Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum
The Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum (Latin: "Deeds of the Huns and Hungarians"), written mainly by Simon of Kéza around 1282-1285, is one of the sources of early Hungarian history.[1] It is also known as the Gesta Hungarorum (II) (Latin: "Deeds of the Hungarians"), the "(II)" indicating its status as an expansion of the original Gesta Hungarorum (written around 1200).
The work is dated to 1282-1285 as it includes the Battle of Hódtó (1282) but does not mention the Tatar invasion in 1285.
The work combines Hunnish legend with history. It consists of two parts:
- the Hunnish legend ("Hunnish Chronicle")expanded with Hungarian oral tales;[1]
- a history of the Kingdom of Hungary since the original Gesta Hungaronum.
Simon of Kéza was a court cleric of King Ladislaus IV. (reigned 1272 – 1290). He travelled widely in Italy, France and Germany and culled his epic and poetic materials from a broad range of readings.
By Kéza's own admission, he used contemporary German, Italian and French chronicles, but it has been proved that he freely used Hungarian sources also.[1]
The Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum was edited and translated in 1999 by László Veszprémy and Frank Schaer for the Central European University.
[edit] Sources
[edit] External links
- (Hungarian) Hungarian translation of Simon's Gesta
- (Hungarian) Article about Simon of Kéza and the Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum
  |
This Hungarian history article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
