TheLands of the Hungarian Crown[1][2][3] (Hungarian:A Magyar Szent Korona Országai) was the titular expression of Hungarian pretensions to the various territories that theking of Hungary rulednominally orabsolutely.
They are distinct from theLands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, which referred to a constituent part of the territory ofAustria-Hungary following theAustro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 up until thedissolution of the empire in 1918 at the end ofWorld War I.
St. KingLadislaus I due to a dynastic crisis in Croatia, with the help of the local nobility who supported his claim managed to swiftly seize power in northern parts of theCroatian kingdom (Slavonia). He was a claimant to the throne due to the fact that his sister was married to the late Croatian kingZvonimir who died without an heir (son Radovan predeceased Zvonimir[4]), however, kingship over all of Croatia would not be achieved until the reign of his successorColoman. In 1102, during the reign of King Coloman of Hungary, theKingdom of Croatia entered adynastic union with theKingdom of Hungary.[5][6] Therefore successive Hungarian kings bore the additional title of "King of Croatia and Dalmatia".[7] Institutions of separate Croatian statehood were maintained through theSabor (an assembly of Croatian nobles) and theBan (viceroy). The nature of the relationship varied through time, Croatia retained a large degree of internal autonomy overall, while the real power rested in the hands of the local nobility.[8]
In 1136, KingBéla II invadedBosnia for the first time and initiated the long enduring effort in attempt to subjugate Bosnia to the Hungarian Crown.[9] Although it was a part of the Hungarian Crown Lands, theBanate of Bosnia was ade facto independent state for much of its history.[10][11][12]
In 1137, King Béla II assumed the title of "King of Rama" ("Rex Ramae") to signify his rule of Bosnia, "Rama" being the name of a river in Bosnia, and his successors were also so styled. King Béla II also instituted the inferior title of "Duke of Bosnia" as an honorary title for his adult son, later KingLadislaus II.
AfterStefan Nemanja and his sonVukan Nemanjić swore fealty to KingEmeric, he assumed the title of King of Serbia ("Rex Serviae") in 1202.[13]
ThePrincipality of Halych was annexed to the Lands of the Hungarian Crown during the reign of KingAndrew II, who adopted the title of "King of Galicia".[14] Successive kings usually bore the alternative title of "King of Lodomeria and Galicia",[14] "Lodomeria" denominating the city ofVolodymyr-Volynskyi (contemporarily inUkraine).
Béla IV of Hungary began expansionist politics towardsCumania. He promoted Christian missions among the paganCumans who dwelled in the plains south of the Carpathians. In 1228, he established theDiocese of Cumania which was initially under the jurisdiction of theArchbishopric of Esztergom. Local chieftains acknowledged his suzerainty and he adopted the title of King of Cumania ("Rex Cumaniae") in 1233.[citation needed]
KingStephen V conquered territory inBulgaria, received its local nobles as his vassals, and thereafter bore the title of "King of Bulgaria".[15]
Between 1526 and 1541,Hungary disintegrated into Habsburg-, Ottoman- and Transylvanian-ruled parts. From the 16th century on,Royal Hungary,Croatia andTransylvania were considered the threeregna of the Crown, separate from Ottoman Hungary.[1] These lands had some links with each other but became more and more autonomous during the centuries.[1]
In the 18th century, the Lands of the Hungarian Crown consisted of theKingdom of Hungary, the Kingdom of Croatia and theKingdom of Slavonia with the city ofFiume, theGrand Principality of Transylvania, theCroatian Military Frontier, theSlavonian Military Frontier, and the Serbian-Hungarian military frontiers.
Galicia was acquired by theHabsburgs in the name of the Hungarian Crown; however, it was not attached to Hungary.[1]
During theHungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian government proclaimed in the April Laws of 1848 that Transylvania became fully integrated into Hungary. However, after the fall of the revolution, theMarch Constitution of Austria defined the Principality of Transylvania as being a separate crown land that was entirely independent of Hungary.[16]
In 1867, the Crown's tworegna, Transylvania and Hungary, were reunited in theAustro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. However, theKingdom of Croatia-Slavonia kept and improved its position as an autonomous realm within theLands of the Crown of Saint Stephen. In 1881, Croatian and Slavonian military frontiers were abolished and united with Croatia-Slavonia.
AfterWorld War I, Transylvania was ceded toRomania and Croatia (with Slavonia) formed theState of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (on 1 December 1918 it united with theKingdom of Serbia to form theKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes). The city of Fiume became short livedFree State of Fiume until 1924 when it was ceded toItaly. Territories of south-Hungariancounties inBanat,Bácska andBaranya (the west ofTemes County,Torontál County,Bács-Bodrog County andBaranya County) as aProvince of Banat, Bačka and Baranja became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.