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Matthias Corvinus

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Matthias Corvinus
King of Hungary and Croatia
Reign1458–1490
CoronationApril 29, 1464
PredecessorLadislaus V
SuccessorVladislaus II
RegentMichael Szilágyi (1458)
King of Bohemia
contested till 1471 by George of Poděbrady, from 1471 by Vladislaus II
Reign1469–1490
PredecessorGeorge of Poděbrady
SuccessorVladislaus II
Duke of Austria
contested by Frederick V
Reign1487–1490
PredecessorFrederick V
SuccessorFrederick V
BornFebruary 23, 1443
Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca in Romania)
DiedApril 6, 1490(1490-04-06) (aged 47)
Vienna
Burial
Székesfehérvár
SpouseElizabeth of Celje
Catherine of Poděbrady
Beatrice of Naples
IssueJohn Corvinus (illegitimate)
HouseHouse of Hunyadi
FatherJohn Hunyadi
MotherElisabeth Szilágyi
ReligionRoman Catholic

Matthias Corvinus, also Matthias I (Template:Lang-hu; 23 February 1443 – 6 April 1490), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458. After conducting several military campaigns he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469, and adopted the title of Duke of Austria in 1487. He was the son of John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary, who died in 1456. Next year Matthias was imprisoned along with his older brother, Ladislaus Hunyadi, on the orders of King Ladislaus V of Hungary. Ladislaus Hunyadi's execution caused a rebellion, forcing the King to flee from Hungary. After the King died unexpectedly, Matthias's uncle, Michael Szilágyi persuaded the Estates to unanimously proclaim Matthias king on 24 January 1458. He began reigning under his uncle's guardianship, but he took the reins of government within two weeks.

Matthias strengthened his rule after a 5-year-long period of struggle. He waged wars against the Czech mercenaries who dominated Upper Hungary (today parts of Slovakia and Northern Hungary), and against Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor who claimed Hungary for himself. In this period, the Ottoman Empire conquered Serbia and Bosnia, terminating the zone of buffer states along the southern frontiers of the Kingdom of Hungary. Matthias concluded a peace treaty with Frederick III in 1463, acknowledging the Emperor's right to style himself King of Hungary. The Emperor returned the Holy Crown of Hungary with which Matthias was crowned on 29 April 1464. In this year, Matthias invaded the territories which had recently been occupied by the Ottomans, and seized fortresses in Bosnia. He soon realized that he could expect no substantial aid from the Christian powers and gave up his anti-Ottoman policy.

In order to increase royal revenues, Matthias introduced new taxes and regularly collected extraordinary taxes. These measures caused a rebellion in Transylvania in 1467, but he subdued the rebels. Next year he declared war on George of Poděbrady, the Hussite King of Bohemia and conquered Moravia, Silesia, and Lausitz, but he could not occupy Bohemia proper. The Catholic Estates proclaimed him King of Bohemia on 3 May 1469, but the Hussite lords refused to yield to him even after the death of George of Poděbrady in 1471. Instead they elected the oldest son of Casimir IV of Poland, Vladislaus Jagiellon king. A group of Hungarian prelates and lords offered the throne to Vladislaus's younger brother, Casimir, but Matthias overcome their rebellion. Having routed the united troops of Casimir IV and Vladislaus at Breslau (now Wrocław in Poland) in the autumn of 1474, Matthias turned against the Ottomans who had devastated the eastern parts of Hungary. He sent reinforcements to Stephen the Great, Prince of Moldavia, enabling him to repel a series of Ottoman invasions in the late 1470s. Matthias besieged and seized Šabac, an important Ottoman border fort on in 1476. He concluded a peace treaty with Vladislaus Jagiellon in 1478, confirming the division of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown between them. Matthias waged a war against Emperor Frederick, and occupied Lower Austria between 1482 and 1487.

Matthias strongly endeavored to follow the model and ideas of the philosopher-king as described in Plato’s Republic.[1] Matthias established a professional army, reformed the administration of justice, and reduced the power of the barons, promoting the career of talented individuals, chosen for their abilities rather than their social status. He patronized art and science; his royal library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana, was one of the largest collection of books in Europe. With his patronage Hungary became the first country which adopted the Renaissance from Italy. Matthias the Just, the monarch wandering among his subjects in disguise, is still a popular hero of Hungarian folk tales.

Early life

Childhood (1443–1457)

The house where Matthias Corvinus was born
The house where Matthias Corvinus was born in Kolozsvár (present-day Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
John Hunyadi
Matthias's father, John Hunyadi

Matthias was born in Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca in Romania) on 23 February 1443.[2] He was the second son of John Hunyadi and his wife, Elisabeth Szilágyi.[2][3] His father, who was a preeminent military commander and political leader of the Kingdom of Hungary, spent most of his life far away from the family estates, thus the child Matthias's education was his mother's task.[2] Many of the most learned men of Central Europe—including Gregory of Sanok and John Vitéz—frequented John Hunyadi's court when Matthias was still a child.[4] Gregory of Sanok, a former tutor of King Vladislaus III of Poland, was Matthias's only teacher who is known by name.[5] Under these scholars' influence, Matthias became an enthusiastic supporter of the the ideas of Renaissance humanism.[6][7]

Still a child, Matthias learnt many languages and read classical literature, especially military treatises.[5] According to Antonio Bonfini, Matthias "was well versed in all the tongues of Europe" with the exeption of Turkish and Greek.[8] Although this was an exaggeration, it is without doubt that Matthias spoke Hungarian, Latin, Italian, Polish, Czech, and German.[5][8]

According to a treaty between John Hunyadi and Đorđe Branković, Despot of Serbia, Matthias and the Despot's granddaughter, Elizabeth of Celje were engaged on 7 August 1451.[9][10] She was the daughter of Ulrich II, Count of Celje, who was related to King Ladislaus V of Hungary and an opponent of Matthias's father.[11][12] Because of new conflicts between Hunyadi and Ulrich of Celje, the marriage of their children only took place in 1455.[13] Elizabeth settled in the Hunyadis' estates, but Matthias was soon sent to the royal court, implying that their marriage was a hidden change of hostages between their families.[11] She died before the end of the year.[11]

John Hunyadi died on 11 August 1456, less than three weeks after his greatest victory over the Ottomans at Belgrade.[14] His older son—Matthias's brother—Ladislaus became the head of the family.[11][15] His conflict with Ulrich of Celje ended with the Count's capture and assassination on 9 November.[16][17][18]

Ladislaus V
Ladislaus the Posthumous, King of Hungary and Bohemia, and Duke of Austria

Under duress, the King promised that he would never take his revenge against the Hunyadis for his relative's murder.[19] However, the murder turned most barons—including Palatine Ladislaus Garai, Judge royal Ladislaus Pálóci, and Nicholas Újlaki, Voivode of Transylvania—against Ladislaus Hunyadi.[19] Taking advantage of their resentment, the King had the brothers imprisoned in Buda on 14 March 1457.[17][20] The royal council condemned them to death for high treason and Ladislaus Hunyadi was beheaded on 16 March.[21]

Matthias was held in captivity in a small house in Buda.[19][22] His mother and her brother, Michael Szilágyi staged a rebellion against the King and occupied large territories in the regions to the east of the river Tisza.[19][20] King Ladislaus fled to Vienna in early summer, and from Vienna to Prague in September, dragging Matthias along with him.[17][23][24] The civil war between the rebels and the barons loyal to the monarch continued up until the sudden death of the young King on 23 November 1457.[19] Hereafter George of Poděbrady, the Hussite Regent of Bohemia held Matthias captive.[25]

Election as king (1457–1458)

Matthias as a young King
Matthias as young monarch (after a contemporary miniature from the Corviniana collection of the British Museum)

Ladislaus V died childless.[26][27] His elder sister, Anna and her husband, William III, Landgrave of Thuringia, laid claim to his inheritance, but they received no support from the Estates.[26] The Diet of Hungary was convoked to Pest to elect a new king in January 1458.[28] Pope Calixtus III's legate, Cardinal Juan Carvajal, who had been John Hunyadi's admirer, began openly campaigning for Matthias.[28][29]

The election of Matthias as king was the only way of avoiding a lasting civil war.[28] Ladislaus Garai was the first baron to yield.[29] At a meeting with Matthias's mother and uncle, he gave his word that he and his allies would promote Matthias's election, and Michael Szilágyi promised that his nephew would never seek vengeance for Ladislaus Hunyadi's execution.[28][29] They also agreed that Matthias would marry the Palatine's daughter (his executed brother's bride) Anna.[28][29]

Michael Szilágyi arrived at the Diet with a troop of 15,000 strong, intimidating the barons who assembled in Buda.[17][28] Stirred up by Szilágyi, the noblemen gathered on the frozen river Danube and unanimously acclaimed the 14-year-old Matthias as king on 24 January.[28][30][31] At the same time, the Diet elected his uncle as regent.[29][31]

Reign

Early rule and consolidation (1458–1464)

George of Poděbrady and Matthias Corvinus
George of Poděbrady and Matthias Corvinus—a painting by Mikoláš Aleš

Matthias's election was the first time that a member of the nobility mounted the royal throne in Hungary.[22] Michael Szilágyi sent John Vitéz to Prague to discuss the terms of Matthias's release with George of Poděbrady.[32] Poděbrady—whom Matthias promised to marry his daughter, Kunigunda—agreed to set his future son-in-law free for a ransom of 60,000 gold florins.[33][34] Matthias was surrendered to the Hungarian delegates in Strážnice on 9 February.[32] With Poděbrady's mediation, he was reconciled with John Jiskra of Brandýs, the commander of the Czech mercenaries who dominated most of Upper Hungary.[35][36]

Matthias made his state entry into Buda five days later.[37][38] He ceremoniously sat down on the throne in the Church of Our Lady, but was not crowned, because the Holy Crown of Hungary had been in the possession of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor for almost two decades.[37][39] The 14-year-old monarch administered state affairs independently from the start, although he reaffirmed his uncle's position as Regent.[40][41] For instance, Matthias himself instructed the citizens of Nagyszeben (now Sibiu in Romania) to reconcile their differences with Vlad Dracula, Prince of Wallachia on 3 March.[41]

Jiskra was the first baron who turned against Matthias.[35] He offered the throne to Casimir IV of Poland—the husband of King Ladislaus V's younger sister, Elisabeth—in late March, but the General sejm of Poland rejected his offer.[35] Matthias's commander, Sebastian Rozgonyi, defeated Jiskra's soldiers at Sárospatak, but the invasion of Serbia by the Ottomans in April forced Matthias to conclude an armistice with the Czechs.[31][42][43] They were allowed to preserve Sáros Castle (Šariš Castle, Slovakia) and many other fortified places in Upper Hungary.[44] Matthias sent two prelates—August Salánki, Bishop of Győr, and Vincent Szilasi, Bishop of Vác—to Prague to crown George of Poděbrady king.[35] Upon their demand the "heretic" Poděbrady swore loyalty to the Holy See.[35]

Matthias's golden florin
Matthias's golden florin depicting Madonna and Child, and King Saint Ladislaus

Matthias's first Diet assembled in Pest in May 1458.[45] The Estates passed almost 50 decrees that were ratified, instead of the Regent, by Matthias on 8 June.[46] One decree prescribed that the King "must call and hold, and order to be held, a diet of all the gentlemen of the realm in person"[47] every year on Whitsunday.[45] In fact, Matthias, who held more than 25 Diets during his reign, convoked the Estates more frequently than his predecessors, especially in the period between 1458 and 1476.[45][48][49] The Diets were controlled by the barons whom Matthias appointed and dismissed at will.[45][50] For instance, he dismissed Palatine Ladislaus Garai and persuaded Michael Szilágyi to resign from the Regency after they had entered into a league in the summer of 1458.[51][34] The king appointed Michael Ország, who had been his father's close supporter, as the new Palatine.[52] The majority of Matthias's barons was descended from old aristocratic families, but he also promoted the career of members of the lesser nobility, or even of skilful commoners.[53][54] For instance, the noble Zápolya brothers—Emeric and Stephen—owed their fortune to Matthias's favor.[55]

Matthias's ordinary revenues amounted around 250,000 golden florins per year when he began his reign.[56] A decree passed at the Diet of 1458 explicitly prohibited the imposition of extraordinary taxes.[57] However, an extraordinary tax—one golden florin per each porta, or peasant household—was levied already in the autumn.[57][58]

The Ottomans occupied the fort of Golubac in Serbia in August.[59] Matthias ordered the mobilization of all noblemen.[31] He made a raid into Ottoman territory and defeated the enemy forces in minor skirmishes.[31] King Stephen Thomas of Bosnia accepted his suzerainty.[59] Matthias authorized his new vassal's son, Stephen Tomašević to take possession of the parts of Serbia which had not been occupied by the Ottomans.[59]

Emperor Frederick III's seal
The seal of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, a long-time opponent of Matthias

At the turn of 1458 and 1459, Matthias held a Diet at Szeged in order to make preparations for a war against the Ottoman Empire.[60] However, gossips about a conspiracy compelled him to return to Buda.[61] The rumors proved to be true, because at least 30 barons—including Ladislaus Garai, Nicholas Újlaki, and Ladislaus Kanizsai—met in Németújvár (now Güssing in Austria) and offered the throne to Emperor Frederick III on 17 February 1459.[31][34][62] Although the joint troops of the Emperor and the rebellious lords defeated a royal army at Körmend in March 27, Garai had by that time died and Újlaki soon entered into negotiations with Matthias' envoys.[62] Nevertheless, skirmishes along the western borderlands lasted for several months, preventing Matthias from providing military assistance to Stephen Tomašević against the Ottomans.[60] The latter took Smederevo on 29 June, completing the conquest of Serbia.[63][64]

Pope Pius II step up to mediate a peace treaty between the Emperor and Matthias.[34] George of Poděbrady likewise offered his assistance.[65] The representatives of the Emperor and Matthias signed a truce in Olomouc in April 1460.[31] The Pope soon offered financial support for an anti-Ottoman campaign.[60] However, John Jiskra returned from Poland, renewing the armed conflicts with the Czech mercenaries in early 1460.[60] Although Matthias seized a newly erected fort from the Czechs, but he could not force them to obey.[60] The costs of his five-month-long campaign in Upper Hungary were covered by an extraordinary tax.[66]

John Jiskra of Brandýs
John Jiskra of Brandýs—a picture by Mikoláš Aleš

Jiskra swore an oath of loyalty to Emperor Frederick on 10 March 1461.[60] In response, Matthias entered into an alliance with the Emepror's rebellious brother, Albert VI, Archduke of Austria.[67] George of Poděbrady sided with the Emperor, although the marriage of his daughter, who became known as Catherine in Hungary, to Matthias was celebrated on 1 May 1461.[57][68] Relations between Matthias and his father-in-law even deteriorated due to the presence of the Czech mercenaries in Upper Hungary.[69] Matthias launched a new campaign against them after the Diet authorized him to collect an extraordinary tax in the summer.[70] However, he did not defeat Jiskra who even captured Késmárk (Kežmarok, Slovakia).[44]

The envoys of Matthias and Emperor Frederick agreed upon the terms of a peace treaty on 3 April 1462.[31] According to the agreement, the Emperor was to return the Holy Crown of Hungary for 80,000 golden florins, but his right to use the title of King of Hungary along with Matthias was confirmed.[31][65] In accordance with the treaty, the Emperor adopted Matthias, which granted him the right to succeed his "son" if Matthias died without a legitimate heir.[65][71]

Within a month, Jiskra yielded to Matthias.[71] He surrendered all the forts that he held in Upper Hungary to the King's representatives; as a compensation he received a large domain near the Tisza and 25,000 golden florins.[44] In order to pay the large amounts stipulated in his treaties with the Emperor and Jiskra, Matthias collected an extraordinary tax with the consent of the Royal Council.[72] The Diet, which assembled in early summer, confirmed this decision, but only after 9 prelates and 19 barons promised that no extraordinary taxes would be introduced thereafter.[72] Through hiring mercenaries among Jiskra's companions Matthias began organizing a professional army, which became known as the "Black Army" in the next decades.[73]

Sultan Mehmed II
The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II

The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II invaded Wallachia in the spring of 1462.[74][64] He did not conquer the country, but the Wallachian boyars dethroned the anti-Ottoman Vlad Dracula, replacing him with the Sultan's favorite, Radu the Fair.[74][75] The new Prince was willing to grant concessions to the Transylvanian Saxon merchants who had come into a bitter conflict with Vlad Dracula.[76] The latter sought assistance from Matthias and they met in Brassó (Brașov, Romania) in November.[77] However, the Saxons presented Matthias a letter, allegedly written by Vlad Dracula to Sultan Mehmed, in which the Prince offered his support to the Ottomans.[74] [78] Having been convinced of Vlad Dracula's treachery, Matthias had him imprisoned.[74]

In preparation for a war against the Ottomans, Matthias held a Diet at Tolna in March 1463.[79] Although the Estates authorized him to levy a one-florin extraordinary tax, he did not intervene when Mehmed II invaded Bosnia in June.[80] In a month, the Ottomans murdered King Stephen Tomašević and conquered the whole country.[27][81] Matthias only adopted an offensive foreign policy after the terms of his peace with Emperor Frederick were ratified in Wiener Neustadt on 19 July 1463.[82] He led his troops to Bosnia and conquered Jajce and other forts in its northern parts.[83] The conquered regions were organized into a new defensive province, or banate.[83][84] Assisted by Stefan Vukčić, Duke of Saint Sava, Matthias also conquered Bosanska Krajina and granted it to the Duke, who accepted his suzerainty.[83]

Queen Catherine died in early 1464 during the preparations for her husband's coronation with the Holy Crown, which had been returned by Emperor Frederick.[85] The ceremony was carried out in full accordance with the customary law of Hungary on 29 March 1464: Dénes Szécsi, Archbishop of Esztergom ceremoniously put the Holy Crown on Matthias's head in Székesfehérvár.[85][71][86] At the Diet, which assembled on this occasion, the newly crowned King confirmed the liberties of the nobility.[87] Hereafter the legality of Matthias's reign could not be questioned.[86]

First reforms and internal conflicts (1464–1467)

Matthias Corvinus
Matthias Corvinus depicted in Johannes de Thurocz's Chronica Hungarorum
Matthias's signature and royal stamp
Matthias's signature and royal stamp

Matthias dismissed his Chief Chancellor, Archbishop Szécsi, replacing him with Stephen Várdai, Archbishop of Kalocsa, and John Vitéz.[88] Both prelates bore the title of Chief and Secret Chancellor, but Várdai was the actual leader of the Royal Chancery.[89][90] Around the same time, the King united two superior courts of justice—the Court of Royal Special Presence and the Court of Personal Presence—into one supreme court.[88][91] The new supreme court diminished the authority of the traditional courts presided over by the barons and contributed the professionalization of the administration of justice.[92] He appointed Albert Hangácsi, Bishop of Csanád the first Chief Justice.[93][94]

Sultan Mehmed II returned to Bosnia and laid siege to Jajce in July.[83][95] Matthias began assembling his troops along the river Száva, forcing the Sultan to raise the siege on 24 August.[95] Matthias and his army crossed the river and seized Srebrnica.[96] He also besieged Zvornik, but the arrival of a large Ottoman army forced him to withdraw to Hungary.[97] Next year Matthias forced Stefan Vukčić, who had transferred Bosanska Krajina to the Republic of Venice, to establish Hungarian garrisons in his forts along the river Neretva.[98]

Dénes Szécsi died in 1465 and John Vitéz became the new Archbishop of Esztergom.[99][100] Matthias replaced the two Voivodes of Transylvania—Nicholas Újlaki and John Pongrác of Dengeleg—with Counts Sigismund and John Szentgyörgyi and Bertold Ellerbach.[101] Although Újlaki preserved his office of Ban of Macsó, the King designed Peter Szokoli to administer the province together with the old Ban.[102]

Matthias convoked the Diet in order to make preparations for an anti-Ottoman campaign in 1466.[102] For the same purpose, he also received subsidies from Pope Paul II.[103][104] However, Matthias had meanwhile realized that no substantial aid could be expected from the Christian powers, and tacitly gave up his anti-Ottoman foreign policy.[105] He did not invade Ottoman territory and the Ottomans did not make major incursions into Hungary, implying that he signed a peace treaty with Mehmed II's envoy who came to Hungary in 1465.[106]

Matthias visited Slavonia and dismissed the two Bans—Nicholas Újlaki and Emeric Zápolya—, replacing them with Jan Vitovec and John Tuz, in 1466.[101] In early next year he mounted a campaign in Upper Hungary against a band of Czech mercenaries who were under the command of Ján Švehla and seized Kosztolány (Veľké Kostoľany in Slovakia).[72][107] Matthias routed them and had Švehla and his 150 comrades hanged.[72][71]

At the Diet of March 1467, two traditional taxes were renamed—the chamber's profit was thereafter collected as tax of the royal treasury, and the thirtieth as the Crown's customs.[108] Due to this change, all previous tax exemptions became void, increasing state revenues.[71][109] Matthias also set about centralizing the administration of royal revenues.[110] He entrusted the administration of the Crown's customs to John Ernuszt, a converted Jewish merchant.[110] Within two years, Ernuszt was responsible for the collection of all ordinary and extraordinary taxes and the management of the salt mines.[111]

Matthias's tax reform caused a revolt in Transylvania.[112][88] The representatives of the "Three Nations" of the province—the noblemen, the Saxons and the Székelys—formed an alliance against the King in Kolozsmonostor (now Mănăștur district in Cluj-Napoca in Romania) on 18 August, stating that they were willing to fight for the freedom of whole Hungary.[88][102] Matthias collected his troops without delay and hastened to the province.[113] The rebels gave in to him without resistance, but Matthias severely punished their leaders, many of whom were impaled, beheaded or mercilessly tortured upon his orders.[88][114] Suspecting that Stephen the Great, Prince of Moldavia had supported the rebellion, Matthias invaded Moldavia.[88][115] However, his army was routed at Baia on 15 December.[88][115] Matthias suffered severe injuries, forcing him to return to Hungary.[115][116]

War for the Lands of the Bohemian Crown (1468–1479)

Further information: Bohemian War (1468-1478)
Map of Matthias's conquests
Conquests of Matthias Corvinus in Central Europe

Matthias's former brother-in-law, Victor of Poděbrady stormed Austria in early 1468.[117][118] Emperor Frederick appealed to his "adopted son" for support, hinting at the possibility of Matthias's election as King of the Romans, which would have been the first step towards the imperial throne.[117] Matthias declared war on Victor's father, King George of Bohemia on 31 March.[118] He stated that he also wanted to help the Czech Catholic lords against their "heretic monarch" whom the Pope had excommunicated.[119] Matthias expelled the Czech troops from Austria and invaded Moravia and Silesia.[68][118] He took an active part in the fights: he was injured during the siege of Třebíč in May 1468, and was captured at Chrudim while spying out the enemy camp in disguise in February 1469.[120] On the latter occasion, he was released, because he could make his prisoners believe that he was a local Czech groom.[120]

The Diet of 1468 authorized him to levy an extraordinary tax to finance the new war, but only after 8 prelates and 13 secular lords pledged on the King's behalf that he would not demand such charges in the future.[121] Matthias also exercised royal prerogatives to increase his revenues.[121] For instance, he ordered a Palatine's eyre in a county, the cost of which were to be covered by the local inhabitants, but soon authorized the county to redeem the cancellation of this irksome duty.[121]

George of Poděbrady and Matthias Corvinus
Meeting of George of Poděbrady with Matthias Corvinus—a painting by Mikoláš Aleš

The Czech Catholics, who were led by Zdeněk of Šternberk, joined forces with Matthias in February 1469.[122] Their united troops were encircled at Vilémov by George of Poděbrady's army.[68][123] In fear of being captured, Matthias opened negotiations with his former father-in-law.[123] They met in a nearby hovel, where Matthias convinced George of Poděbrady to sign an armistice, promising that he would mediate a reconciliation between the moderate Hussites and the Holy See.[68][123] Their next meeting took place in Olomouc in April.[122] Here the papal legates come forward with demands, including the appointment of a Catholic Archbishop to the see of Prague, which could not be accepted by Poděbrady.[123][122] The Czech Catholic Estates elected Matthias King of Bohemia in Olomouc on 3 May, but he was never crowned.[124][125] Moravia, Silesia and Lausitz soon accepted his rule, but Bohemia proper remained faithful to George of Poděbrady.[126][127] The Estates of Bohemia even acknowledged the right of Vladislaus Jagiello, the oldest son of Casimir IV of Poland, to succeed Poděbrady.[126][71]

Matthias's relations with Frederick III had in the meantime deteriorated, because the Emperor accused Matthias of allowing the Ottomans to march through Slavonia when raiding the Emperor's realms.[127] The Frangepan family, whose domains in Croatia were exposed to Ottoman raids, entered into negotiations with the Emperor and the Republic of Venice.[128][129] In order to prevent the Venetians from seizing Senj on the coast, Matthias sent an army to Croatia, which entered the town in 1469.[130]

Matthias expelled George of Poděbrady's troops from Silesia.[126] His army was encircled and routed at Uherský Brod on 2 November, forcing him to withdraw to Hungary.[71] He soon ordered the collection of an extraordinary tax without holding a Diet, raising a widespread discontent among the Hungarian Estates.[131] He visited Emperor Frederick in Vienna on 11 February 1470, hoping that the Emperor would contribute to the costs of the war against Poděbrady.[132] Although the negotiations lasted for a month, no compromise was worked out.[132] The Emperor also refused to commit himself to promoting Matthias's election as King of the Romans.[132] After a month, Matthias left Vienna without taking formal leave of Frederick III.[133]

Having realised the Hungarian Estates' growing dissatisfaction, Matthias held a Diet in November.[131] The Diet again authorized him to levy an extraordinary tax, stipulating that the sum of all taxes payable per porta cannot exceed one florin.[131] The Estates also made it clear that they oppose the war in Bohemia.[131] George of Poděbrady died on 22 March 1471.[134] The Diet of Bohemia proper elected Vladislaus Jagiello king on 27 May.[135] The papal legate, Lorenzo Roverella soon declared Vladislaus's election void and confirmed Matthias's position as King of Bohemia, but the Imperial Diet refused Matthias's claim.[136][137]

Matthias was staying in Moravia when he was informed that a group of Hungarian prelates and barons had offered the throne to Casimir, a younger son of King Casimir IV of Poland.[138] The conspiracy was initiated by Archbishop John Vitéz, and his nephew, Janus Pannonius, Bishop of Pécs, who opposed war against the Catholic Vladislaus Jagiellon.[139] Initially, their plan was supported by the majority of the Estates, but no one dared to rebel against Matthias, enabling him to return to Hungary without resistance.[140] Matthias held a Diet and promised to refrain from levying taxes without the consent of the Estates and to convoke the Diet in each year.[138] His promises remedied the Estates' most grievances, and almost 50 barons and prelates confirmed their loyalty to him on 21 September.[141][142] Casimir Jagiellon invaded on 2 October 1471.[71] With Bishop Janus Pannonius's support, he seized Nyitra (now Nitra in Slovakia), but only two barons, John Rozgonyi and Nicholas Perényi, joined him.[142][143][144] Within five months Prince Casimir withdrew from Hungary, Bishop Janus Pannonius died while fleeing and Archbishop John Vitéz was forbidden to leave his see.[142][143] Matthias appointed the Silesian Johann Beckensloer to administer the Archdiocese of Esztergom.[142] Vitéz died and Beckensloer succeeded him in a year.[143]

The Ottomans had meanwhile seized the Hungarian forts along the river Neratva.[145] Matthias nominated Nicholas Újlaki King of Bosnia in 1471, entrusting the defense of the province to the wealthy baron.[143] Uzun Hassan, head of the Aq Qoyunlu Turkmens, proposed an anti-Ottoman alliance to Matthias, but he refrained from attacking the Ottoman Empire.[146] On the other hand, Matthias supported the Austrian noblemen who rose up in rebellion against Emperor Frederick in 1472.[147] Next year Matthias, Casimir IV and Vladislaus entered into negotiations on the terms of a peace treaty, but the discussions lasted for months.[71][144] Matthias attempted to unify the government of Silesia, which was consisted of dozens of smaller duchies, through appointing a captain-general.[148] However, the Estates refused to elect his candidate, Duke Frederick I of Liegnitz.[148]

Ali Bey Mihaloğlu, Bey of Smederevo, pillaged the eastern parts of Hungary, destroyed Várad and dragged 16,000 prisoners with him in January 1474.[149] Next month the envoys of Matthias and Casimir IV signed a peace treaty, and a three-year truce between Matthias and Vladislaus Jagiellon was also declared.[150] However, within a month, Vladislaus entered into an alliance with Emperor Frederick, and Casimir IV joined them.[150][144] Casimir IV and Vladislaus invaded Silesia and laid siege to Matthias in Breslau (now Wrocław in Poland) in October.[144] He prevented the besiegers from pilling up provisions, forcing them to raise the siege.[151] Thereafter the Silesian Estates willingly elected Matthias's new candidate, Stephen Zápolya captain-general.[148] The Moravian Estates elected Ctibor Tovačovský captain-general.[152] Matthias confirmed this decision, although Tovačovský had been Vladislaus Jagiellon's partisan.[152]

The Ottomans invaded Wallachia and Moldavia at the end of 1474.[153] Matthias sent reinforcements under the command of Blaise Magyar to Stephen the Great.[154] Their united forces routed the invaders in the Battle of Vaslui on 10 January 1475.[155] Fearing of a new Ottoman invasion, the Prince of Moldavia swore fealty to Matthias on 15 August.[153] Sultan Mehmed II proposed a peace, but Matthias refused him.[153] Instead, he stormed into Ottoman territory and captured Šabac, an important fort on the river Száva, on 15 February 1476.[156][157] During the siege, Matthias had hardly escaped capture while he was watching the fortress from a boat.[158]

For unknown reason, Archbishop Johann Beckensloer left Hungary, taking the treasury of the Esztergom see with him in early 1476.[151][159] He fled to Vienna and offered his funds to the Emperor.[160] Matthias accused the Emperor of having incited the Archbishop against him.[160]

Mehmed II launched a campaign against Moldavia in the summer of 1476.[155] Although he won the Battle of Valea Albă on 26 July, the lack of provisions forced him to retreat.[161] Matthias sent auxiliary troops to Moldavia under the command of Stephen Báthory, and Vlad Dracula, whom he had released.[157][162] The allied forces defeated an Ottoman army at the Siret River in August.[163] With Hungarian and Moldavian support, Vlad Dracula was reinstalled as Prince of Wallachia, but he lost his life fighting against his opponent, Basarab Laiotă.[164][165]

Matthias's bride, Beatrice of Naples arrived in Hungary in late 1476.[166] Matthias married her in Buda on 22 December.[166] The new Queen soon established a rigid etiquette, making direct contacts between the King and his subjects more difficult.[167] Matthias also "improved his board and manner of life, introduced sumptuous banquets, disdaining humility at home and beautified the dining rooms" after his marriage, according to Bonfini.[168] According to a contemporaneous record, around that time Matthias's revenues amounted about 500,000 florins, the half of which derrived from the the tax of the royal treasury and the extrardinary tax.[169]

Matthias concluded an alliance with the Teutonic Knights and the Bishopric of Ermland against Poland in March 1477.[151] However, instead of Poland, he declared war on Emperor Frederick after he learnt that the Emperor confirmed Vladislaus Jagiellon's position as King of Bohemia and Prince-elector.[151][170] He invaded Lower Austria and imposed a blockade on Vienna.[171] Vladislaus Jagiellon denied to support the Emperor, forcing him to seek reconciliation with Matthias.[171] With the mediation of Pope Sixtus IV, Venice and Ferdinand I of Naples, Matthias concluded a peace treaty with Frederick III, which was signed on 1 December.[171][172] The Emperor promised to confirm Matthias as the lawful ruler of Bohemia and to pay him an indemnity of 100,000 florins.[170][171][173] They met in Korneuburg where Frederick III installed Matthias as King of Bohemia, and Matthias swore loyalty to the Emperor.[174]

Negotiations between the envoys of Matthias and Vladislaus Jagiellon accelerated in the next months.[175] The first draft of a treaty was agreed upon on 28 March 1478, and the text was completed by the end of the year.[107] The treaty authorized both monarchs to use the title of King of Bohemia (although Vladislaus could omit to style Matthias as such in their correspondence), and the Lands of the Bohemian Crown were divided between them: Vladislaus ruling in Bohemia proper, Matthias in Moravia, Silesia and Lausitz.[151][136] They solemnly ratified the peace treaty at their meeting in Olomouc on 21 July.[107]

War for Austria (1479–1487)

Further information: Austrian-Hungarian War (1477-1488), Siege of Vienna (1485), and Siege of Wiener Neustadt
Matthias's great coat-of-arms
Matthias's great coat-of-arms. In the middle are personal coat of arms of Matthias Corvinus (Quartered: 1. Hungary's two-barred cross, 2. Árpád dynasty, 3. Bohemia, and 4. Hunyadi family) and that of his wife Beatrice of Naples (Quartered: 1. and 4. Arpad dynasty – France ancient – Jerusalem Impaled; 2. and 3. Aragon), above them a royal crown. On the outer edge there are coat of arms of various lands, beginning from the top clockwise they are: Bohemia, Luxemburg, Lower Lusatia, Moravia, Austria, Galicia–Volhynia, Silesia, Dalmatia-Croatia, Beszterce county

Emperor Frederick only paid off the half of the indemnity due to Matthias according to their treaty of 1477.[174][176] Matthias concluded a treaty with the Swiss Confederacy on 26 March 1479, hindering the recruitment of Swiss mercenaries by the Emperor.[174] He also entered into an alliance with Bernhard II of Rohr, Archbishop of Salzburg, who allowed him to took possession of the fortresses of the Archbishopric in Carinthia, Carniola and Styria.[170][177][178]

An Ottoman army, supported by Basarab Țepeluș of Wallachia, invaded Transylvania and set fire to Szászváros (Orăștie in Romania) in the autumn of 1479.[179][154] Stephen Báthory and Paul Kinizsi annihilated the marauders in the Battle of Breadfield on 13 October.[154][180] Matthias united the command of all forts along the Danube to the west of Belgrade in the hand of Paul Kinizsi in order to improve the defense of the southern frontier.[73] Matthias sent reinforcements to Stephen the Great, who invaded the pro-Ottoman Wallachia in early 1480; Matthias launched a campaign as far as Sarajevo in Bosnia in November.[181][154] He set up five defensive provinces, or banates, centered around the forts of Szörényvár (Drobeta-Turnu Severin in Romania), Belgrade, Šabac, Srebrenik and Jajce.[73] Next year Matthias initiated a criminal case against the Frankapans, the Zrinskis and other leading Croatian and Slavonian magnates, for their alleged participation in the 1471 conspiracy.[130] Most barons were pardoned as soon as they consented to the introduction of a new land tax.[130] For a loan of 100,000 florin, Matthias seized the town of Mautern in Styria and Sankt Pölten in Lower Austria from Friedrich Mauerkircher, one of the two candidates to the Bishopric of Passau, in 1481.[178]

Sultan Mehmed II died on 3 May 1481.[182] A civil war ensued in the Ottoman Empire between his sons Bayezid II and Cem.[183] The latter, being bested, fled to Rhodes, where the Knights Hospitaller kept him in custody.[183] Matthias claimed Cem's custody in the hope of using him as a means of extorting concessions from Bayezid, but Venice and Pope Innocent VIII strongly opposed this plan.[183] In the autumn of 1481, Hungarian auxiliary troops supported Matthias's father-in-law, Ferdinand I of Naples to reoccupy Otranto which had in the previous year been lost to the Ottomans.[184]

Although the "Black Army" laid siege to Hainburg an der Donau already in January 1482, Matthias officially declared a new war on Emperor Frederick only three months later.[170] He directed the siege in person from the end of June, and the town fell to him in October.[185] In the next three months Sankt Veit an der Glan, Enzersdorf an der Fischa and Kőszeg were also captured.[185] The papal legate, Bartolomeo Maraschi tried his utmost to mediate a peace treaty between Matthias and the Emperor, but Matthias refused.[185] Instead, he signed a truce for five years with Sultan Bayezid.[184]

For Matthias's marriage with Beatrice of Naples did not produce sons, he attempted to strengthen the position of his illegitimate son, John Corvinus.[186] For instance, the child received Sáros Castle (Šariš Castle, Slovakia), and inherited the extensive domains of his grandmother, Elizabeth Szilágyi, with his father's consent.[186] Matthias also forced Victor of Poděbrady to renounce of the Duchy of Troppau in Silesia in favor of John Corvinus in 1485.[187] Queen Beatrice sharply opposed Matthias's favoritism towards his son.[187] Even so, Matthias nominated her nephew, the 8-year-old Ippolito d'Este Archbishop of Esztergom.[188] The Pope refused to confirm the child's appointment for years.[189]

John Corvinus triumphen in Vienna
Matthias's illegitimate son, John Corvinus triumphed in Vienna in 1485

The "Black Army" encircled Vienna in January 1485.[190] The siege lasted for five months and ended with the triumphal entry of Matthias, at the head of 8,000 veterans, into Vienna on 1 June.[190] The King soon moved the royal court to the newly conquered town.[107] He summoned the Estates of Lower Austria to Vienna and forced them to swear loyalty to him.[191]

Upon the monarch's initiative the Diet of 1485 passed the so-called Decretum maius, a systematic law-code which replaced many previous contradictory decrees.[192][193] The law-code introduced substantial reforms in the administration of justice: the Palatine's eyre and the extraordinary county assemblies were abolished, which strengthened the position of the county courts.[192] On the other hand, Matthias decreed that in case of the monarch's absence or minority the Palatine was authorized to rule as Regent.[192]

Matthias, by the grace of God, king of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Rama, Serbia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Cumania, and Bulgaria, Duke of Silesia and Luxemburg and Margrave of Moravia and Lusatia, for the everlasting memory of the matter. It is fitting that kings and princes who by heavenly decree are placed at the summit of the highest office, be adorned not only by arms but also by laws and that the people subjected to them, as well as the reins of authority, are restrained by the strength of good and stable institutions rather than by the harshness of absolute power and reprehensible abuse.

— Preamble to the Decretum Maius[194]

Emperor Frederick persuaded six of the seven Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire to proclaim his son, Maximilian King of the Romans on 16 February 1486.[195] However, the Emperor had failed to invite the King of Bohemia—either Matthias or Vladislaus Jagiellon—to the assembly.[195][175] In an attempt to prevail on Vladislaus to protest, Matthias invited him to a personal meeting.[175][196] Although they formed an alliance in Jihlava in September, the Estates of Bohemia refused to confirm it, and Vladislaus recognized Maximilian's election.[196]

In the meantime Matthias continued his war against the Emperor.[197] The "Black Army" seized several towns—including Laa an der Thaya, and Stein—in Lower Austria in 1485 and 1486.[197] He set up his chancery for Lower Austria in 1486, but he never introduced a separate seal for this realm.[191] He assumed the title of Duke of Austria at the Diet of the Lower Austrian Estates in Ebenfurth in 1487.[198] He appointed Stephen Zápolya captain-general, Urban Nagylucsei administrator of the Archdiocese of Vienna, and entrusted the defense of the occupied towns and forts to Hungarian and Bohemian captains, but otherwise continued to employ Emperor Frederick's officials who accepted his rule.[198][199]

Wiener Neustadt, the last town resisting Matthias in Lower Austria, fell to him on 17 August 1487.[170][197] He started negotiations with Duke Albert III of Saxony, who arrived at the head of the imperial army to fight for Emperor Frederick III.[197] They signed an armistice for six months in Sankt Pölten on 16 December, which in fact put an end to the war.[197][200]

Last years (1487–1490)

The roughly 50-year-old Matthias (contemporary sculpture from Buda Castle)
Medieval Coat of Arms of Matthias Corvinus, guarded by Black Army heavy infantry men. Matthias Church, Budapest. The damaged art relic was renovated in 1893.

According to the contemporaneous Philippe de Commines, Matthias's subjects feared their King in the last years of his life, because he rarely showed mercy towards those whom suspected of treachery.[201] For instance, he had Archbishop Stephen Váradi imprisoned in 1484, and ordered the execution of his Chancellor of Bohemia, Jaroslav Boskovic in 1485.[202][203] He also imprisoned Nicholas Bánfi, a member of a magnate family, in 1487, although he had earlier avoided punishing the old aristocracy.[204] Bánfi's imprisonemet seems to have been connected to his marriage with a daughter of John the Mad, Duke of Glogau, because Matthias attempted to seize this duchy to John Corvinus.[204] John the Mad entered into an alliance with Henry of Poděbrady, Duke of Münsterberg, and declared a war on Matthias on 9 May.[205][206] Six month later the Black Army invaded and occupied his duchy.[205]

In the meantime, the citizens of Ancona, a town in the Papal State, hoping that Matthias would protect them against Venice, hoisted Matthias's flag.[207] Pope Innocent VIII soon protested, but Matthias denied to renounce of the town's protection, stating that this link between him and the town would never harm the interests of the Holy See.[207] He also sent an auxiliary troop to his father-in-law who was waging a war against the Holy See and Venice.[208]

The 1482 truce between Hungary and the Ottoman Empire was prolonged for two years in 1488.[209][205] On this occasion, it was also stipulated that the Ottomans were to refrain from invading Wallachia and Moldavia.[209] Next year Matthias granted two domains to Stephen the Great of Moldavia in Transylvania.[179]

Matthias, who suffered from gout, could not walk and was carried in a litter after March 1489.[210][211] Hereafter his succession caused bitter conflicts between Queen Beatrice and John Corvinus.[211] Matthias asked her brother, Alfonso, Duke of Calabria to persuade her not to strive for the Crown, stating that the "Hungarian people are capable of killing up unto the last man rather than submit to the government of a woman".[212][213] In order to strengthen his illegitimate son's position, Matthias even proposed to withdraw from Austria and to confirm Emperor Frederick's right to succeede him, provided that the Emperor were willing to grant Croatia and Bosnia to John Corvinus with the title of King.[214][213]

Matthias participated in the long ceremony of Palm Sunday in Vienna in 1490, although he had felt so ill in the morning that he could not have breakfast.[210][215] After he tasted a fig, which proved to be rotten, at noon, he became very agitated and suddenly felt faint.[216] Next day he was unable to speak.[216] After two days of suffering, Matthias died in the morning of 6 April.[216][215] According to Professor Frigyes Korányi, Matthias died of a stroke, while Dr. Herwig Egert does not exclude the possibility of poisoning.[216] Matthias funeral was held in the Stephansdom in Vienna.[216] He was burried in the Székesfehérvár Cathedral on 24 or 25 April.[217][218]

Patronage

The Renaissance king

Matthias was the first non-Italian monarch promoting the spread of Renaissance style in his realm.[6][7] His marriage to Beatrice of Naples strengthened the influence of contemporanous Italian art and scholarship.[219] For instance, the Italian scholar Marsilio Ficino introduced him Plato's ideas of a philosopher-king, uniting wisdom and strength in himself, which fascinated Matthias.[220] Matthias is the main character in Aurelio Lippo Brandolini's Republics and Kingdoms Compared, a dialogue on the comparison of the two forms of government.[221][222] According to Brandolini, Matthias stated that a monarch "is at the head of the law and rules over it", when summing up his own concepts of state.[222]

Matthias's golden florin
Matthias's golden florin depicting King Saint Ladislaus and Matthias's coat-of-arms

On the other hand, Matthias also cultivated traditional art.[223] Hungarian epic poems and lyric songs were often sung at his court.[223] He was proud of his role as the defender of Roman Catholicism against the Ottomans and the Hussites.[224] He initiated theological debates, for instance on the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, and surpassed both the Pope and his legate "with regard to religious observance", according to the latter.[225] His coins issued from the 1460s bore the picture of the Virgin Mary, demonstrating Matthias's special devotion to her cult.[226]

Upon Matthias's initiative, Archbishop John Vitéz and Bishop Janus Pannonius persuaded Pope Paul II to authorize them to set up a university in Pressburg (now Bratislava in Slovakia) on 29 May 1465.[227][71] However, the Academia Istropolitana, was closed shortly after the Archbishop's death.[228][229] Matthias was contemplating to establish a new university in Buda, but this plan was not accomplished.[228]

Building projects

Further information: History of Buda Castle and Visegrád
The Royal Palace in Buda, engraving from the 1480s
The Renaissance palaces of the summer residence at Visegrád, engraving from the 1480s

Matthias started at least two major building projects in order to demonstrate his power.[230] The works in both Buda and Visegrád began in about 1479.[231] At the royal castle of Buda, two new wings and a hanging garden were built, while the palace at Visegrád was rebuilt in Renaissance style.[231][232] Matthias appointed the Italian Chimenti Camicia and the Dalmatian Giovanni Dalmata to direct these building projects.[231] Matthias also hired the Italian military engineer Aristotele Fioravanti to direct the rebuilding of the forts along the southern frontier.[233] He had new monasteries built in Late Gothic style to the Franciscans in Kolozsvár, Szeged and Hunyad and to the Paulines in Fejéregyháza.[224][234]

Royal library

Main article: Bibliotheca Corviniana

Matthias started the systematic collection of books after the arrival of his first librarian, Galeotto Marzio, a friend of Janus Pannonius, from Ferrara around 1465.[235][236] The exchange of letters between Taddeo Ugoleto, who suceeded Marzio in 1471, and Francesco Bandini contributed to the development of the royal library, because the latter regularly informed his friend of new manuscripts.[235] Matthias also employed scriptors, illuminators, and book-binders.[237] Although the exact number of his books cannot exactly be determined, his Bibliotheca Corviniana was without doubt one of Europe's largest collections of books when he died.[238]

The scholar Marcus Tanner writes that the surviving 216 volumes of the King's library "show that Matthias had the literary tastes of a classic 'alpha male'", who preferred secular books to devotional works.[239] For instance, a Latin translation of Xenophon's biography of Cyrus the Great, Quintus Curtius Rufus's book of Alexander the Great, and a military treatise by the contemporaneous Roberto Valturio survived.[239] The King himself enjoyed reading, as it is demonstrated by a letter, in which he thanked Silius Italicus's work of the Second Punic War to the Italian scholar Pomponio Leto who had sent it to him.[239]

Patron of scholars

Matthias enjoyed the company of Humanist scholars and had lively discussions with them on various topics of his own interest.[240] The fame of his magnanimity encouraged many, mostly Italian, scholars to settle in Buda.[219] For instance, Antonio Bonfini, Pietro Ranzano, Bartolomeo Fonzio, and Francesco Bandini spent many years in Matthias's court.[241][240] This circle of men of letters introduced the ideas of Neo-Platonism in Hungary.[242][243]

Like all intellectuals of his age, Matthias was convinced that the movements and combinations of the stars and planets excercised influence on individuals' life and on the history of nations.[244] Galeotto Marzio even described him as "king and astrologer", and Antonio Bonfini stated that Matthias "never did anything without consulting the stars".[245] Upon his request, Johannes Regiomontanus and Marcin Bylica, two famous astronomers of his age, set up an observatory in Buda and installed with astrolabes and celestial globes.[225] Regiomontanus dedicated to his book on navigation, also used by Christopher Columbus, to Matthias.[219] The King appointed Bylica as his advisor in 1468.[246] According to scholar Scott E. Hendrix, "establishing a prominent astrologer as his political advisor provided an anxiety-reduction mechanism that boosted morale for the political elites within his realm while strengthening his sense of control in the face of the multiple adversities the Hungarians faced" in his reign.[247]

Family

Ancestors of Matthias Corvinus[248][249]
16. Costea (?)
8. Serbe
4. Voyk Hunyadi
2. John Hunyadi
5. Elizabeth Morzsinai (?)
1. Matthias Corvinus
24. Roland Szilágyi
12. Nicholas Szilágyi
6. Ladislaus Szilágyi
3. Elisabeth Szilágyi
7. Catherina Bellyéni

Matthias's first wife, Elizabeth of Celje was a child when their marriage took place in 1455.[11] She died in September before the marriage was consummated.[11][250] His second wife, Catherine of Poděbrady was born in 1449.[251] She died in childbirth in January or February 1464.[251][57] The child did not survive.[57]

Matthias approached Emperor Frederick for suggesting a new bride for him among his relatives.[85] Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg proposed one of his daughters to Matthias, but the Hungarian Estates opposed this plan.[85] In an attempt to enter into an alliance with King Casimir IV of Poland, Matthias proposed to the King's daughter, Hedvig, but he was refused.[252][253] During the 1470 meeting of Emperor Frederick and Matthias, a marriage between Matthias and the Emperor 5-year-old daughter, Kunigunde of Austria was also discussed, but the Emperor was not willing to commit himself to the project.[254]

Matthias's third wife, Beatrice of Naples was born in 1457.[255] Their engagement was announced in Breslau on 30 October 1474, during the siege of the town by Casimir IV and Vladislaus Jagiellon.[256] Her dowry amounted to 200,000 gold pieces.[257] She survived her husband and returned to Naples where she died in 1508.[258]

Matthias's only known child, John Corvinus was born out of wedlock in 1473.[259][260] His mother, Barbara Edelpöck—the daughter of a citizen of Stein in Lower Austria—met the King in early 1470.[259] John Corvinus died on 12 October 1504.[251]

Legacy

Matthias Corvinus Monument in front of St. Michael's Church (Cluj-Napoca)

At the end of his reign, Matthias ruled, with the words of scholar Marcus Tanner, "a European superpower".[261] However, his conquests were lost within months after his death.[262] The burghers of Breslau murdered Matthias's captain, Heinz Dompnig soon after they were informed of the King's death; the Emperor's rule in Vienna and Wiener Neustadt was restored without resistance by early July.[263][191] Even Matthias's partisan, Stephen Zápolya stated that the King's death relieved "Hungary of the trouble and oppression from which it had suffered so far".[264]

Royal authority quickly diminished due to the conflicts between various claimants—John Corvinus, Maximilian of the Romans, Vladislaus Jagiellon, and the latter's younger brother, John Albert—after his death.[265][266] Vladislaus Jagiellon triumphed, because the barons regarded him as a weak ruler, and he gained the support of Matthias's wealthy widow, Beatrice by a promise to marry her.[265][264] He was only elected king after he promised that he would abolish all "harmful innovations" introduced by Matthias, especially the extraordinary tax.[267] In lack of revenues, the new king could not finance the maintenance of Matthias's Black Army.[265] After the unpaid mercenaries began plundering the countryside, a royal force under Paul Kinizsi annihilated them on the river Száva in 1492.[265][268]

The burden of Matthias's wars and splendid royal court mainly fell on the peasants, who paid at least 85% of the taxes.[269][270] The Chronicle of Dubnic, written in the eastern parts of Hungary in 1479, writes that "widows and orphans" cursed the King for the high taxes.[271] On the other hand, stories about "Matthias the Just" wandering in disguise throughout his realm to deliver justice to his subjects seems to have spread already during his reign.[272] The saying "Dead is Matthias, lost is justice" became popular soon after the King's death, reflecting his subjects' view that commoners had more likely received a fair trial in Matthias's reign than under his successors.[193][273] Matthias's is also subject to Croatian, Serbian and Slovenian popular tales.[274] For instance, "King Matjaž" is one of the sleeping kings of the Slovenian folklore, which depicts him as a womanizer.[275][274]

Notes

  1. ^ http://integralleadershipreview.com/5397-feature-article-marsilio-ficino-magnus-of-the-renaissance-shaper-of-leaders
  2. ^ a b c Kubinyi 2008, p. 23.
  3. ^ Mureşanu 2001, p. 49.
  4. ^ Tanner 2009, pp. 27–28.
  5. ^ a b c Kubinyi 2008, p. 24.
  6. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 161.
  7. ^ a b Klaniczay 1992, p. 165.
  8. ^ a b Tanner 2009, p. 28.
  9. ^ Mureşanu 2001, p. 174.
  10. ^ Engel 2001, p. 292.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Kubinyi 2008, p. 25.
  12. ^ Engel 2001, pp. 290–292.
  13. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 25–26.
  14. ^ Engel 2001, pp. 280, 296.
  15. ^ Engel 2001, p. 296.
  16. ^ Fine 1994, p. 569.
  17. ^ a b c d Cartledge 2011, p. 61.
  18. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 26.
  19. ^ a b c d e Engel 2001, p. 297.
  20. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 27.
  21. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 49.
  22. ^ a b Tanner 2009, p. 50.
  23. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 28.
  24. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 30.
  25. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 30.
  26. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 29.
  27. ^ a b Magaš 2007, p. 75.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g Engel 2001, p. 298.
  29. ^ a b c d e Kubinyi 2008, p. 31.
  30. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 31–32.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bartl et al. 2002, p. 51.
  32. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 54.
  33. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 53–54.
  34. ^ a b c d Engel 2001, p. 299.
  35. ^ a b c d e Kubinyi 2008, p. 57.
  36. ^ Engel 2001, p. 300.
  37. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 55.
  38. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 32.
  39. ^ Engel 2001, pp. 282, 299.
  40. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 33.
  41. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 56.
  42. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 57–58.
  43. ^ Fine 1994, p. 573.
  44. ^ a b c Kubinyi 2008, p. 58.
  45. ^ a b c d Engel 2001, p. 315.
  46. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 60.
  47. ^ Bak et al. 1996, p. 7.
  48. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 125–126.
  49. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 51.
  50. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 49.
  51. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 61.
  52. ^ Markó 2006, p. 244.
  53. ^ Engel 2001, pp. 311–313.
  54. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 122, 181.
  55. ^ Engel 2001, pp. 311–312.
  56. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 63.
  57. ^ a b c d e Kubinyi 2008, p. 67.
  58. ^ Engel 2001, pp. 310–311.
  59. ^ a b c Fine 1994, p. 574.
  60. ^ a b c d e f Kubinyi 2008, p. 65.
  61. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 63, 65.
  62. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 63.
  63. ^ Fine 1994, p. 575.
  64. ^ a b Engel 2001, p. 301.
  65. ^ a b c Cartledge 2011, p. 62.
  66. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 69.
  67. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 37.
  68. ^ a b c d Šmahel 2011, p. 167.
  69. ^ Engel 2001, p. 303.
  70. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 58, 68–69.
  71. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Bartl et al. 2002, p. 52.
  72. ^ a b c d Kubinyi 2008, p. 59.
  73. ^ a b c Engel 2001, p. 309.
  74. ^ a b c d Pop 2005, p. 264.
  75. ^ Florescu & McNally 1989, pp. 150–152.
  76. ^ Florescu & McNally 1989, p. 157.
  77. ^ Florescu & McNally 1989, p. 156.
  78. ^ Babinger 1978, p. 208.
  79. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 68.
  80. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 68–69, 71.
  81. ^ Fine 1994, pp. 584–585.
  82. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 39.
  83. ^ a b c d Fine 1994, p. 586.
  84. ^ Babinger 1978, p. 229.
  85. ^ a b c d E. Kovács 1990, p. 161.
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  90. ^ Kubinyi 2004, p. 29.
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  115. ^ a b c Pop 2005, p. 266.
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  121. ^ a b c Kubinyi 2008, p. 88.
  122. ^ a b c E. Kovács 1990, p. 103.
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  126. ^ a b c E. Kovács 1990, p. 104.
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  220. ^ Cacioppe 2007.
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  223. ^ a b Klaniczay 1992, p. 173.
  224. ^ a b Klaniczay 1992, p. 168.
  225. ^ a b Tanner 2009, p. 99.
  226. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 184.
  227. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 182.
  228. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 169.
  229. ^ Bak 1994, p. 75.
  230. ^ E. Kovács 1990, pp. 177, 180–181.
  231. ^ a b c Engel 2001, p. 319.
  232. ^ E. Kovács 1990, pp. 180–181.
  233. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 181.
  234. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 183.
  235. ^ a b E. Kovács 1990, pp. 183–184.
  236. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 52.
  237. ^ Klaniczay 1992, pp. 166–167.
  238. ^ Tanner 2009, pp. 8–10.
  239. ^ a b c Tanner 2009, p. 7.
  240. ^ a b Klaniczay 1992, p. 166.
  241. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 185.
  242. ^ Klaniczay 1992, p. 167.
  243. ^ Engel 2001, p. 321.
  244. ^ Hendrix 2013, p. 59.
  245. ^ Hendrix 2013, pp. 63, 65.
  246. ^ Hendrix 2013, p. 57.
  247. ^ Hendrix 2013, p. 58.
  248. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 203–204.
  249. ^ Mureşanu 2001, pp. 43–44.
  250. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 48.
  251. ^ a b c E. Kovács 1990, p. 26.
  252. ^ E. Kovács 1990, p. 105.
  253. ^ Teke 1981, p. 290.
  254. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 78.
  255. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 80.
  256. ^ Teke 1981, p. 296.
  257. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 88.
  258. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 150.
  259. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 134.
  260. ^ Tanner 2009, p. 94.
  261. ^ Tanner 2009, p. xi.
  262. ^ Tanner 2009, p. xv.
  263. ^ Tanner 2009, pp. 151–152.
  264. ^ a b Engel 2001, p. 345.
  265. ^ a b c d Cartledge 2011, p. 69.
  266. ^ Engel 2001, p. 344.
  267. ^ Bak 1994, p. 76.
  268. ^ Teke 1981, p. 321.
  269. ^ Cartledge 2011, pp. 66–67.
  270. ^ Bak 1994, p. 71.
  271. ^ Kubinyi 2008, p. 166.
  272. ^ Kubinyi 2008, pp. 174–175.
  273. ^ Cartledge 2011, p. 63.
  274. ^ a b Kubinyi 2008, p. 177.
  275. ^ Lukács 2010, pp. 371–379.

Sources

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  • Bak, János (1994). "The Late Medieval period (1382-1526)". In Sugar, Peter F.; Hanák, Péter; Frank, Tibor (eds.). A History of Hungary. Indiana University Press. pp. 54–82. ISBN 0-253-20867-X. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Bak, János M.; Domonkos, Leslie S.; Harvey, Paul B.; Garay, Kathleen (1996). The Laws of the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary, 1458-1490 (The Laws of Hungary, Series I: Volume3). Charles Schlacks, Jr. ISBN 1-884445-26-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Bartl, Július; Čičaj, Viliam; Kohútova, Mária; Letz, Róbert; Segeš, Vladimír; Škvarna, Dušan (2002). Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon. Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Slovenské Pedegogické Nakladatel'stvo. ISBN 0-86516-444-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Template:Hu icon Bónis, György (1971). A jogtudó értelmiség a Mohács előtti Magyarországon [Hungarian intelligentsia having legal expertise in the period before the battle of Mohács]. Akadémiai Kiadó. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Boubín, Jaroslav (2011). "The Bohemian Crownlands under the Jagiellons (1471-1526)". In Pánek, Jaroslav; Tůma, Oldřich (eds.). A History of the Czech Lands. Charles University in Prague. pp. 173–187. ISBN 978-80-246-1645-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Cacioppe, Ron (2007). "Marsilio Ficino: Magnus of the Renaissance, Shaper of Leaders". Integral Leadership Review. 7 (2). Integral Publishers. ISSN 1554-0790. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Cartledge, Bryan (2011). The Will to Survive: A History of Hungary. C. Hurst & Co. ISBN 978-1-84904-112-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Dörner, Anton E. (2005). "Transylvania between stability and crisis (1457-1541)". In Pop, Ioan-Aurel; Nägler, Thomas (eds.). The History of Transylvania, Vol. I. (until 1541). Romanian Cultural Institute. pp. 299–348. ISBN 973-7784-04-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Template:Hu icon E. Kovács, Péter (1990). Matthias Corvinus. Officina Nova. ISBN 963-7835-49-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Engel, Pál (2001). The Realm of St Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary, 895–1526. I.B. Tauris Publishers. ISBN 1-86064-061-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Fine, John V. A (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08260-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Florescu, Radu R.; McNally, Raymond T. (1989). Dracula Prince of Many Faces: His Life and His Ties. Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-28656-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Hendrix, Scott E. (2013). "Astrological forecasting and the Turkish menace in the Renaissance Balkans" (PDF). Anthropology. 13 (2). Universitatis Miskolciensis: 57–72. ISSN 1452-7243. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Klaniczay, Tibor (1992). "The age of Matthias Corvinus". In Porter, Roy; Teich, Mikuláš (eds.). The Renaissance in National Context. Cambridge University Press. pp. 164–179. ISBN 0-521-36970-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Template:Hu icon Kubinyi, András (2004). "Adatok a Mátyás-kori királyi kancellária és az 1464. évi kancelláriai reform történetéhez [On the history of the Royal Chancellery in the reign of Matthias Corvinus and of the 1464 reform of the chancellery]" (PDF). Publicationes Universitatis Miskolciensis. Sectio Philosophica. IX (1). Universitatis Miskolciensis: 25–58. ISSN 1219-543X. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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  • Šmahel, František (2011). "The Hussite Revolution (1419-1471)". In Pánek, Jaroslav; Tůma, Oldřich (eds.). A History of the Czech Lands. Charles University in Prague. pp. 149–169. ISBN 978-80-246-1645-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Tanner, Marcus (2009). The Raven King: Matthias Corvinus and the Fate of his Lost Library. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-15828-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Template:Hu icon Teke, Zsuzsa (1981). "A középkori magyar állam virágzása és bukása, 1301-1526: 1458-1490 [Flourishing and Fall of Medieval Hungary, 1301-1526: 1458-1490]". In Solymosi, László (ed.). Magyarország történeti kronológiája, I: a kezdetektől 1526-ig [Historical Chronology of Hungary, Volume I: From the Beginning to 1526]. Akadémiai Kiadó. pp. 79–187. ISBN 963-05-2661-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matthias Corvinus of Hungary.
  • Bárány, Attila; Györkös, Attila, eds. (2008). Matthias and his Legacy: Cultural and Political Encounters between East and West. University of Debrecen. ISBN 978-963-473-276-1.
  • Birnbaum, Marianna D. (1996). The Orb and the Pen: Janus Pannonius, Matthias Corvinus and the Buda Court. Balassi Kiadó. ISBN 963-506-087-4.
  • Farbaky, Péter; Spekner, Enikő; Szende, Katalin; Végh, András, eds. (2008). Matthias Corvinus, the King: Tradition and Renewal in the Hungarian Royal Court 1458–1490. Budapest History Museum. ISBN 978-963-9340-69-5.
  • Feuer-Tóth, Rózsa (1990). Art and Humanism in Hungary in the Age of Matthias Corvinus. Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 963-0556-46-4.
  • Template:De icon Gastgeber, Christian; Mitsiou, Ekaterini; Pop, Ioan-Aurel; Popović, Mihailo; Preiser-Kapeller, Johannes; Simon, Alexandru (2011). Matthias Corvinus und seine Zeit: Europa am Übergang vom Mittelalter zur Neuzeit zwischen Wien und Konstantinopel [Matthias Corvinus and His Time: Europe in Transition from the Middle Ages to Modern Times between Vienna and Constantinople]. David Brown Book Company. ISBN 978-3-7001-6891-1.
  • Klaniczay, Tibor; Jankovics, József (1994). Matthias Corvinus and the Humanism in Central Europe. Balassi Kiadó. ISBN 963-7873-72-4.


Matthias Corvinus
Born: 23 February 1443  Died: 6 April 1490
Regnal titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Ladislaus V 		King of Hungary and Croatia
1458–1490 		Succeeded by
Preceded by King of Bohemia
(disputed)
1469–1490
Preceded by Duke of Austria
(disputed)
1487–1490 		Succeeded by

Template:Persondata

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