Bishop Tomaž Hren's Economic Dealings with Subjects of the Seigneury of Gornji Grad/Oberburg

Abstract

The article examines the dealings of the Bishop of Ljubljana Tomaž Hren (1597/99–1630) with the subjects of the Seigneury of Gornji Grad/Oberburg at the beginning of the 17th century. It primarily examines the intertwining of Hren’s role of a bishop with his function of the landlord.
The extensive archival material, kept in three archives, two in Slovenia and one in Austria, has been analysed, including judicial records of the Seigneury of Gornji Grad, Hren's calendars and two registers regarding his subjects, as well as the rent-roll of the Gornji Grad Seigneury from the early 17th century.
The research findings show Hren’s strong involvement in the management and control of the seigneury, as well as the extensivity of his personal dealings with the Gornji Grad subjects in various legal and economic contexts. The topics addressed include Hren's exercise of patrimonial jurisdiction, his efforts to gain better insight into the economic situation of his subjects’ farms, his confrontation with the peasant revolt in the years 1602–1607, his dealing with feudal dues and property issues.