Mika (I) from the kindred Ják (; died after 1202) was a Hungarian influential lord at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries.Markó 2006, p. 233.
Family Mika (also Mike or Michael) belonged to the gens Ják, he was the first known member of the Jákmonostor branch. He was born around 1150.Rácz 2022, p. 8. He had a son from his unidentified wife: Csépán I, who served as Ban of Slavonia from 1206 to 1207Zsoldos 2011, p. 43. and died without heirs, as his only son Stephen became a monk, giving up his secular life and family name. Mika's younger brother was Ivan (Jovan), who had two sons (Martin I and James) thus the later members of the Jákmonostor branch descended from him.Engel: Genealógia (Genus Ják 1., Jákmonostor branch)
Mika founded the Pornó Abbey, dedicated to Margaret of Antioch, but the monastery itself was finished only by his son Csépán. Mika, who lived in a manor there, erected the monastery on an estate that he probably acquired, i.e. it was not part of the hereditary estates of the clan. The lordship of Pornó, additionally, consisted of four surrounding villages – Monyorókerék, Hétfőhely, Perwolf and Kölked.Rácz 2022, pp. 54–55.
Career He served as Master of the treasury () in 1198,Zsoldos 2011, p. 62. when this dignity was still a non-permanent position without defined and circumscribed jurisdiction, thus the office was only stabilized during the reign of Andrew II of Hungary.Szőcs 2014, p. 48. Mika also held the office of ispán of Bihar County between 1198 and 1199.Zsoldos 2011, p. 138. In 1199, he was appointed Judge royal (), replacing Peter, son of Töre.Zsoldos 2011, p. 27.
When Palatine Mog participated in Duke Andrew's conspiracy, Emeric, King of Hungary dismissed and replaced him with Mika Ják. However the appointment proved to be complicated procedure. According to Emeric's letter to Pope Innocent III, Mika was excommunicated by Elvin, Bishop of Várad because he had formerly captured one of the bishopric's priests, who functioned as a messenger of the King's enemies who supported Duke Andrew. Later Pope Innocent III ordered the Hungarian prelates not to degrade the excommunication as a political weapon, as a result Mika was able to reserve his office,Szőcs 2014, p. 241. who also served as ispán of Bács County (1199–1200),Zsoldos 2011, p. 126. which presumably was the first ex officio ispánate of the Palatine dignity,Szőcs 2014, p. 248. and after that head of Bihar County (1200–1201). According to a non-authentic charter, Mika held the office of Palatine until 1202.Zsoldos 2011, p. 17. As historian Attila Zsoldos proves by comparing with the previous allegations, Palatine Mika was not identical with his namesake, who served as ispán of Bihar County for several times in the 1210–20s.Zsoldos 2011, p. 332.
References
Sources Markó, László (2006). A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig – Életrajzi Lexikon ("The High Officers of the Hungarian State from Saint Stephen to the Present Days – A Biographical Encyclopedia") (2nd edition); Helikon Kiadó Kft., Budapest;
Szőcs, Tibor (2014). A nádori intézmény korai története, 1000–1342 ("An Early History of the Palatinal Institution: 1000–1342"). Subsidia ad historiam medii aevi Hungariae inquirendam Vol. 5., Budapest; Zsoldos, Attila (2011). Magyarország világi archontológiája, 1000–1301 ("Secular Archontology of Hungary, 1000–1301"). História, MTA Történettudományi Intézete. Budapest.