Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526)

Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526)

In the Late Middle Ages, the Kingdom of Hungary was a country in Central Europe. It went through many changes.

After a time without a king, a new ruler named Charles I from the Capetian House of Anjou took control in 1308. During his time, new mines opened up, and Hungary produced a lot of gold and silver.

The kingdom grew stronger under Louis the Great, who ruled from 1342 to 1382. He led armies into places like Lithuania and southern Italy.

Later, the Ottoman Empire moved into Hungary’s lands. A leader named John Hunyadi became famous for fighting back. One big win was at Nándorfehérvár in 1456, which is now Belgrade in Serbia.

Another important king was Matthias Corvinus, who ruled from 1458 to 1490. He was the first king not born into a royal family. Matthias led many wars and also ruled as the King of Bohemia and the Duke of Austria. Because of his support for artists and scholars, Hungary became the first country outside of Italy to embrace the ideas of the Renaissance.

Background

Main article: Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1301)

The Kingdom of Hungary began when Stephen I, grand prince of the Hungarians, became king around the year 1000. He worked to make the government stronger and encouraged people to follow Christianity. Many words in the Hungarian language for farming and religion came from Southern Slavic languages. The kingdom faced challenges from civil wars, people who wanted old beliefs, and attempts by the Holy Roman Emperors to control Hungary. Things got better under Ladislaus I (1077–1095) and Coloman (1095–1116). In 1102, the Kingdom of Croatia joined with Hungary, and Coloman was crowned as king in Biograd, taking the title "King of Hungary, Dalmatia, and Croatia".

Hungary had lots of land, silver, gold, and salt, which attracted many people to move there, especially from Germany, Italy, and France. These new settlers helped build towns and villages, making places like Esztergom and Székesfehérvár grow. Hungary was located where many trade routes crossed, so it was influenced by many cultures. Buildings showed Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles, and writing was mostly in Latin, showing the strong Christian influence. But there were also people from Orthodox and other non-Christian backgrounds. Latin was used for laws and government, but many different languages were still spoken.

The kingdom had many lands that belonged to the king, but when these lands were given away, a group of smaller land owners formed. They made Andrew II sign the Golden Bull of 1222, which limited the king's power. A big problem came when the Mongol invasion of 1241–1242 attacked the kingdom. After that, groups like the Cuman and Jassic settled in central areas, and new people came from places like Moravia and Poland.

History

Interregnum (1301–1323)

Andrew III died in 1301, causing a fight for power among many lords. Some lords controlled big areas, like Matthew III Csák in parts of Slovakia and Ladislaus Kán in Transylvania.

Charles I of Anjou came to claim the throne and was crowned king, but many lords did not support him. Charles fought these lords and slowly brought them under his control.

The Angevins' monarchy (1323–1382)

Charles I took more control over the kingdom, making decisions without needing approval from the Diet. He made new taxes and managed money from places like gold and silver mines.

Charles also made stable coins and handled problems from nearby areas. His work helped make the kingdom stronger and more organized.

New consolidation (1382–1437)

After Charles I, his daughter Mary faced opposition from nobles who wanted a male ruler. Different people claimed the throne, causing conflicts and trouble.

Sigismund later became king. He faced challenges from nobles and threats from outside, including battles against the Ottomans. He worked to protect the kingdom and manage it despite these problems.

Age of the two Hunyadis (1437–1490)

After Sigismund died, there was a fight for the throne. John Hunyadi became an important military leader, defending against Ottoman attacks.

Matthias Corvinus became king in 1458. He made changes and built a strong army. His time as king saw growth in culture, with new libraries and art projects.

Decline (1490–1526)

After Matthias died, the kingdom had problems with leadership under Vladislaus II, who struggled to keep control and protect the kingdom.

In 1526, the Ottoman Empire attacked, leading to a big battle. The kingdom faced big changes after this time of conflict.