Abstract

Besides solving ecclesiastic, political and educational issues, the work of Bishop Ignác Batthyány
in Transylvania (1781 – 1798) also implied involvement in the cultural life of Alba
Carolina bourg. Following time customs, he established a cultural institute that included
a library, a printing house, an observatory and a literary society. This time, we tackle the
literary society, named by the founder: Societas Litteraria Assiduorum. The model for establishing
this society was observed during studies in the Italian Peninsula, where, while he was
in Rome for studies, he was part of an Academia Philaletorum. After becoming bishop of
Transylvania, Ignác Batthyány organized such an academy in Alba Carolina; it was regulated
and had members and research plans. Unfortunately, archive information is not precisely
clear concerning its activities. Hence, the archive holdings of the Batthyaneum Library hold
evidence of Societas Litteraria Assiduorum which, however, cannot be related directly to the
typographical production of the printing house from Cluj-Napoca and Alba Iulia.

Keywords: Academia Philaletorum, Batthyaneum Library, Ignác Batthyány, literary society,
members, plan, Societas Litterar ia Assiduorum