Brief Summaries of Family Podmaniczky (Baron von Podmanin and Aszod)

Podmanin represents the “place of origin” of the family. It is situated on the left bank of the Vag River. Near Vag-Besztercze at the foot of Manin Mountain, the ancient fortress of Podmanin stood on the right bank rising out of the rocks. This “Eagles Nest” was the source of power struggles, but Podmanin was the ancient home of the Family. 

One of the oldest of the Trencsen County (today 1991 in Slovakia on the Vagh River), the  ancestry in the 14th century belonged to the guards of the Castle of Vag-Besztercze, already a noble. Their name derived from the Village of Podmanin located in the vicinity of the Castle. In 1438 the Castle was given by King Antal to Antol Podmaniczky with all the surrounding lands. This ownership was once more confirmed by King Ulasslo I. 1458. Again in 1471 by King Matyas.

Istvan Podmaniczky was Bishop of Nyitra in 1505

Rafael Podmaniczky died in 1558 at the age of 46 and was buried in the Roman Catholic Church in Vag-Besztercze. In the grave of Rafael a silver club was discovered from which a chalice was made. This was (in 1901) still in possession of the church. The chalice has the following inscription:    “ARCUM   SZUCSA   SOLIS   AEQUARI   CURAVIT FERDINANDUS L 1528.

The marble monument of Rafael Podmaniczky in Vag-Besztercze is of interest because it has an inscription all around in Slovak language. The monument is on the right side wall of the Roman Catholic Church not far from the “Galerie”. It depicts a very tall man in full armor. The facial features are clearly chiseled in the stone.

After the childless demise of Rafael Podmaniczky, the properties reverted to the Royal Properties. So, for the time being the Podmaniczkys disappeared from history. It is assumed that they came to hard times. 

 In the middle of the 17th Century (in 1654) in the town of Korpona, Gabor Podmaniczky was a judge. The   well-known  family  member  and  historian,  Frigyes Podmaniczky, reports that a new blow to the family occurred. The Family Archives in the Church of Korpona were destroyed by a fire.  All family documents were destroyed. Gabor had three sons: Gabor, Andreas and Mihaly. In 1669 Mihaly was studying at the Lutheran University in Budapest, His name appears on a student theater production. At the end of his studies, he returned home and wed Dorottya Wester. They had one son, Janos I. He had eight children by his wife, Judith Osztroluczky: Judith, Janos II, Laszlo, Sandor I., Istvan, Zsuzsanna, Anna Maria and Erzsebet.

Through the two brothers, Janos II. and Sandor I., the Family once more came in the ascendancy. The properties in Aszod came into the family by marriage to Judith Osztroluczky.We bypass the Older Line of Janos II branch, as the present generations (1991) are all descended of Sandor I., referred to as the “Younger Branch.”

Sandor I. married 1752 Barones Jeszenak in Pozsony (now Bratislava). They had 12 children of which in 1782, nine were alive. Sandor II. born 1758 and died 1830 in Aszod. First marriage to Countess Wartensleben. They had a boy Layos, and a girl Zsuzsanna. Layos had four children; two boys; two girls. The youngest girl, Roza, married Janos Konig. Janos Konig and his wife Roza Podmaniczky had three children. A son died early. The daughters Ilona and Zsofi were adopted by their Grandfather Layos, after their mother died in 1865. They lived summers in Aszod and in winter in Budapest on the Fortress Hill of Buda in their house on Tarnok Utza (his house #4, still stands in 1991). There being no male issue from the Layos family, Karoly born 1833 took over the Line. He was a Hungarian “Magnate," a member of the Upper House. He died in 1833 (?).

Karoly's  first marriage terminated with childbirth. His second marriage was to Eliza Nosticz Jankendorf, daughter of a Saxon Minister. They had seven children. Some died in their youth. The remaining children: Julia, Eliza, Frigyes, Armin (our great-grandfather) and Maria. Baron Karoly was a well-educated and beloved man.

For next generation information, see "Families" section.

Below is a drawing of the Schloss in Aszod that the younger brother, 
Sandor I. occupied. Their father Janos I. built the family church on the hill 
behind where members of the Podmaniczky family are interred in a mausoleum.

On the right is the gate to the wing of the Schloss built by Armin.