Mark of Kalt | |
|---|---|
 Illumination of himself in theChronicon Pictum | |
| Native name | Kálti Márk |
| Born | 14th century |
| Died | 14th century |
| Occupation | Priest,canon,chronicler,historian |
| Language | Latin |
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Subject | History of theHungarians |
| Notable works | Chronicon Pictum |
Mark of Kalt (Hungarian:Kálti Márk,Latin:Marci de Kalt;fl. 1336–1368) was thecanon of theBasilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chronicler of KingLouis I of Hungary, known for his workChronicon Pictum, written in 1358 inLatin, with the last of the illuminations being finished between 1370 and 1373. He likely died while working, because contemporary sources stopped mentioning him.
He was born a member of the lower nobility inVeszprém County. His father was a certain Michael. He had a brother Briccius. According to a 1361 charter, Mark's nephew was clergyman Dominic, who served as the guardian ofGyőr from 1361 to 1382.[1]
He became aFranciscan friar. From 1336 to 1337 he was court priest and chaplain ofElizabeth of Poland, Queen of Hungary. For his service, he was granted the estate Kált in Veszprém County in 1337, which donation was confirmed by a letter of judgment for Mark and his relatives in 1354. From 1342 to 1352, Mark served asparish priest in the Saint Peter church inBuda. In 1352, he was guard in the archives of the royal chapel, andminor canon inSzékesfehérvár. In that year, he applied for abenefice in theDiocese of Veszprém. Between 1353 and 1354 he was provost of Kő. In this capacity, he paid 32 florins to the papal tax collectors.[1]
In 1355, he becamecanon in Székesfehérvár. Mark is first referred to as guardian (custos) of the collegiate chapter of Székesfehérvár in 1358, succeeding Demetrius. His name last appears in the dignity in 1368, another source from the next year declares the position vacant.[2] Mark possessed a house in Székesfehérvár.[1]
Historian András Ribi expressed his doubt that provost Mark of Kalt is identical with guardian Mark, citing several other clerics named Mark from the mid-14th-century period.[1]
While writing theChronicon Pictum, Mark either retired or died suddenly. The last illuminations were finished between 1370 and 1373.[3][4] The 147 pictures of the chronicle are an inexhaustible source of information on medieval Hungarian cultural history, costume and court life, they also represent the most important records extent of Hungarian painting in the 14th century. The artistic value of the miniatures is quite high, and the characters are drawn with detail and with a knowledge of anatomy.[5]
16th-century Renaissance writerJános Baranyai Decsi was the first scholar who considered a chronicler Mark as the author of theIlluminated Chronicle in his workSyntagma issued in 1593. Historian Emil Jakubovich identified this person with Mark of Kalt and outlined his biography in his 1924 study, which was widely accepted by the Hungarian historiography.[1]
