A FORGOTTEN HUNGARIAN ROYAL DYNASTY: THE SZAPOLYAIS

From the 1460s onwards, the Szapolyai family played a decisive role in the history of Hungary for more than a hundred years. The studies in this volume highlight the extraordinary careers of members of the family’s first generation, which made them the greatest landowning magnates of the country. Relying on the wealth, prestige and military force of the dynasty, John (János), a member of the second generation, successfully governed Transylvania for a decade and a half; it was partly due to this achievement that in 1526 the majority of Hungarian noblemen found him worthy of the orphaned throne of Louis II. The writings in this volume explore King John’s foreign, urban and church politics, the cultural trends at his court, as well as his relations with the Ottoman Empire, and those of his successors (Queen Isabella and her son John II, elected king of Hungary). What we learn from these texts is that the history of the Szapolyais can be divided into two parts: after their successful rise as kings of Hungary, their family background was no longer sufficient for effective governance. The country became a battleground for global empires, and the Szapolyais, similarly to the Jagiellonians, were unable to overcome their vulnerable circumstances. After centuries of the subject being neglected, this volume undertakes to give the last Hungarian royal dynasty the evaluation it deserves.