Before the first phase of
the Great Swabian Migration took place (1723-1727) the Hungarian Estates meeting
at the Landtag (parliament) in Pressburg from 1722-1723, passed a series of
Statutory Articles to promote trade and industry and above all the re-population
of the Kingdom of Hungary with colonists from the Holy Roman Empire. Article
103 of 1723 can be looked upon as the basic constitutional law that lies behind
the Danube Swabian colonization operation that follow.
The Emperor was thereby called upon to undertake the
re-settlement of his Hungarian Kingdom with the assumption that it would be done
with settlers from his extensive far flung Empire. In response, Charles VI
wrote to the various German princes on three occasions and requested that they
co-operate "right neighbourly" and "like a kind uncle" in a generous handling of
the emigration proposal he offered to their subjects. The newly established "Neoaquistica
Commissio" (New Acquired Territories Commission) in Vienna was charged with
carrying out the colonization programme.
At this point in time, the first and earliest phase of the
Danube Swabian colonization effort was overwhelmingly focussed on the private
estates and domains of the nobles in Hungary and had a rather random and
sporadic character. In contrast, the next major colonization efforts were State
sponsored and organized. During the First Great Swabian Migration under Charles
VI, about 10,000 to 15,000 persons were brought to Hungary. The Second under
Empress Maria Theresia numbered 45,000 persons (between 1763-1768 there were
25,000 and between 1769-1773 another 20,000). In the Third, under the direction
of Joseph II, he settled another 40,000 emigrants between 1782-1787. During the
reign of Francis I another 7,000 colonists came to Hungary. It is estimated
that during the 18th century around 115,000 emigrants left south-western
Germany, of which 100,000 went to Hungary and the remainder went to Galicia.
Next:
Claudius Florimundus Count Mercy and the
Hӧgyész Domains
