the Perényi family

This family was one of the first supporters of Hungarian Erasmism: Benedek Komjáti compiled the Erasmist translation of Saint Paul's letter to the order of Mrs Gábor Perényi (Katalin Frangepán). This was the first Printed Hungarian book. Péter Perényi (1502-1548), the ispán [bailiff] of Temes and Transylvanian voivode, wrote poems himself. In his estates in Baranya and Northern Hungary Protestantism spread very quickly, and in his courts in Sárospatak and Siklós he invited the great figures of the early Reformation, Mihály Sztárai and Mátyás Dévai Bíró. His son, Gábor Perényi (1532-1567) stuck to the Lutheran faith and did not let the Helvatian Calvinists work in Sárospatak. The town became Calvinist only after his death. He founded the Protestant school of Sárospatak, from which the famous Calvinist college developed.

ÁP-SzJú