Hungarian Heritage Review, 1987 (16. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1987-08-01 / 8. szám
was unquestionably one of the richest, and her military position was rock solid. Of course, as is the case in Hungary’s history — more than that of other nations — there was always an overhanging peril. For as of this time there was still no male heir to Matthias’ line. Discord in the Palace Matthias did, indeed, have a son. Back in 1470, when he had just assumed the throne of Hungary and was enjoying his new status in Breslau, he had fallen in love with the daughter of the mayor of the city . Barbara Krebs was beautiful and intelligent, but because she was a commoner, Matthias could not marry her. She did, however, become his mistress — with the consent of her father. In time she bore the King a son, named Janos in honor of his grandfather. The boy grew to manhood under the guidance and tutelage of his grandmother Elizabeth Szilagyi, and the King made him a Duke. This fact annoyed Matthias’ Queen, Beatrix, who, in addition to disliking the young man, became convinced that Matthias’ old mistress — now a nun — had placed a spell upon her so that she herself could not have any children. This feeling served to disturb the relationship between King and Queen. And the presence of the illegitimate son stirred ripples of possible trouble for the future. Kenyérmező Domestic troubles were coupled with the upheaval of new international problems. For the Turks, busy harassing Hungarian borders, suddenly mounted a major attack at the fortress of Kenyérmező. Here, despite the heroic efforts of the Voivode, István Báthory, the Turks were on the verge of victory. Suddenly, however, they found themselves facing reinforcements in the form of the King’s own troops, led by Matthias himself. In the debacle that followed, the Turks lost over 30,000 men. One of the heroes of this encounter was the huge warrior, Pal Kinizi, a man of legendary strength and courage. It was said that he first came to the King's attention when he offered the monarch a drink, using a monstrous millstone that he held in one hand, as a table. Now, turning to Frederick III, Matthias continued his triumphal march until he occupied Vienna itself. It was here that he hoped to realize his dream of becoming Holy Roman Emperor. Since, however, the German lords had decided to choose Maximilian, the Emperor’s son, to be their ruler when his father died, Matthias' dream remained just that. Death of the Dream Matthias died in 1490, at the piUeatones ,Jn Hungarian ^äistorg age of fifty and at the height of his powers. He left his land at peace, with a people enjoying a stable system of social justice and law, as well as an unprecedented prosperity and position of honor and power. He had created a cultural climate that pervaded the Hungarian soul long after the physical symbols had crumbled or been destroyed. His greatest epitaph lay in the proud but sorrowful statement: “Matthias is dead, and justice has gone with him.” And once again, with the loss of a firm, just ruler on the throne, Hungary was left prey to the jealousies and ambitions of the nobles and great magnates who had always resented the curbs upon their power and privileges. These feelings of discontent were to burst out into flames which would not only destroy much of what had been so laboriously built, but would place the very existence of the country in jeopardy. 22 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW AUGUST 1987
