Henry Balog

Henry was born into the Atyfi (Adfi, Othfi) branch of the gens (clan) Balog of German origin, which settled in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 11th century.

According to historian Pál Engel, he erected a stone castle near the namesake estate of his clan, Balog in Gömör County (present-day Veľký Blh, Slovakia) around 1290.

Because his son and nephews joined the allegiance of the powerful oligarch Matthew Csák in the early 14th century, Charles I of Hungary confiscated the castle from them in 1320.

Both nobles were affiliated with the Hungarian prelates (Thomas was the brother of Archbishop John Hont-Pázmány), who were the strong pillars of Andrew's reign.

When Bicskei refused to attend the 1299 national diet, Andrew III sent two envoys, Paul, provost of Kalocsa, and royal councilor Henry Balog to the archiepiscopal court of Esztergom to reconcile with the rebellious archbishop, but Bicskei already escaped to Andrew's domestic enemies by then.