Biharia

There were found ancient Roman artifacts: Gepid settlement and funeral artifacts (from the 4^th -5^th century), late Avar artifacts (7^th century), graveyard from the time of the Settlement of the Magyars (10^th century), the graveyard of the castle guarding garrison, Hungarian common people's graveyard (10^th -12^th century).

In the Gesta Hungarorum Anonimus indicates the castle of Biharia as the residence of Menumorut. After the Settlement of the Magyars in Hungary , it becomes the centre the Zolta's country. Zolta was the fourth, the youngest son of Árpád . The castle of Biharia was the residence of one of the (according to the historians 44) counties founded by Saint Stephen.

In the 11^th century it is a center of the duchy and the residence of a royal county. In the time Géza the 1 st prince Ladislau is the lord of Biharia. The diocese of Bihor is founded in the center of the duchy. This diocese is ready by the time András I. dies in 1061. We can certainly suppose that the diocese of Bihor (later the diocese of Oradea ) is from the age of Stephen.

Many people presume the diocese of Biharia to be founded by Ladislau I. , even because he was the one who relocated it later to Oradea . It is also true though that in 1111 there are still mentions of the diocese of Biharia, but two years later the authorities speak about the diocese of Oradea .

When the Cumans, in fact only Turkish speaking migrating people, invade Transylvania in 1068 through the pass of Bârgău and in 1091 through the pass of Bran, crossing the Mese şului pass, they burn almost the whole Nyírséget, Zona Ierului and Biharia. Due to all these facts, the castle of Biharia looses its significant role. Between 1091 and 1093 King St. Ladislau builds a round shaped earth castle around the monastery founded by him, and moves the diocese there, too.

The first written mention of Biharia can be dated to 1067 when it is referred to as “Byhoriensis civitas” and in 1075 as “Bichor civitatis”. Between 1093 and 1094 King St. Ladislau donates the castle of Biharia and the custom of the Criş to the diocese Biharia.

In 1177 Villa Reguen (nowadays uninhabited place northwest from Biharia) is mentioned as the territory of the people who protect the castle, which proves that the castle still has an important administrational and economical function in the everyday life of the county.

The castle of Biharia has an important role in the life of the county even in the first part of the 13^th century. It has its role in all the fields of the social and economical life.

In 1349 we may find the village mentioned under the name of Byhor and a charter from the year 1374 mentions even its right to organise fairs. In 1939 it is mentioned under the name of Villa Byhor. In the 15^th century it is the main deanery, in the 16^th century it is registered as vice deanery that beholds 18 parishes.

Nowadays it would be almost impossible to reconstruct the image of the medieval Biharia, but we know from Bunyitay, that it was a settlement with more than one street; the street-names “Szent Miklós”, “Szent János”, “Szent Péter” and “Tót” have been preserved throughout the years.

Biharia has continuously been a toll-collector area and a source from the year 1470 mentions it under the name of “oppidium Byhar”. These data presume the presence of certain clerks and craftsmen: coopers, wheelwrights and blacksmiths.

We do not know precisely the data of the draft from the year 1552, because they were collected by the Turks. Unfortunately, marauding Turkish troops have more and more frequently robbed, raided and burned the villages. The inhabitants had to find refuge in the reeds or in the mountains. Desolated villages, deserted settlements, and ruins of churches overgrown with grass mark the intensity of the destruction. Though the village Biharia managed to survive the Turkish domination.

Biharia had to overcome destructions at the time of the war of independence lead by Rákóczi too. After the war of independence lead by Rákóczi Biharia could develop undisturbed for the next hundred years. The militiamen of Bihor put up a good fight in the war if independence from the years 1848/49 and those left at home help the revolution with donations: grain, hay, boots and shirts for the Hungarian soldiers.

At the beginning of the 20^th century the village Biharia is characterized by booming economical life, which sets up a huge building process and the improvement of the cultural life. There is also enthusiasm and donating spirit to raise monuments and later to set up a memorial tablet in honour of the massacred Kuruc gallants.

Cauaceu

First it appears in the tithe evidence of the bishop of Bihor, but its foundation is presumed about the year 1040. The charters mention Cauaceu already in the year 1291.

It is an archeological finding-place of Hungarian burials from the time of the Settlement of the Magyars (10^th -11^th century). The small village settled immediately near the earth castle has presumably been inhabited by blacksmiths. It is also very likely that these blacksmiths have made all the forged harnesses and quivers decorated with silver inlays found in the military graves from the 10^th century.

The Hungarian Christian community of Cauaceu (without any church) is founded around the year 1030. The inhabitants frequent the “Nagy-templom” (“Big-church”) from the north of the castle and the episcopal church from the castle. The golden age of Cauaceu is, when the Castle of Biharia is considered the second capital of Hungary (between 1048 and 1106).

In 1333 Cauaceu belongs to the diocese of Oradea and it has its own church.

By the middle of the 15^th century there have been founded two farm-like settlements in the neighborhood of Cauaceu. According to some records from the year 1202 Mezőtelek and Dumuslău were custom properties of Biharia, but in the 15^th century the two farms, and presumably Cauaceu too, belonged to the Csáky family.

Due to the Turkish devastation, at the beginning of the 16^th century Cauaceu starts to depopulate. In 1513 it is called plain Cauaceu, that is why it is not mentioned in the census from the year 1552. For a long time, even after the Turkish domination is over, it is called “Puszta” (“plain”).

The reformation started in the year 1517 founds here a devastated and scantly populated catholic community set up by King Stephan. It is Ozorai Imre, the harsh speaking writer and preacher, who brings the doctrines of the reformation to the people living on this region.

By 1733 it is not called Puszta anymore, since between 1730 and 1740 Cauaceu is populated by free men coming from Reghin (Reghin is a little village located between Biharia, Tămăşeu and Niuved ). A fire destroys their village, so the inhabitants have to abandon the ruined homestead. These people coming from Reghin come with their own lifestyle, which they do not give up, even despite the obligations of the landlord. They earn their living from carriage. They transport the wares of the Greek merchants living in Oradea . They manage to stay free people.

In 1773 Cauaceu is taken in draft as being a Hungarian-speaking village. According to the data from the year 1785 count Szilagyi Sámuel, Dobosvay László, Komáromi György and Lévai József are the landlords.

The village booms by the end of the 1700's; the carriage and the effective faring bring to the wanted results. The density of the population is growing and they live free as far as it is possible under the given circumstances. It is interesting though that the characteristic smithery completely disappears by the 19^th century and the inhabitants as well as their lifestyle is adapted to farming. Farming remains the characteristic way of living for the inhabitants even until nowadays.

The golden age of the village is the years from the end of the 1700's until the beginning of the 1900's. After the World War I. the population gradually lessens; many people migrate in the 30's and in the 50's there is a quite significant political persecution. Many people get to the so-called “kulak-list” ( referring to relatively wealthy peasants ); many people, many of them nowadays still alive, are deported to labor champs.

It has been reserved a part of the shares of the landlord, Zathurecky Albert from the year 1900, that confirms the presence and role of this family in the life of this village. The residence of the Zathureczky family, built by for count Szilágyi Sámuel and the bishop, can still be found, unfortunately in a quite forlornly stage though.

The Zathureczky as well as the Ertsey family were church- and village-loving people. The graveyard is located on a land donated by the Ertsey family, and the public well (the so-called “artesian-well”) of the village has been ordered by Zathureczky Albert at the beginning of the 1900's. The well has been used until the beginning of the 1980's, after that it disappears out of neglect (in the past the people from Biharia used to carry water from that well, but nowadays, unfortunately, it is quite the opposite; the inhabitants of Cauaceu carry the water from Biharia).

Cauaceu-Cătun is located on the territory Mezőtelek and Dumuslău where in 1905 takes place a double settle in by people coming from Okány and Békés (people coming from Békés lived on the “Békés street”, and those coming from Okány on the field). The people coming from Békés are reformed; those coming from Okány are baptists.

Until 1919 and between 1940 and 1944 Cauaceu belongs to Hungary .

The above-mentioned Zathureczky estate and lodge, as well as the estate of the Ertsey family mentioned in the parish registers are confiscated because of the secularization. Both families take shelter within the borders of the Hungarian homeland disrupted by Trianon.

The collective farm is founded in 1961 and it breaks up in 1990. Cauaceu-Cătun, the village of those from Okány, is bulldozed by the order of Ceauşescu in 1986 and the inhabitants move to Cauaceu. Since the 1989 revolution and until the year 1995 the majority of the young people move to Oradea ; later, starting from the year 1997, many of them move back to the village.

At the middle of the century Cauaceu is called “the fancy little Cauaceu”, nowadays Biharia is the fancy one, and Cauaceu is austere.

The watchful observer of the village can come to three major statements: the village has always been inhabited since its foundation and until our days; the number of its inhabitants has been much higher than in the other surrounding villages of the same order of magnitude; and that during the centuries the inhabitants have faced all kinds of attempts that threatened their interests and ambitions.