The castle was first mentioned in relation to the Hungarian-Czech wars in documents of Ladislaus IV of Hungary.

In 1273, one of the battles against the Czech king Ottokar II of Bohemia took place right below the Plavecký castle.

Subsequently, the family considered moving out their activities of the kingdom of Hungary due to the political situation and the increasing threat of the Ottoman Empire.

Melichar Balassa settled the debt of the Fuggers to the Salms and gained control over the Plavec castle estate.

Pál Pálffy then had a renaissance manor built in Plavecké Podhradie (Hungarian: Detrekőváralja), the village under the castle.