Dr. Szabó Lajos: Nők a magyar sportban (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 3. Budapest, 2003)

Women have always had an important, yet unrecognized, role in the 1000-year written history of Hungary, in political, religious and cultural life. Before the Hungarians settled in the Carpathian Basin, patriarchal families were characteristic, however, it was aristocratic women who had power through their dowries. After becoming Christians, the Magyars declared themselves as "the country of Mary, mother of Jesus" (Regnum Marianum). As a result, the word Maria ("mother") very frequently appeared in the name of settlements, or as patron saint of churches, or figures on the altar frescoes. During the creation/foundation of the new state (during the life of Géza I and István I), women retained their power through diplomatic agreements. The wife of Géza I was of Bulgarian origin (representing the turning towards the Eastern Christianity), but Gizella, the wife of his son Steven I, originated already from a western Christian country (Bavaria), and with her arrival into the royal court, the western type of culture and tradition appeared in Hungary. The accompanying knights very often became the target of pagan Magyars. The feudal state was often criticized because of the construction of knight's palaces and the organization of tournaments by the big families living according the old traditions. In the second half of the 13th century, running and jumping events were also organized in which aristocratic women participated. In a decree of 1263, it can be read that Steven V presented Jolanta, the daughter of his falcon keeper, as she defeated her own daughter in running and jumping. Wives of aristocratic noblemen had special entertainment: hunting with falcons and different forms of ball games. Mary, the daughter of Lewis I of the Anjou dynasty was once depicted on a frescoe, with her husband, Sigismund of Luxembourg while playing a ball game. Hungarian students who studied at Italian universities (Padua, Bologna) were those who popularized these ball games in Hungary, mainly in the royal court and in noblemen's castles. Body culture of the poorest people was manifested only during the religious (Whitsun/ Pentecostal), personal (wedding) and cultivation (vintage) holidays in the folk games. During the 150 years of Turkish occupation the so called "fighting woman" became the ideal in Hungary. Poems and songs were written about the women who defended their castles in heroic battles (Nona Zrinyi). It was Dorottya Kanizsai in the 16th and Zsuzsanna Lórántffy in the 17th century who founded several schools in Hungary. The latter invited Johannes Amos Comenius to Sárospatak, to spend four years in the Reformist College where his famous work "Orbis Sensualium Pictus" was also written. In another book, Comenius wrote of the neccessity of physical education for girls. In the 18th century, Turkish occupation was replaced by the Habsburg reign. Hungarian noblemen often resisted the new school systems, as they were afraid of Germanization. In 1777, Queen Maria Theresa issued the "Ratio Educationis", which became the basis of national development. As general