History of the Hungarians

With András III, a new – and hotly disputed – branch of the Árpádian family rises to the crown. The new king is faced with two crises that shall define his reign: the overmighty barons and pretenders from the major European powers. Join me as we dwell into how the king attempted to tackle both, as we get a fairly dismal picture of the late-13th century state of Hungary, where might made right. Web...

Today marks the release of the first Tales of the Hungariansepisode. We are delving into where the Legend of the Stag comes from, how it harkens back to ancient Steppe-roots, and discuss how one man created a myth that influenced the thinking of people centuries later. Website: historyofthehungarians.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579815072390 Instagram: https://www.instagr...

László IV – the Cuman – comes of age and is immediately surrounded by strife. His kingdom is still disintegrating, and a Papal legate is attempting to take away the one group he can rely on to arrest the collapse. Join us today as we discuss the tale of arguably the last Árpádian ruler, his strange lifestyle and his life filled with conflict until he burns every bridge that was available to him –...

As István V dies, the Barons rise – with the king a ten year old boy, they correctly assume that there is little to no check on them. Baronial groups form to fight one another for power and influence in court, old scores are settled on battlefields everywhere in the kingdom. And at the very heart of it, a young king is growing up who knows no stability, only a realm that disintegrates under his ve...

István V – the last Hungarian king to be named István – ascends to the throne after his father’s death. Conflict is pre-determined as his rule begins, with his sister leading a powerful faction of nobles to the court of Ottokar, the Iron and Golden King of Bohemia. But the famed Premyzlid, as well as his own barons shall soon learn that István is not his father, and has the power to stand up for h...

After the Mongol invasion, Béla IV ruled for another twenty-eight years. While the most memorable reforms of that time we discussed last time, there are a few things that happen apart – like Hungary’s return to regional power-plays, or Béla’s conflicts within the family. Despite all the kingdom just survived, the Árpádians won’t be any less of a quarrelsome bunch. But there is a new element in the...

The medieval Kingdom of Hungary survived the Mongol invasion – but not intact. Vast swathes of the kingdom lay in ruin and depopulated. Yet, Hungary bounces back quickly. How is that possible? Join us today as we take a look at the massive societal and economic reforms, and the changes that accompany them that collectively would be called the Second Founding, and earn for Béla IV the name: the Sec...

“The Kingdom of Hungary, that stood for 350 years, was utterly destroyed by the Mongols.” This is how the annals of a Bavarian monastery refer to the year 1241 – and while they were not exactly correct, they were not far off the mark. Following the Battle of Muhi and its disastrous end, the invading Mongol forces moved swiftly to take control of their prize. What this meant for the population alre...

We put it off long enough, and cannot anymore – the Mongols are here! In 1241, the armies of Hungary massed against this threat, one that they seemingly did not even fully understand. The resulting battle shaped the future of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom, as Saint István’s system is put to the ultimate test. Come, find out if the time allotted to Béla for preparations thanks to Friar Julianus am...

Today we head back to whence we came: the Great Eurasian Steppe, as we follow a friar of the Dominican Order on a grand quest in search of Magna Hungaria – and some long-lost brothers they believed still dwelt there. Their journey, undertaken as the Steppe itself was undergoing afundamental change due to the emergence of the Mongol Empire, is an inspiring, and yet tragic tale that every Hungarian...

Today, we begin discussing the life and reign of Béla IV – without question one of the most important, most influential kings of the Árpádian dynasty, with a long-lasting legacy. Béla would have to show his mettle in situations no other Árpádian faced, but his early years are mostly about dealing with the legacy of his father. András II broke the kingdom’s equilibrium, and Béla was intent on rebui...

In the very first special episode of History of the Hungarians, we take a look at the 2026 election, how we got here, and why they were so important. Website: historyofthehungarians.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579815072390 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofthehungarians Support us at: https://buymeacoffee.com/historyofthehungarians   The song heard in the int...

András II found no rest even after issuing the Golden Bull – albeit never holding himself to what he promised in it might be the reason why. In the last decade of his reign, András struggled with his son, Béla, who was dead-set on ending the mass alienation of royal land, and the Church, who felt that they drew the short stick during the Golden Bull. During thislatter conflict, the king who has be...

Today, we reach the year 1222 – and the Golden Bull. Facedwith opposition, internal strife, and mounting pressure from his most loyal supporters, King András II is forced to issue a document that would become the basis of Hungary’s feudal development for centuries to come. It became a foundational document for the development of Hungarian Law, to the point that the justices of the constitutional c...

Send your questions for the Q&A to: historyofthehungarians@gmail.com We take a view at something that took up much of András II’s time: his wars and his ambitions abroad. From his attempt to reclaim the kingdom he held as a child, to attempting to take the crown of the Latin Empire, András was active on the European stage. Come, join us, and see how his desire for the Latin Emperorship finally...

Send your questions for the Q&A to: historyofthehungarians@gmail.com Today’s topic is the first part of András II’s reign: a period characterized by the immense favor the king showed to his wife’s family. This favoritism would end in tragedy, when a group of leading Hungarian noblemen decided that Gertrude was the source of their problems. But what was it they thought the queen threatened? Wha...

We begin the 13th century – and close out the 12th – with the tale of two brothers. The sons of Béla III they both may be, but their differing personalities, ambitions and goals will quickly reignite the old plague of their dynasty. Meanwhile, the kingdom truly stands on the precipice of a new era, with our friends in the Most Serene Republic of Venice banging on the doors accompanied by thousands...

Often I heard the 12 th century be called Hungary’s forgotten century: it is skipped over entirely in public education, and even in my university course, I remember not much being said about it, unless you dug for it yourself. Meanwhile it is an important bridge between what was – Saint István’s kingdom, straddling the place between the feudal west and the imperial east – and what will be: an even...

The second half of Béla’s reign was dedicated to Hungary’s great re-entry to the medieval power-politics of his day. On today’s episode, we shall discover how this was possible, why it happened now – and the results of taking up such an aggressive stance again, after decades on the mend. Come, join us as we discuss Hungary’s attempts to seat an Árpádian on the throne of Halics, Béla’s role in dipl...

Béla III’s reign is a pivotal time in the history of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom – he is the last king to rule the way Saint István intended, and the first to usher in some new practices. He was given the task of overseeing Hungary’s recovery from the conflicts of the decades prior, something he manages to the tune of being one of the richer crowned heads of Europe. Come, join us today as we ex...

“What kind of blasphemy has our emperor committed, that he not only denied his daughter’s hand to us Romans, but this foreigner, he considers better than us all, and places above us into power?” These were the words that accompanied Béla, from theHouse of Árpád when he was proclaimed the heir to the Byzantine emperor. To say that his potential elevation was not unanimously approved of would be an...

István III may have triumphed over his uncles, but he is far from being in the clear. His father, Géza II created many issues, and Hungary had few friends to call on for help – all this coming down on István’s head. The young king’s reign would be filled with trying to extricate himself from these struggles. Let us see whether he manages to stabilize his kingdom, or will the newly minted power in...

To say that the Dynasty of Árpád was a tumultuous bunch would be an understatement. Time and again we have seen infighting regarding the succession. But this latest spat, the subject of today’s episode might be the worst yet – as two Istváns and a László gear up to fight it out for the crown. This tale has all the hallmarks of historical tragedy, witharmies clashing, duplicitous nobles, a priest m...

Géza II’s reign is, in a way, a premature show of the strength the medieval Kingdom of Hungary would be able to wield one day. With the homefront secure, Géza threw himself into European power-politics, standing toe-to-toe with some of the greatest powers of his time. While initially successful, the king’s rashness to make enemies and maintain the fight would cause problems that would reverberate...

Géza II is a curious case – almost entirely forgotten in popular memory today, he was one of the more intriguing rulers of medieval Hungary I came across while researching the show. Seriously, I had a hard time finding useful images of him, something that has never been an issue previously. Inheriting a calm domestic scene, Géza would, once he reachedmaturity, direct his kingdom’s power outward, a...