Written by József Paál, heritage conservation engineer
Moving forward in time, we can say that after 1262, the castle came into the possession of King Béla IV from the Benedictine Order, based on the well-known exchange of estates. As a royal gift — because in the memorable Battle of Muhi, the valiant Móricz (Moys) not only distinguished himself with his bravery but also saved the king's life as he fled — he received not only the rank of Palatine but also Szigliget Castle. A fine testament to his deed is the family's "canting" coat of arms, in which a red hand holding a sword, displayed in two fields, commemorates the act of protecting and saving the king.
The Móricz family descended from the Pok (or Poki) clan. The aforementioned Palatine's son married Sabina, the king's daughter. They had two children: the younger Moys, who became Royal Master of the Treasury, and Erzsébet, whose husband was Miklós of Medgyes, Voivode of Transylvania. The Móricz surname can later be traced to a Croatian ban named Móricz (1340). (Nagy Iván: Hungarian Noble Families.) One member of the Transdanubian branch of the family gave his name to the settlement of Móriczhida, where a bridge was built over the Rába river. The family lost ownership of Szigliget Castle under circumstances that are not entirely clear. The last unambiguous record of ownership, pertaining to Móricz Simon, dates from 1348, but the family's ownership rights came to a definitive end in 1424, following an inheritance agreement concluded with the Laczk family. We have no specific data regarding their construction activities, but it is a fact that the treasures and charters of the Pok clan were kept here, attesting to the castle's important role and strength. At the end of the 13th century, the castle was seized by Péter of Németújvár, Bishop of Veszprém, who plundered the clan's treasures and had them taken to Veszprém.
For me, the family tree of the Móricz family — and the research into the construction works undoubtedly carried out at the castle — is a cherished historical memory, but once again the enduring spirit of this place came to the fore. The story did not end there, for through a fortunate coincidence I was able to meet and get to know Ferenc Móricz — a resident of Tapolca — who is a direct descendant of this distinguished historical family. Our connection has continued ever since, and I hope he was pleased to learn that we named the great tower bastion in the upper castle after the Móriczhida family, thus honouring their centuries of castle-building work. The family's coat of arms is of course also displayed in the castle, and their heraldic banner flies proudly in the wind.