The Eighth Tribe, 1977 (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1977-09-01 / 9. szám
Page 10 THE EIGHTH TRIBE September, 1977 At this early stage, much of the iron ore was gained from surface veins, although we also know of some mining. After collecting the ore, it was crushed, mixed with charcoal, and then melted with the help of hand-operated bellows in small furnaces cut into the hillside. This was a slow process, and a whole day’s work would yield only two to five pounds of iron. Thus, to supply the needs of contemporary Magyar society (the sabers, stirrups and bridle-bits of the standing army of 20,000 horsemen alone required twenty metric tons of iron), iron production must have been a well-organized and centrally controlled industry. While the majority of the craftsmen were Magyars, there was also a tendency on the part of the tribal aristocracy to employ non-Magyar artisans, especially for the manufacturing of luxury goods. These alien artisans were generally Muslims, who brought with them the highly developed skills of the Islamic Civilization. More specifically, the majority of them were Turkic Khwarizmians (Hung. Kdliz or Kváliz). Some of these came with the three Kabar tribes who joined the Magyar tribal federation in the late ninth century. Other Muslims may have come later, perhaps from the direction of the Byzantine Empire. There were also some Alan and some “Jewish” craftsmen who came with Kurszán’s and Árpád’s conquerors. But in all probality, these “Jews” were really Turkic Khazars who had converted to Judiasm around 860 A.D. The Káliz and other Muslim kraftsmen were especially adept in producing art work, such as the finely carved silver and gold plates of the famed Magyar sabertaches, saber hilts, belt buckles, scabbard tips, bracelets, ornamental disks, and other types of jewelry -— most of which showed heavy Caucasian, Iranian and Sassanian (post-Christian Persian) influences. These Kálizes and Jews were also heavily involved in tenth-century Hungarian commerce. The Magyars had been intermediaries between the East Slavs and the Byzantines already in Levedia and in Etelköz. They generally received furs and slaves as tribute (in the mid-ninth century Magyar control extended even to the area of Kiev), and then exchanged these “goods” with the Byzantines for such luxury items as oriental rugs, silks, brocades and fine pottery. Following their conquest of the Carpathian Basin, the Magyars continued to trade both with the Islamic World, as well as with the Byzantine Empire. This is attested to by the numerous Islamic silver Dirhems and Byzantine golden Soldi (sing. Solidus) in Magyar graves of the post-conquest period. These coins, however, were used primarily 50 described in the inscription on the granite monument at Springfield as one of “the most daring and brilliant cavalry charges of the Civil War.” Zágonyi has been celebrated in poems, paintings, and stories for his heroic activities. Albert Anzelm was named lieutenant colonel of the 3rd Missouri Infantry Regiment. Later he was promoted to colonel and became General Fremont’s chief of staff. Anzelm was severely wounded in the Battle of Wilson Creek. Hailed by Giuseppe Garibaldi as “the hero of heroes” for his bravery in Italy, Fülöp Figyelmessi came to America in 1861, and served as American counsel in British Guinea for more than twenty years. He served in the Civil War under General Fremont and was appointed inspector general at Wheeling, West Virginia. For his active part in the organization of the 10th Iowa Volunteer Regiment, Nicholas Perczel was named its first colonel. The regiment went into battle in early 1862. It was part of the army that captured 5,000 Confederate soldiers near Tipton, Missouri. This regiment participated also in the siege of Corinth. The battle near Iuka, Missouri, resulted in heavy losses for the regiment. Brigadier generals Schuyler Hamilton and John C. Sullivan had high praise for Colonel Perczel’s brave conduct in the service. 1862 Alexander Jekelfalussy, while serving as a lieutenant in the 24th Illinois Regiment, submitted his resignation to the commanding officer of the regiment, Géza Mihalótzy. Jekelfalussy stated that his resignation was prompted by his conscientious objection to the standing order requiring each regiment to give up fugitive slaves hiding in its camp. His resignation was not accepted. Gabriel Korponay was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 28th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The famous polka dancer Korponay had come to America around 1840. He served as captain in the 3rd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and participated in the Mexican War. He taught fencing at a small private boys’ school in St. Louis. Brig. Gen. George Dashiel Bayard, killed in action at Fredericksburg, Virginia, had been one of liis students. Korponay left for Hungary to fight in the War of Independence of 1848-49, but Hungarian resistance had already been crushed by the Russian and Austrian armies by the time he arrived. Korponay returned to America and worked as an interpreter for the Eastern District of the U.S. Court. In 1858, he wrote a letter to Attorney General J. J. Crittenden and offered bis services and those of a hundred other volunteers in the upcoming struggle.
