The 390th fortification on my site is the castle and the manor of Márkusfalva (Markušovce, Marksdorf) it is in Slovakia, on the banks of the Hernád River. The village dates back to the beginning of the 12th century as a border guard village in the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Location: https://tinyurl.com/nr3bfd7z
It was mentioned as an ancient estate of the Mariássy family in 1280. On the gentle hillside above the village, near the parish church, rise the walls of the castle of the noble Máriássy family.
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Around 1150, German settlers arrived in the largely uninhabited areas of historic Northern Hungary at the call of King Géza II of Árpád’s dynasty.
️1241-1242: During the Mongol invasion, which devastated the country, the attacking armies of horsemen destroyed the settlements in the region of Szepesség. After 1242, new German settlers invited by King Béla IV started to demolish the ruins and build new houses in the destroyed settlement.
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In 1284, Márkus’ son Miklós, the ancestor of the Máriássy family, one of the few baronial families among the Saxon settlers, had a castle built on the territory of the village of Márkusfalva, which he had founded, with royal permission. The small fortress, which stood in a militarily disadvantaged location, is one of the few castles to have been owned by a single family throughout its history.
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The medieval castle was returned to the Máriássy family in 1992. The change in the castle’s condition came after the turn of the millennium. The owner, Baron Máriássy Péter, spared no effort and started restoring the castle, which is still being restored today. According to signs on the site, the Hungarian State is also participating in the work through the Teleki Foundation.
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You can read more about Márkusfalva on my page and find more pictures as well:
https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/markusfalva/
