Chapter I: Preface

In complying with the request of the publishers of the _Nations_ Series to write the Story of Hungary, I undertook a task which was out of the range of my previous literary undertakings, which had for the most part been devoted to the geography, history, and philology of Central Asia. The principal reason which induced me to enter upon what is for me a new literary field, was my desire to make American and English readers acquainted with the record of my native country, and to present the various phases of the history of Hungary in the light best suited to attract the attention of the citizens of England and of the Great Republic, to whose opinion we Hungarians are by no means indifferent.

My willingness to prepare the present volume was further due to the fact, that it was not the _History_, but the _Story_ of Hungary, I was asked to write; an undertaking in which I had simply to deal with the salient events, the most noteworthy personalities, and the most thrilling episodes in a narrative which covered nearly a thousand years, and was not called upon to consider the philosophical side of the history, or to discuss the deeper-lying motives or the less significant details of national action.

For a task such as that presented to me, I concluded that the knowledge and the ideas of a Hungarian man of letters were not inadequate; I have, nevertheless, had recourse, in certain instances, to the assistance of writers who had given special attention to our national history, with the idea of making as accurate as possible this _the first Story of Hungary written in English_.

The distance between Buda-Pesth and New York rendered it impossible for me to give my personal attention to the proofs while the volume was being put into type. The proof-reading was therefore entrusted to the care of Mr. Louis Heilprin, a gentleman who is evidently thoroughly familiar with the subject, and to whom I desire to express my obligations not only for the care he has taken with the proof-reading, but also for his attention in securing in my English text the most accurate and most effective forms of expression.

I take this opportunity of expressing, also, my thanks for the kind coöperation of my countrymen, Messrs. Sebestyén, Csánki, Acsády, and Vargha.

A. V.

BUDA-PESTH, _August, 1886_.

CONTENTS.

I.
PAGE

THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE OF HUNGARY, 1-17

A bird’s-eye view, 1—Carpathian mountains, 5—Water system,
7—Climate, 9—Various nationalities, 13—Constitution, 16.

II.

HUNGARY BEFORE THE OCCUPATION BY THE MAGYARS 18-26

Prehistoric times, 18—Pannonia and Dacia, 20—The Marcomanni,
21—Huns, 23—Gepidæ, 24—Baján, prince of the Avars, 25.

III

THE ORIGIN OF THE HUNGARIANS 27-41

Nimrod and his descendants, 27—Two kindred races, 29—Cradle
of the Magyar race, 32—Country between the Volga and Danube,
33—The seven dukes, 36—Invasion of Hungary, 37—Defeat of
Svatopluk, 39.

IV.

THE REIGN OF THE DUKES 42-52

Árpád the first duke, 42—Defeat of King Berengar, 44—Battle
of Presburg, 45—Battle of Merseburg, 47—_Melancholy Magyars_,
49—Duke Geyza, 51.

V.

THE CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY 53-64

Shamanism, 53—Missionaries, 55—Baptism of Stephen,
58—Discontent, 59—Rigorous laws, 61—Changes in manners and
customs, 63.

VI.

ST. STEPHEN, THE FIRST KING OF HUNGARY 65-96

St. Stephen’s Day, 66—Influence of religious ideas, 69—Character
of Stephen, 71—Embassy to Rome, 74—St. Stephen’s crown, 75—Papal
bull, 77—Christian church the corner-stone, 79—Cathedral of
Stuhlweissenburg, 81—Increase of royal authority, 83—Revenues,
85—Prosperity of the country, 87—Attack of Conrad, 89—Stephen’s
advice to his son, 91—Stephen canonized, 96.

VII.

THE KINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ÁRPÁD 97-150

Wealth of the Árpáds, 98—Charter of the Golden Bull, 99—Vatha,
102—Envoys of Henry III., 103—The brothers’ feud, 105—Power
of paganism broken, 107—Battle of Mogyoród, 109—Increase of
population, 111—Religious movement in Europe, 114—The “bookish”
king, 115—Struggle between uncle and nephew, 117—Béla’s oath,
119—Royal chancery, 121—Battle on the Drave, 124—Andrew II.,
125—Complaints of the nobles, 127—Golden Bull, 129—Mongol
invasion, 132—Plain of Theiss, 135—Battle of Muhi, 139—Béla’s
flight, 141—Colonization, 142—Frederic, Duke of Austria,
144—Alliance of houses of Hapsburg and Árpád, 145—Ladislaus IV.,
147—The sun of the Árpáds sets, 150.

VIII.

THE ANJOUS IN HUNGARY 151-193

The Czech party victorious, 152—Otto’s march through Buda,
153—Charles Robert of Anjou crowned, 154—Czech depredations,
155—Battle of Kassa, 157—Zách family condemned, 160—Wallachian
campaign, 161—Louis the Great, 164—Assassination of Andrew,
165—The Pope’s sentence, 167—Successes in Servia, 169—Europe
threatened by a new foe, 171—Cultivation of the arts of peace,
174—End of union between Poland and Hungary, 175—Coronation of
Charles, 177—Sigismund, ruler of Hungary, 179—Execution of Kont,
181—Approach of Bajazet, 183—Election of new king, 185—King of
Hungary becomes Emperor of Germany, 187—Church of Rome, 189—Siege
of Galambócz, 191—Death of Sigismund, 193.

IX.

JOHN HUNYADI; THE GREAT CHAMPION OF CHRISTIANITY 194-216

Every noble a born soldier, 195—Battle of Semendria, 196—Heroism
of Simon Kemény, 199—Entrance of Turkish army, 201—League against
the Turks, 203—Terms of peace, 205—Battle of Varna, 207—Defeat
of the Hungarians, 209—Invasion of Albania, 211—John Capistrano,
213—Death of Hunyadi, 215.

X

KING MATTHIAS 217-256

Personal courage, 220—Wars with the Poles and Czechs, 222—The
_Black Troop_, 224—Siege of Vienna, 225—Severe disciplinarian,
229—Character of Matthias, 231—Embassy to Charles VIII.,
233—Brilliant court receptions, 235—“An Earthly Paradise,”
238—New laws, 240—King Matthias the Just, 241—Critical position,
243—Wealth, 245—Renaissance, 247—Court dinners, 249—Library,
251—Palace at Buda, 253—Death of Matthias, 256.

XI.

THE PERIOD OF NATIONAL DECLINE, AND THE DISASTROUS
BATTLE OF MOHÁCS 257-289

A dark page, 257—John Corvinus, 259—Deputation of Uladislaus,
261—Disorders of the times, 263—A distinguished brawl,
267—Condition of the Hungarian peasants, 269—Peasant war,
271—Popular feeling, 273—Indifference of the king, 275—Frivolous
amusements, 277—Fuggers, 279—_Kalandos_ League, 281—Siege of
Shabatz, 283—King Louis roused from his lethargy, 285—Battle of
Mohács, 287—Hungarians pay a heavy penalty, 289.

XII.

THE TURKISH WORLD, AND THE RISE OF PROTESTANTISM
IN HUNGARY 290-336

Sack of Buda, 293—A nation with two kings, 295—Ambitious
schemes of Solyman, 297—Gallant George Szondi, 299—Stephen
Losonczy, 301—Temesvár taken by the Turks, 305—Depressing days,
307—Heroic defence of Erlau, 308—Plans of Solyman, 311—He lays
siege to Szigetvár, 313—Wearisomeness of the siege, 315—Fall of
Szigetvár, 317—The poet Balassa, 319—Spread of Luther’s ideas,
322—Laws against Lutherans, 323—Teachings of Calvin, 325—The
anti-reformation movement, 327—Nicholas Zrinyi, 329—Last great
campaign of the Osmanlis, 331—Rout of the Turks, 333—Peace of
Szatmár, 335—Desolation of Hungary, 336.

XIII.

THE AUSTRIAN RULE (1526-1780) 337-373

Ferdinand elevated to the throne of Hungary, 338—Turks averse to
increase of Hapsburg power, 339—Vienna the seat of government,
341—Obstacle to Germanizing schemes, 343—Rebellion, 345—Peace
of Vienna, 346—Jesuits gain a foothold, 347—Gabriel Bethlen,
348—Old policy of the Transylvanian princes, 350—Disturbance of
the “balance of power,” 351—Gloomy outlook for the Hungarians,
353—General conspiracy, 355—Kurucz-Labancz era, 357—Negotiations
begun, 358—Siege of Vienna raised, 359—_Bloody Tribunal of
Eperjes_, 360—Colonization of the Alföld, 361—Oppressive
taxes, 362—Francis Rákóczy II., 363—New rising of the people,
364—Compact of Szatmár, 367—Inauguration of new policy, 369—Maria
Theresa’s appeal, 370—Gratitude of the queen, 371—Social
revolution, 372.

XIV.

THE EMPEROR JOSEPH II.—THE NATIONAL REACTION
AND THE NAPOLEONIC WARS 374-399

A king refuses to be crowned, 375—Imbued with
eighteenth-century views, 386—German made the official
language, 379—Shocks the prejudices of the people, 381—Crown
removed to Vienna, 382—War declared against Turkey,
385—Succession of Leopold II., 387—Hungary declared an
independent country, 389—Laws securing religious liberty,
390—Arbitrary government of Francis I., 391—Hungarian
Jacobins, 392—Echo of the French ideas, 394—Liberal leaders
arrested, 395—Bloody executions, 396—Main functions of the
diets, 397—Constitution ignored, 398—Levy of recruits, 399.

XV.

SZÉCHENYI, KOSSUTH, AND THE STRUGGLE FOR
LIBERTY IN 1848-1849 400-440

Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 400—Stephen Széchenyi,
402—Congress of Vienna, 404—Speaks in Hungarian,
406—Publication of “Credit,” 409—Introduction of
horse-racing, 410—Danube Steam Navigation Company, 411—Louis
Kossuth, 412—Leaders of public opinion, 414—Censorship
of the press, 415—Kossuth’s imprisonment, 416—_Pesti
Hirlap_, 417—Attacks on Kossuth, 418—Policy of the
Viennese government, 420—Revolutions of 1848, 421—_Talpra
Magyar_, 422—Reforms of the diet, 423—Hungary a modern
state, 424—Rebellion of Croatians, Wallachs, and Serbs,
426—_Honvéds_, 427—Vote for troops and funds, 428—Death of
Széchenyi, 429—Invasion of Windischgrätz, 430—Klapka achieves
his first triumph, 431—Alliance between Francis Joseph and
the Czar, 432—Surrender of Világos, 433—Persecution of the
patriots, 434—Work of reconciliation, 435—Austria-Hungary,
436—Pardon for political offenders, 440.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

SALLY FROM FORTRESS OF SZIGETVÁR _Frontispiece_

SELF-IMMOLATION OF SZONDI xiv

DANUBE FROM THE RUINS OF VISEGRÁD 3

ICE GROTTO OF DEMÉNFALVA 5

BORDERS OF THE DANUBE 7

BUDA-PESTH 11

COACHMAN 12

HUNGARIAN TYPES 13

CHILDREN FROM THE DISTRICT OF THE SAVE 15

A “KOLA” 17

ROMAN AND DACIANS, FROM TRAJAN’s COLUMN 19

A ROMAN TEMPLE 21

HUNGARIAN SHEPHERD 31

ELECTION OF ÁLMOS, THE FIRST DUKE 35

ÁRPÁD TAKES POSSESSION OF HUNGARY 43

BAPTISM OF ST. STEPHEN 57

CORONATION OF ST. STEPHEN 67

THE PEOPLE SEDUCED BY VATHA CLAIM THE
RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF PAGANISM 101

DUEL BETWEEN ST. LADISLAUS AND AKERS 113

BÉLA IV. RETURNS TO HIS COUNTRY, DEVASTATED
BY THE MONGOLS 143

CASTLE OF ÁRVA 153

CATHEDRAL OF GRAN 163

CASTLE OF BETZKÓ 173

CASTLE OF HUNYAD 196

PRESBURG 219

FORTRESS OF BUDA 227

RUINS OF VISEGRÁD 237

JELLACHICH SQUARE, AGRAM 255

HEROIC DEFENCE OF ERLAU 309

PASHA’S HOUSE 319

HUNGARIAN PEASANTS IN AN INN 321

A CSIKÓS 339

HUNGARIAN PEASANTS 349

PEASANT GIRL FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF BUDA-PESTH 365

HUNGARIAN PEASANT 371

HUNGARIAN PORTER (DOOR-KEEPER) 377

SLOVAK WOMAN AND CHILDREN 383

GYPSY HUTS 401

OLD GYPSY WOMAN 403

HALT OF GYPSIES 405

GYPSIES AND LADY 419

HOUSE AT KRAPINA 423

HUNGARIAN GYPSY 425

HUNGARIAN LADY 435

WOMAN’S HEAD-DRESS 437

CARTS 439

BARKS ON DANUBE 440

THE STORY OF HUNGARY.