708, the castle was retaken by the imperial troops led by John V Pálffy. John V Pálffy was an experienced soldier and strategist, he became famous as one of the best Hungarian military commanders of the early 18th century. He contributed significantly to the defeat of the Rákóczi rebellion and the conclusion of the Treaty of Satu Mare with the rebels in 1711. Thanks to his achievements, he rose to important political positions. After Maria Theresa's accession to the throne, he held the top post of palatine from 1741.
The town of Bojnice with the castle on the 1st military map of the Habsburg Monarchy (1763-1790)
The son of John V was Charles II, during whose administration there were disputes between the Bojnice manor and the town of Prievidza, which led to the revolt of the women of Prievidza in 1771. Prievidza enjoyed the rights of a royal town since the 2nd half of the 14th century. The townspeople were thus able to avoid serf labour and tribute. All this in return for an annual fee, which the town was unable to pay back to the then owner in the difficult period of the 17th century.
The Pálffy family cunningly tried to have the town privileges declared null and void. When on this basis the manorial officials wanted to take over the town's property – the brewery, the mill, the distillery and wine tap, the profits from fairs and markets, etc., they were prevented from doing so by the 'revolt of the women of Prievidza'. The townswomen beat the representatives of the estate with sticks and even temporarily imprisoned some of them. The rebellion lasted six months and was only suppressed by the regular army. The rebels were subsequently captured and sentenced by the county court to 30 to 60 lashes. Some of the rebels and the men who supported them were imprisoned in cells in Bojnice Castle. We assume that this is the area of today's cellar under the Column Hall.
Imrich Vysočan: Revolt of the women of Prievidza
Pálffy´s baroque appearance of Bojnice Castle on historical drawings from the 19th century.
