The story of Hungary 1

The story of Hungary 1

The story of Hungary

 

Author: Ármin Vámbéry

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—