The Loner – Discovering The Dungeon of Cheresig (Lost Lands #170)

I have come across numerous places while developing my itinerary for the lost lands beyond Hungary's borders that led me to ask, "Why have I not heard of this place before?" These places are so unique they captured my interest from the moment I first learned of them. I feel their history is so interesting that they should not remain anonymous. They deserve wider recognition because the stories they tell are of both historical and human interest. Such places will not be found in popular history books familiar to westerners. They will never be part of school curriculums even in the countries where they are found. Students will never be taught anything about them, nor taken to them for a visit. These places are the loners of history. They exist on the fringes of historical consciousness. And yet a lucky few find them. That is what happened to me while planning my travels along the Romania-Hungary border. This is where I came upon the Dungeon of Cheresig (Korosszeg).

A Wave of Terror – The Mongol Invasion

If someone was looking to come up with a name that garners attention for a historic site, they could hardly do better than adding the word dungeon to it. As soon as I discovered the Dungeon of Cheresig within spitting distance of the Romania-Hungary border, I knew the 24-meter-tall brick tower would go on my itinerary for the lost lands. I have never visited a dungeon before, this one will offer me an unprecedented opportunity. Dungeons are never to be taken lightly. The word suggests the kind of cruelty we try never to think of. Dungeons have medieval connotations and a frightening reputation to go along with them. Getting thrown into a dungeon was one of the worst things that could happen to someone in the Middle Ages. They would be subjected to the worst conditions possible. Many people never made it out of dungeons alive.

Traditionally, there was nothing good to be said about dungeons. That was until I learned about the?Dungeon of Cheresig. At first, I had terrifying thoughts going through my mind before curiosity got the better of me. I had to know what had gone on in this dungeon. I also wanted to know how a dungeon ended up in such an improbable setting in Romania. It is located only 10 meters from the border with Hungary. Researching the roots of the Dungeon of Cheresig, transported me back in time to the Middle Ages. The dungeon has its roots in the Mongol invasion of Hungary, a wave of conquest and terror that swept across the kingdom in 1241-42. Estimates are that up to a quarter of Hungary’s population perished at the hands of Mongol hordes. Hungarian soldiers were either killed in battle or slaughtered afterward. Civilians did not fare much better. They were either enslaved, indiscriminately murdered, or succumbed to disease and famine. The Mongols vanished almost as fast as they arrived heading back eastward after completing their mission of destruction.?

Shadows Fall – Malevolence & Murder

What came next would save Hungary from future Mongol incursions. King Bela IV (r. 1235 – 1270) ordered strongholds including hilltop castles and stout fortifications built. These were to be strong enough to withstand any future Mongol assault. This led to the construction of Cheresig Castle ?(Korosszeg Castle) which included the Dungeon of Cheresig (Dungeon of Korosszeg). The castle was part of the chain of fortifications built to guard specific areas in the Kingdom of Hungary. The Borsa Clan, which had acquired large-landed estates in the area through their martial exploits, commissioned the construction of the castle. The exact date of construction is not known but occurred at some point between the Mongol withdrawal in 1242 and the first recorded mention of the castle in 1289. While the fortifications helped defend against Mongol incursions, all was not well in the Kingdom of Hungary. Internal strife pitted Ladislaus IV (Ladislaus the Cuman) against powerful nobles. Ladislaus was a Cuman. These were Turkic nomadic warriors from Central Asia who migrated into Eastern Europe. Large numbers of Cumans had found refuge during the 13th century in Hungary after fleeing the Mongols. As pagans, they obstinately objected to attempts at converting them to Christianity.

A papal envoy was sent to help Ladislaus consolidate his rule over Hungary. In return, Ladislaus agreed to support efforts to convert the Cumans. That did not go well when Ladislaus did an about face and supported the Cumans. For this Ladislaus was excommunicated by the church. The Pope was so infuriated that he floated the idea of a crusade against Ladislaus. There turned out to be an easier way for the church to rid themselves of Ladislaus. ?In 1290, Ladislaus was camped outside the castle. Turncoat Cuman assassins attacked Ladislaus in his tent and murdered him in the shadow of the castle’s walls. His ignominious death was one of the last for a monarch from Hungary’s first dynasty, the Arpads. A decade after Ladislaus was murdered the dynasty had been extinguished. The castle which bore witness to this event burnt down in the 17th century. The only part that survived was the Dungeon of Cheresig, which still stands today.

Medieval Monolith - Secrets of the Past

The Dungeon of Cheresig is a must see. Part of this has to do with its history. I do not know of any other place in the lost lands where a king was assassinated. To stand in the shadows of the dungeon and contemplate the final, fatal moment of Ladislaus is a one-of-a-kind experience. As is appreciating the sublime sight of the dungeon rising above the Romania- Hungary border. Who would have thought this medieval monolith even existed? Certainly not me. The Dungeon of Cheresig has more in common with historical fantasy fiction than the modern world. ?The tower is an outlier, a loner, a survivor. An isolationist standing tall in a geopolitical no man’s land. It lives on as part of Hungary’s history, if no longer part of its territory. The dungeon is a prison that holds within its walls, secrets of the past. And in the shadow of its walls, still lurks the death of a king.?