| Hunyadi | |
|---|---|
_v2.svg) John Hunyadi's extended coat-of-arms (granted to him in 1453 by KingLadislaus V of Hungary) | |
| Country | Kingdom of Hungary andCroatia CertainLands of the Bohemian Crown (Moravia,Lower Lusatia,Upper Lusatia,Silesia) Duchy of Austria Duchy of Styria |
| Founded | 1409 |
| Founder | Voyk |
| Final ruler | Christopher Corvinus |
| Titles | |
| Dissolution | 1505 |
TheHouse of Hunyadi was one of the most powerfulnoble families in theKingdom of Hungary during the 15th century. A member of the family,Matthias Corvinus, wasKing of Hungary from 1458 until 1490,King of Bohemia (ruling inMoravia,Lower Lusatia,Upper Lusatia, andSilesia) from 1469 until 1490, andDuke of Austria from 1487 until 1490. Hisillegitimate son,John Corvinus, ruled theDuchy of Troppau from 1485 until 1501, and five furtherSilesian duchies, includingBytom,Głubczyce,Loslau,Racibórz, andTost, from 1485 until 1490. The Hunyadicoat-of-arms depicted araven with a golden ring in its beak.
The founder of the family,Voyk, received the eponymousHunyad Castle (in present-dayHunedoara,Romania) fromSigismund,King of Hungary, in 1409. His ethnicity is the subject of scholarly debate. Some modern historians describe him as aVlach, orRomanian,knez orboyar, from eitherWallachia orTransylvania. Others describe him as aCuman orSlav nobleman. According to the 15th-century historian,Johannes de Thurocz, Voyk moved from Wallachia to Transylvania. Voyk's oldest son,John Hunyadi, was often mentioned as a "Vlach" by his contemporaries.
John Hunyadi, a military commander, became the first member of the family to acquire the status of "true baron of the realm". He was appointedBan of Severin in 1439, andVoivode of Transylvania in 1441. He was also granted the titlePerpetual Count of Beszterce in 1452, thus receiving the first hereditary title created in the Kingdom of Hungary. At his death, John Hunyadi held many lands throughout the Kingdom. John Hunyadi's fame and fortune led to the election of his son,Matthias Corvinus, as King of Hungary in 1458. He attempted to secure a hereditary line of succession for his son,John Corvinus. This did not happen, however, and John was only able to retain the Duchy of Glogau, along with some other family domains in Hungary, after Matthias died in 1490. John's only son,Christopher Corvinus, was the last male member of the family. He died at the age of six in 1505. His sisterElisabeth died during childhood.
The family was given its land bySigismund,King of Hungary, on 18 October 1409.[1][2] On that day, Sigismund grantedHunyad Castle and itsdemesne to Voyk and four of his kinsmen.[2][3][4][5] In addition to Voyk, the grant lists his two brothers, Magas and Radol, their cousin or uncle also named Radol, and Voyk's son,John, the futureRegent of Hungary.[2][3] Magas means "tall", and is evidently a Hungarian name.[6] The grant mentioned that Voyk's father was named "Serbe", but did not say anything further about the origins of the family.[2][3]TurkologistLászló Rásonyi, in his analysis of the family names and heraldry, says that Serbe's name is ofCuman origin and is related to theKyrgyz andKazakh word for unlucky (šor). He adds that the Turkic origin of Serbe's name explains thatVoyk's name also comes from the Turkicbay, meaning "prince" or "lord".[6]
Voyk's son, John Hunyadi, bore the nickname "Olah", meaning "Vlach", in his youth, which implied that he was ofRomanian stock.[2][3] The court historian of Voyk's grandson KingMatthias Corvinus,Antonio Bonfini, explicitly stated that John had been "born to a Vlach father".[7][8] Holy Roman EmperorFrederick III likewise knew that King Matthias had been "born to a Vlach father", and aVenetian man, Sebastiano Baduario, referred to the Romanians as King Matthias's people.[9][10]
Historians of the 15th and 16th centuries, with perspectives that were either against or in favour of the family, wrote differing reports of the family's status before King Sigismund's grant.[11][12]Jan Długosz described John Hunyadi as "a man of unknown origin",[13] and he is likewise mentioned as "a Vlach by birth, not highly born"[14] byAeneas Silvius Piccolomini.[11][12] On the other hand,Johannes de Thurocz said that John Hunyadi "was descended from a noble and renowned race ofWallachia".[11][15]
John Hunyadi's rapid advance, which astonished his contemporaries, and gave rise to legends about his origins.[16][17] According to one of these stories, recorded in detail by the 16th-century historianGáspár Heltai, John Hunyadi was the illegitimate son of King Sigismund with a woman named Elizabeth, who was the daughter of a "rich boyar"[18] fromMorzsina inHunyad County.[16][17] Antonio Bonfini, on the other hand, wrote that John Hunyadi's mother was an unnamedGreek woman who was related to theByzantine Emperors.[16]
Further legends emerged about the purported Roman origin of the family.[8] Antonio Bonfini wrote that John Hunyadi "traced his kin to theRoman family of theCorvini".[7][8][19] This story is connected to the Hunyadis' coat-of-arms, which depicts araven,corvus inLatin, with a golden ring in its beak.[8] Coins minted for PrinceVladislav I of Wallachia in 1365 depict a raven-like bird.[20][21] Based on this similarity, Zsuzsa Teke and some other historians did not exclude the possibility that the Hunyadis were related to theBasarabs, the ruling dynasty of Wallachia.[8][22] Another historian, Péter E. Kovács, wrote that that theory needed further verification.[20]
Johannes de Thurocz also wrote that King Sigismund, fascinated by Voyk's fame, "took him away fromWallachia to his own realm and settled him there",[15] suggesting that Voyk moved from his Wallachian homeland to theKingdom of Hungary.[8] The late 15th-century historianPhilippe de Commines[23] referred to Voyk's son John as the "White Knight ofWallachia".[2] In accordance with these sources, Pál Engel, András Kubinyi, and other contemporary historians have written that the Hunyadi family descended from Wallachianboyars (noblemen).[1][5][8][24][25]
Based on the genealogy ofNicolaus Olahus (nephew of John Hunyadi), which states that John Hunyadi's sister received the estate of Corbii de Piatră ("in Transalpina castrum Walachika lingua Corvi de Piatra") from her brother, and on the writings of Antonio Bonfini andPietro Ranzano which stated that John Hunyadi was born in the "ancestral village [in Corvino vico], which is also called Corvinum in our time", it has been proposed that the Hunyadi family originates from Corbii de Piatră (todayCorbi,Argeș County) in Wallachia.[26] A castle had existed there until at least the 16th century[27] and the village was also referred to as an "old and hereditary estate" ofJupan Mogos, likely the same person as Voyk's brother Magas, in acharter from 1456 byVladislav II of Wallachia. Voyk may have also been born in the same village. The origin of the family in Corbii de Piatră might also explain the raven on their coat-of-arms.[28]
According to another view on the family's origins, which is championed by historians Camil Mureșanu and Ion-Aurel Pop, Voyk did not migrate from Wallachia, but was born in a family ofRomaniannoble knezes from the region ofHátszeg, orHunyad.[3][29] They say that Voyk's grandfather could have been a man named "Costea", mentioned in a royal charter from 1360, and who fathered a son named Serbe (the name of Voyk's father). According to the charter, Costea and Serbe together established two villages in the region ofHátszeg.[3][30]
Historian Dezső Dümmerth offers a third view of the Hunyadis' ancestry. He said that Voyk was ofCuman stock, one of the Wallachian boyars.[31] TurkologistLászló Rásonyi [hu;tr] concludes: "the names of János Hunyadi's father and grandfather and the use of raven in the coat-of-arms of the family clearly point to the Tatar-Cuman origin of the later Hunyadi family".[6]
Miklós Molnár, accepts the Wallachian origin of the family, but also represents a fourth perspective on the origins of the family. He said that they may well have been ofSlavic descent.[32] NeitherPaul Lendvai nor András Boros-Kazai excluded the possibility of the Hunyadis being of Slavic origin.[25][33]
Bone samples were collected in the Corvinus grave from the remains ofJohn Corvinus andChristopher Corvinus in the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary inLepoglava by the Institute of Hungarian Research in 2021 to define their genetic composition. This information will be crucial for possible identification of the remains of KingMatthias Corvinus from among the bones stored in the ossuary atSzékesfehérvár. The team of Endre Neparáczki successfully identified the DNA profile of the last two male members of the Hunyadi family by next-generation sequencing technology, and the genetic study was published inHeliyon in 2022.[34][35][36][37]
John Corvinus and Christopher Corvinus carried the paternal Y-chromosome haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a6a1c~ (E-BY4281), which is widespread in Eurasia. This haplogroup belongs to theE-V13 clade which is part of theE-M78 branch. The father-son relationship was also verified. The closest ancient genetic matches to the paternal haplogroup of the Hunyadi descendants are a sample from theOtrar-Karatau culture in the Iron Age Kazakh steppe and a sample from MedievalSardinia. The closest genetic sample matches from the Carpathian Basin to the Hunyadi genome were detected inAvar individuals, eliteHungarian Conquerors and in a MedievalHungarian nobleman from the HungarianRoyal Basilica.[34][36]
John Corvinus belongs to the T2b mitochondrial haplogroup, his maternal lineage widespread haplogroup throughout Eurasia. His son Christopher Corvinus belongs to the rare T2c1+146 mitochondrial haplogroup, his maternal lineage was already present in the Neolithic era on the territory of present-day Hungary but most frequent around theMediterranean. Both maternal lines are consistent with the known origin of their mothers.[34][36]
Archaeogenomic analysis indicated that John and Christopher Corvinus had an ancient European genome composition. The majority genome components of John Corvinus were present in theCarpathian Basin thousands of years ago, the highest shared drift are with European Neolithic samples (which peoples can also be traced back to the Carpathian Basin[36]) and Hungarian Neolithic samples:Transdanubian Lengyel culture,Bodrogkeresztúr culture,Körös culture,Alföld Linear Pottery culture. The genome of Christopher Corvinus also has a shared drift with a sample from the Croatian Copper AgeVučedol culture, which was received from his mother. The Corvinus genome contains these admixture components: 50% Neolithic Anatolian, 31%Ancient North Eurasian, 8% Iranian Neolithic, 5% Western Hunter gatherer, 3% Early Bronze Age and 2% Han. At the individual level, the 10 most similar samples were fromRussia,Croatia,Romania andHungary, while at the population level, it clustered with populations from northernItaly,Spain,Basque Country,France,Croatia andHungary. The greatest similarity to this medieval Corvinus genome is found with today's southern European and Carpathian Basin populations, and also with individuals from the Eastern European steppe.[34][36]
In 2024, the Institute of Hungarian Research published the results of the archeogenetic study of the Hungarian nobleAba family. The genetic results uncovered dynastic connections that were not documented in written sources. It was revealed that members of the Aba family were related to significant medieval Hungarian noble families such as theÁrpáds, theBáthorys, and the Hunyadis. The genetic analysis revealed kinship ties among these prominent Hungarian families, suggesting that marital connections were common within the noble class of the medievalKingdom of Hungary.[38]
Voyk was born in Wallachia, according to the nearly contemporaneous historians Johannes de Thurocz and Gáspár Heltai.[8] Voyk had been serving as a "court knight" in the royal court when he received the demesne of Hunyad from King Sigismund, suggesting that he was descended from a prominent Wallachian family.[8] Modern historian Kubinyi wrote that Voyk most probably joined Sigismund in 1395.[8] In this year, Sigismund invaded Wallachia and restored his vassal,Mircea the Elder, to the princely throne.[39]
He was last mentioned in a royal charter in 1414.[40] Voyk died before 12 February 1419.[16][41] On this day, a charter confirming the grant of 1409 was issued for Voyk's brother, Radol, and for Voyk's three sons: John the Elder, John the Younger, and Voyk.[16]
Voyk's oldest son John Hunyadi was born between about 1405 and 1407.[5][42][43] In his youth, he served in the court of George Csáky,Filippo Scolari, and King Sigismund's other warlike barons.[5][42][44] He marriedElizabeth Szilágyi around 1429.[45] Her father owned properties inBodrog County.[45]
John Hunyadi developed his military skills during his journeys inItaly andBohemia in Sigismund's entourage in the early 1430s.[33][44] He andhis younger brother (who was his namesake) were jointly appointedBan of Szörény (present-day Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania) in 1439 by Sigismund's successor,King Albert.[44] With this appointment, they acquired the status of "true barons".[46]
The senior John Hunyadi becameVoivode of Transylvania andCount of the Székelys in 1441, with responsibility for the defense of the southern borders of Hungary against Ottoman raids.[5][47] He defeated the Ottomans in several battles during his "long campaign" in theBalkan Peninsula in 1443.[47][1] TheEstates of the realm elected him governor for the period of KingLadislaus V of Hungary's minority in 1446.[48][49] King Ladislaus bestowed the title ofPerpetual Count of Beszterce (present-day Bistrița, Romania) upon John Hunyadi after he resigned the governorship in 1452.[45][50] This was the first example of a grant of a hereditary title in the Kingdom of Hungary.[45][50] John Hunyadi had by that time become the richest landowner in the Kingdom of Hungary, holding about 25 fortresses, 30 towns, and more than 1,000 villages.[51] He died on 11 August 1456, shortly after his greatest victory over the Ottomans at theSiege of Belgrade.[52]
John the Younger was the younger of Voyk's two sons that shared the name John, and was first mentioned in a charter issued to four members of his family on 12 February 1419.[16] King Albert of Hungary appointed him Ban of Szörény together with his brother, John the Elder, in 1439.[53] He died fighting against the Ottomans in 1441.[53] His brother wrote of him as "the valiant of the valiant", showing that John the Younger was regarded a brave soldier.[53]
Ladislaus Hunyadi was the older of the two sons of John Hunyadi the elder by Elizabeth Szilágyi.[3] He was born around 1432.[3][2] At the age of 20, he was appointedispán, or count, ofPozsony County, which made him a "true baron".[54] He becameBan of Croatia in 1453 andmaster of the horse in 1456.[54]
With his father's death, Ladislaus inherited an enormous domain in 1456.[54] The ambitious Ladislaus had his father's main opponent,Ulrich II, Count of Celje, captured and murdered on 9 November.[55][56] The King, who promised amnesty to Ladislaus under duress, had him arrested in next year.[57] Ladislaus was sentenced to death for high treason.[58] He was executed on 16 March 1457.[57]
Matthias, the younger son of John Hunyadi the elder and Elizabeth Szilágyi, was born on 23 February 1443.[59] He was arrested upon the orders of King Ladislaus V of Hungary on 14 March 1457, together with his elder brother Ladislaus.[58] Matthias's brother was executed two days after having been arrested.[58] Fearing a revolt, the King fled toPrague and took Matthias with him.[58][57]
The childless Ladislaus V died on 23 November 1457.[58] ADiet was convened to elect the new monarch.[60] Matthias' maternal uncle,Michael Szilágyi, arrived with more than 10,000 armed noblemen under his command, and the Diet proclaimed Matthias king on 24 January 1458.[60][61] Matthias returned from Prague, but was only crowned with theHoly Crown of Hungary on 29 March 1464, because he had spent the previous years with fighting against his opponents.[62][63]
Urged byPope Paul II, Matthias led acrusade against the CzechHussites and occupied great parts ofMoravia andSilesia in 1468.[64][65] The CatholicEstates of Moravia proclaimed himKing of Bohemia on 3 May 1469.[66][65] Matthias' reign was also recognized inLusatia and Silesia, but Bohemia proper remained under the rule of his opponents, KingsGeorge of Poděbrady (till 1471) andVladislaus II Jagiellon.[65] Through a series of wars, Matthias occupiedLower Austria andStyria between 1480 and 1487.[67] He officially adopted the title ofDuke of Austria in 1487.[68]
Matthias married his first wife,Catherine of Poděbrady, in 1461.[69] She died in childbirth in 1464.[70][71] His second wife,Beatrice of Naples, whom he married in 1476, wasinfertile.[72][73] In the last decade of his life, Matthias tried to ensure the succession of his illegitimate son,John Corvinus, to the throne of Hungary.[74] Matthias died on 6 April 1490.[75]
John Corvinus was the illegitimate son of King Matthias and his mistress,Barbara Edelpöck.[76] John Corvinus was born on 2 April 1473.[76] Matthias recognized in public that John is his son and granted him the title of Duke of Liptó (present-day Liptov,Slovakia) in 1481.[77][78] John Corvinus received a number of land grants from his father in the subsequent years.[77][79] King Matthias granted him theDuchy of Troppau and five furtherSilesian duchies—Beuthen,Leobschütz,Loslau,Ratibor, andTost—in 1485.[80][81]
King Matthias' all attempts to secure his son's succession to the throne proved to be useless shortly after his death.[82] The prelates and the barons elected Vladislaus II Jagiellon king on 15 July 1490.[83][84] He retained his domains and the Duchy of Troppau. The new monarch bestowed the title ofDuke of Slavonia upon him, but he renounced of it in 1495.[85] He also renounced of the Duchy of Troppau in 1501.[86]
John Corvinus marriedBeatrice de Frangepan in 1496.[87] She gave birth to two children,Elizabeth andChristopher.[87] John Corvinus died on 12 October 1504.[87] His son died at the age of six, his daughter at the age of twelve.[87]
The following family tree depicts the known members of the Hunyadi family:[3][87][88][89]
(* = born;† = died;∞ = wife or husband;b. = before;c. = in about;m. = mentioned)
| Costea (?)[note 1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Serbe †b. 1409 | Radol (?)[note 2] (m. in 1409) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Voyk (m. 1409–1414) †b. 1419 ∞(Elizabeth) Morzsinai (?)[note 3] | Magas (m. in 1409) | Radol (m. 1409–1419) †b. 1429 ∞Ankó Branicskai | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Hunyadi, Sr. (?)[note 4] *c. 1405 † 1456 ∞Elizabeth Szilágyi | John Hunyadi, Jr. (m. 1419–1441) † 1441 | Voyk (m. in 1419) | Daughter ∞John Székely of Szentgyörgy | Clara (?)[note 5] (m. 1450–1467) ∞George Pongrác of Dengeleg | Marina (?)[note 6] ∞Manzilla of Argeș | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ladislaus Hunyadi *c. 1432 † 1457 | Matthias Corvinus * 1443 † 1490 3∞Beatrice of Naples | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Corvinus (illegitimate son) * 1473 † 1504 ∞Beatrice de Frangepan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elisabeth Corvinus * 1496 † 1508 | Christopher Corvinus * 1499 † 1505 | Matthias [hu][90] * 1504 † 1505 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||