Thomas Telegdi was born into the ancient Hungarian gens (clan) Csanád in the early 14th century, as one of the two sons of Pancras; his only brother was Clement (fl.

[2] Under the patronage of his uncle, Thomas studied in an Italian universitas, obtaining the degree of decretorum doctor, which indicated his competence in science and canon law.

With that step, the archbishop caused controversy, because he increased the strictly hierarchical staff (38 members) of the collegiate chapter with one person, for the sake of his nephew.

[4] In that capacity, he represented the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota in legal procedure in the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary, as he never resided in Rome.

For instance, when Pope Clement handed over the tenth of church income in Hungary to Louis for four years in 1352, Telegdi was entrusted to implement the provision.

[5] Finally, yet, Pope Innocent reached his goal, as he translated Telegdi from the bishopric of Csanád to the see of Kalocsa without any conflict on 25 August 1358.

[5] In the next year, the pope entrusted Telegdi to chair that judicial body, which investigated and ruled the numerous lawsuits relating the estates of the cathedral chapter of Transylvania.

[11] As a customary law after election of a new archbishop, Louis I confirmed the landholdings and other income of the Archdiocese of Esztergom in 1369, upon the request of Telegdi.

He functioned as an ad litem judge in several lawsuits in the upcoming years; for instance, he acted as an appeal court during a trial between the burghers of Győr and the cathedral chapter of Esztergom.

Archbishop Telegdi died sometime in the second half of 1375; his successor John de Surdis was transferred from Győr to Esztergom by Pope Gregory XI on 23 January 1376.