George Brankovics, Ulrich Cillei, Ladislaus Garai

Palatine László Garai
Ulrich Cillei
George Brankovics
George (György) Brankovics

He was born around 1375 and was the son of the Serbian dignitary Tephen Brankovics and nephew of Stephen Lazarevics the Serbian principal. He took over governing from his uncle in 1427. In 1439 - when the Turks occupied Serbia - he escaped to his estates in Hungary, and supported Ladislaus V. In 1444 Serbia was returned to him, and he gave away his estates to John Hunyadi in order to ensure the peace treaty with the Turks. In 1455 the Osmans took over South Serbia, and Michael Szilágyi attacked from the other side, taking Brankovics captive. After he was set free, he died of his wounds on 24 December, 1456. His wife was Irene Kantakuzenos, the daughter of the Byzantine emperor, Manuel. He was followed on the throne by his son, Lazarus, who had ruled jointly with him since 1447.

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Ulrich Cillei

He was born around 1405, son of Frederick (II) Cillei and Elisabeth Frangepán. During his father's lifetime, at his grandfather's death, he became the head of the family. Emperor Sigismund made him and his father permanent heads of the empire in 1436, so the marquis district of Cilli and Ortenburg became a sovereign state. In 1443 he received this privilege from Frederick III on condition that if he died without a male heir, his part of the country would pass into the hands of the Habsburgs. Under the reign of Albert I he became Czech governor, from 1445-1446 ban of Slavonia, after 1452 Ladislaus V's tutor, and upon John Hunyadi's death captain-in-chief of Hungary. Ladislaus Hunyadi had him murdered on 9 November, 1456 at Nándorfehérvár. He was buried in Cilli. After his death his estates were inherited by the Habsburgs, and their territories were attached to Styria, Carinthia and Krajna.

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Ladislaus (László) Garai

He was born around 1410, son of the palatine Nicholaus Garai and Anna Cillei. Besides his other offices he was the ban of Macsó from 1431-1441 and 1445-1447. After 1439 he was one of the main supporters of Ladislaus V, and in September 1447 he was elected palatine. After Ladislaus V's death he was one of the candidates for the throne. On 12 January, 1458 he formed a treaty in Szeged with Michael Szilágyi and Elisabeth, in which he declared that he would support Matthias' pretensions to the throne should Matthias marry his daughter, Anna. But his plan failed, as Matthias was already engaged to Katharin Podjebrád. On 27 July, 1459 the king replaced him in his palatine office. He supported the pretensions of Frederick III to become king, but died in April 1459, before the plot could be enacted. His wife was Alexandra, Princess of Teschen. Upon his death his estates passed to his son, Job. When Job died in 1481, the family became extinct.

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