H. Kolba Judit szerk.: Historical Exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum Guide 2 - From the Foundation of the State until the Expulsion of the Ottomans - The history of Hungary in the 11th to 17th centuries (Budapest, 2005)

ROOM 1 - The Age of the House of Árpád Kings (11th—13th centuries) (Júlia Kovalovszki)

4. Bronze figurai ewer (aquamanile), Büngösdpuszta, 12th century serving-people for the royal residences lived, but also enormous forests. (The settling of the forests would take some centuries.) The estates left over were shared out among the Church and private proprietors. The counties set up by Stephen are shown on a map. Szabolcs castle, one of the huge castles built from wood and earth, is shown on a photo. The military organization of the kingdom was founded on the new castles. The castleserfs and the free Hungarian inhabitants of the villages belonging to the castles were the mainstays of the royal power. The office-holders in the castles came from the wealthier strata, and military service was both their privilege and their duty. They formed the core of what was later the nobility. The commoners were ordered to serve the castle, with service consisting primarily of money and kind. The bulk of the Hungarian army consisted of light cavalry but, especially in the immediate entourage of the king, heavily equipped armoured knights soon made their appearance. The weapons used by the light 11 cavalry are known from the arms used by the Oriental ethnic groups which joined the Hungarians in the 13th century. These arms did not differ essentially from those of the Hungarians, since the Hungarians of the Conquest period had also fought with bows, arrows and sabres. The said arms were complemented by light pikes and maces. Among the items of heavy equipment there belonged different kinds of armour, helmets and shields. The most important of the offensive weapons were the double-edged swords with different pommels and the lances; among the last-mentioned the socalled Budapest lance is an outstanding piece. Its socket is plated with gold lamella with niello decoration; it might have been an power emblem (Gotland, 11th century). The wearing of spurs began in the 11th century. The curb-bits decorated with bronzegilt mountings representing dragons and birds (Zsámbék, 13th century) may have been used for festive occasions. Valuable accoutrements were the privilege of men of the highest position, who excelled in their attire as well. The magnificence of their apparel also heightened the splendour of the court. Their jewellery and the clothing accessories (Fig. 3) were made from gold and silver. With the spread of written records (13th century), signet rings also served to attest documents. The figurai ewers (aquamanile: Kisjenő and Büngösdpuszta [Fig. 4], 12th century) representing hunting armed knights with dog and the game pursued, point to the fact that hunting had a great importance. The ivory horn (olifant) made in the 10th century may have been used as a hunting-horn, the original is kept in Jászberény Museum. THE CHURCH With the aid of priests invited from foreign countries, Stephen founded, the Hungarian