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Latin:magister ("judge") Johannes de Thurocz | |
|---|---|
 The first page of Thuroczy's chronicle | |
| Born | c. 1435 |
| Died | 1488 or 1489 |
| Occupation | Historian |
| Language | Latin |
| Nationality | Kingdom of Hungary |
| Alma mater | Premonstratensian monastery inIpolyság |
| Years active | 1486 – 1488 |
| Notable works | Chronica Hungarorum |
Johannes de Thurocz (Hungarian:Thuróczi János;Slovak:Ján z Turca orJán de Turocz,German:Johannes de Thurocz, variant contemporary spelling:de Thwrocz) (c. 1435 – 1488 or 1489), was aHungarian historian[1][2] and the author of theLatinChronica Hungarorum ("Chronicle of the Hungarians"), the most extensive 15th-century work on Hungary, and the first chronicle of Hungary written by a layman.
Thurocz's parents came fromTuróc County (formerly also spelled as Thurocz),Upper Hungary (nowTuriec region, Slovakia) where they were members of a yeoman family recorded since the first half of the 13th century (the village ofNádasér nowNedožery-Brezany). Johannes' uncle Andreas received a property atPýr as a donation from KingSigismund of Luxembourg, and Johannes' father Peter inherited this estate.
Thurocz was educated in aPremonstratensian monastery inIpolyság (nowŠahy, Slovakia), where he studiedLatin and law. In 1465 he appeared inBuda, as a prosecutor of the Premonstratensian monastery of Ipolyság. From 1467 to 1475 he served as a notary of thejudge royalLadislaus Pálóci, from 1476 to 1486 as the main notary of the judge royalStephen Báthory at the royal court, and from 1486 to 1488 as a head notary and judge of the royal personnel clerkThomas Drági. No evidence of any university studies has been preserved, and it is possible that the titleLatin:"magister" in front of his name was merely a polite title for an official or civil servant.
Thurocz's chronicle was written in three main parts:
According to his own words in the work's dedication, Thurocz had no ambitions as an historian. In fact, his chronicle contains many errors and omits a number of significant events. Besides more reliable sources, the work relies extensively on oral tradition, folk songs and anecdotes, and contains many references to "miraculous" events and wonders.
Destiny and fortune play a significant role in history as seen by Thurocz. Like many of his contemporaries he was convinced of the close relationship between human fortune, historical events and the motion of celestial bodies.
Thurocz sought an explanation of a number of events in themoral imperative. He gave much attention to describing the inner feelings of historical characters, but had an evident tendency to idealize the Hungarian heroesAttila andMatthias Corvinus, while downplaying the significance of Hungary's queens.
The first editions of Chronica Hungarorum were published in 1488 inBrno, (Moravia) andAugsburg. Further editions followed over the following centuries inFrankfurt,Vienna,Nagyszombat andBuda.
Extant early editions include:
