The Andrássy family deriving from Csíkszentkirály and Krasznahorka is one of Hungary's oldest families. According to the family's tradition András,- the legendary fencing champion living in Saint Stephen king's court- is mentioned to be their earliest ancestor. Members of the family have been appearing in the sources regularly since the 13th century. Simon escorted King Endre II. in the crusade to the Holy Land. Zsigmond Andrássy fought on the side of King Lajos the Great in Naples. János Szapolyai presented Márton with Csíkszentkirály in 1569, - from where one of the surname of the family came. Márton's son Péter -springing from the Hungarian Kingdom- received Krasznahorka in 1585.
Mátyás Andrássy marrying Anna Monoky obtained Monok. The family Monoky rose to a significant participant between the nobility of the counties in the 14th century. János Monoky, - a well-to-do land owner built the renaissance style castle of Monok between 1570-1580. After the extinction of the male branch of the Andrássy family in 1643; the female wing of the Andrássys and Thökölys inherited the respectable domain of Monok. Miklós,-the son of Anna Monoky and Mátyás Andrássy – became a baron in 1676 and also worked as a Lord Lieutenant of county Gömör. István, one of his seven sons, built the castle of Betlair, so the Betlair line of the family derives from him. The Monok branch of the family came from the younger brother, György. Members of this large family, István, György, Pál and Miklós served as outstanding generals and commanders in the armies of Ferenc Rákóczi II. , while Péter served the emperor in Vienna. István Andrássy's castle of Krasznahorka and the memories of the freedom fights have been hatched through the times. Miklós Bercsényi,- the chief general of the Kuruts troops, the president of the senate,- camped in Monok for several days in August, 1706. He also reported on this occasion to the Prince in letters.
After the freedom fights György Andrássy was zealous about the economical development of the country. He was the president of the Economic Society and the Upper Hungarian Society of Miners. He wrote interesting articles about vinery, the London whool market and the perfection of mining techniques.
György also founded the double-centre fee-tail in Monok and Krasznahorka-váralja in 1867. In the Betlair -wing of the family the wife of Károly Andrássy founded an estate tail for his son Manó in Parnó, for Gyula in Terebes and for Aladár in Homonna in 1874.
After the death of György Andrássy, his son Dénes became the owner of the lands of Monok, Krasznahorka, Csetnek, Lazony, and Dernő. The fee-tail of Monok included 8654 acres of plough-land and vineyard, 2047 acres of meadow, 3255 acres of grazing ground and 1585 5/8 acres of forest. The whole value of these lands with the king's usufruct was estimated 840 000 'new' forints.
However the father of Dénes Andrássy wanted his son to be a diplomat, he was enthusiastic about fine arts and literature and became one of the noble humanists of his age. His family never accepted his marriage with Franciska Hablawetz,- an actress from Vienna, but the count was happy anyway. They lived a quiet life patronizing art from the income of his possessions, practiced charity and established foundations. The charity he made was estimated for millions of forints. He also supported the functioning of the Scientific Academy with 20.000 crown and was also elected to be a member of the directorate of the Hungarian Scientific Academy in 1906. One of his favourite places to stay was Krasznahorka-váralja where he also built a picture gallery for his famous collection of art and raised a mausoleum for his beloved wife. However Dénes Andrássy cared less about farming, he lead his lands by skilled experts.
With his death of 1913 the male line of descents of the Andrássy family from Monok died out. Count Aladár Széchenyi, --the first born son of Erzsébet Andrássy- the younger sister of Dénes-- inherited the fee-tail of Monok. Count Ferenc Maldeghem,-the son of Dénes's sister, Mary- received the estate of Krasznahorka. The two inheritors also put the separation agreement of the fee-tails of Monok and Krasznahorka-váralja down in writing. Even the library held in Krasznahorka was passed into the hands of Aladár Széchenyi. The new owner of the fee-tail of Monok could take over a farm surpassing its age. Sugar-beet,- being the most important agricultural crop was yielded with under-pipe irrigation plants. Narrow-gauge railway connected the agricultural units and transported the sugar -beet to the sugar works of Szerencs.
Gyula Andrássy worked as a diplomat at the time of the freedom fights. He was forced to emigrate after 1849. He could only return home after he received mercy in 1861. He joined the political life and paved the way for the Hungarian Conciliation with Ferenc Deák. His designetion to Prime Minister meant the birth of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1867. From 1871 he was the common Foreign Minister of the Dual Monarchy and was also considered to be one of the most talented diplomats in Europe. His mausoleum stands in Trebisov (present Slovakia).
His son Gyula also being a Home Secretary became a famous figure of the national public life. After the oppressive political life of the 1849's the change happened in 1860 as the autonomy of the comitats were restored and new Lord Lieutants were appointed. Manó Andrássy became the Lord Lieutant of county Zemplén. The political situation changed as the emperor prohibited every kind of county-assemblies in October 1861. Soon after the whole staff of Zemplén county officers and Manó Andrássy resigned.
The Betliar line of descents of the family Andrássy carried on the name in the 20th century. The family remained a determinant participant of the political, economical and social life of the country. They made journeys studying the new technical improvements, became acquainted with different cultures or simply payed homage to hunting. While having huge forests with stock of game in their game parks- even fallow-deer or moufflon- the Andrássys also hunted on their private lands with pleasure. Huntings in Szádvár were famous across the country while aristocrats of the era from inlands and abroad visited these occasions. The younger generation of the family Andrássy were also separated. The offsprings of Manó tweeted with county Gömör, Betlair, while the descendants of Gyula and Aladár ; Tivadar and Gyula and Sándor spent their childhood and youth and later lived their life on their estates in county Zemplén.
As the Turkish era passed, peaceful decades came in the 18th century, right after the Rákóczi freedom fights. The reformation of the social-economical relations of the feudal Hungary came in the 19th century. Pál Nagy Felsőbüki recommended to establish an academic society to protect the Hungarian language. István Széchenyi offered his one year income to this noble purpose. Many aristocrats followed his precedent, even György Andrássy,- legate of Gömör county, the owner of Monok - offered some money. Founding the Hungarian Science Academy- in which institute he was a director until his death - György gave 10.000 forints. Ferenc Kölcsey considered him one of the greatest supporter of the Hungarian reform movements. In the castle of György Andrássy illustrious members of the parliament met frequently. In a German leaflet he compeled himself to support the reformed ideas in 1833. He travelled to England with István Széchenyi to make preparations for the Chain Bridge to be built. They also reported on this event in Hungarian and German. György also made parts of the bridge in his steelworks of Dernő. At the time of the Budapest flood of 1838 he rescued the ones got in trouble and helped the damged.
The other, Betlair branch of the family became known both nation-wide and internationally in the 19th century. Károly Andrássy was a member of the Hungarian Liberal Opposition Movement and also member of the parliament. In the parliament of 1839/40 he delivered a patriotic speech in the case of Kossuth. He published in the Pesti Hírlap (Newspaper of Pest), became the chairman of the control of the River Tisza and entered the Protection Society. His sons Manó and Gyula became the members of reformed oppositions. In the parliament of 1847/48 Manó participated as the envoy of Torna, while Gyula took part as a legate of county Zemplén. Aladár, the youngest son fought on the side of Bem in the Transylvanian troops in the freedom fights. The domain Monok -divided between the inheritors -got united in the hands of the family Andrássy in the 18th century again. Reconstruction of the 'little castle' can be connected to them in 1730-40.
Not much later István Andrássy started to build a much more comfortable and imposing castle which was completed in 1770. In the basement of its sidewing he built a chapel with a ceiling fresco. The relic of Saint Orbán brought from Rome was kept in this chapel. The rococo wall-paintings of the ceremonial hall upstairs is one of the splendid fine-art masterpieces of the 18th century Hungary. The baroque castle was later rebuilt in classicist style in the 19th century.
Mining of good quality iron ore already begun on the Andrássy-lands of Gömör and Torna in the 18th century. Both charcoal and brown coal was available for smelting and refinement. Both lines of descents of the Andrássys espoused the matter of iron manifacture. Particularly György Andrássy made special efforts in improving metallurgy in the first part of the 19th century. The ironworks of Dernő which he received as a family inheritance,- is in the family's possession from 1758. It was renovated by Mrs István Andrássy in 1817- was rebuilt as a model factory. The iron cross found in front of the roman catholic church of Monok was also made there. On the expo of 1855 his works received a silver medal. Beside the production of fancy and customer goods and crude iron ( he also transported iron for rail wheels to the Ganz factory), he also joined the rail business.
He soon became the president and leading shareholder of the Tiszai Ironways Society.
Likewise his ancestor Károly Andrássy did many things to improve the mining and manufacturing industry. He also published a book on iron factories. On his trip to Belgium of 1845 he studied the iron and engine factories. Manó,-his oldest son- was also known as the „iron count”. The venture he made in 1880 (bought and rented factories ) it became the 5th greatest iron factory of the country as they produced one-third of the whole crude iron production. On six of his furnace works eight blast-furnaces operated. By this time Manó rented the cultivated great modern factory of Dernő from Dénes Andrássy. After the death of Manó, his son Géza sold the Andrássy-Iron-Works to the Rimamurány-Salgótarján Steelworks Corporation.
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