The Eighth Tribe, 1978 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1978-06-01 / 6. szám

Page 6

THE EIGHTH TRIBE

June, 1978

Relations with Bosnia, Serbia and the Crusaders

After the successful conquest of Croatia and Dalmatia by Kings St. Ladislas and Coloman, Hungary’s next step into the Balkans came in 1136, when King Béla II conquered most of the territory that later came to be known as Bosnia, and then assumed the additional title of “King of Rama.” The northern section of this region came under immediate Hungarian administration, while its southern section became part of two separate defensive “march counties,” the Banates of Só (Shó) and Ozora. Moreover, in the southernmost part of the conquered region — in the upper reaches of the Bosna River — native bans gradually established the Banate of Bosnia, under the protection of the kings of Hungary. The most notable of these early Bosnian bans was Ban Kulin (1168-1204), noted both for his independent-mindedness, as well as for his support of the so-called Bogomil heresy. In the course of the next two centuries this banate gradually evolved into an autonomous or near-independent kingdom. Nonetheless, it remained under various degrees of Hungarian suzerainty right into the second half of the fifteenth century, when Hungarian power was replaced by the rule of the Ottoman Turks.

The acquisition of Bosnia was paralleled by the establishment of close dynastic ties between the Hungarian Árpáds and the grand zhupan» (princes) of Rascia (Serbia). This new relationship manifested itself already in King Béla II’s marriage to Helene, the daughter of Grand Zhupan Urosh, as well as in the dominant role of Helena’s brother, Ban Belosh, during the minority and early reign of King Géza II. Ban Belosh, who rose to be Hungary’s nádor (palatinate), was a wise and able statesman, who tried to bring young Géza up to be a wise ruler. Belosh also had to deal with the armies of the Second Crusade that crossed Hungary in 1147. Led respectively by the Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II and by King Louis VII of France, the undisciplined crusaders created many problems for Hungary. They had to be fed, supplied and kept in check. Yet, their crossing also produced some positive results for the country. King Géza II of Hungary and King Louis VII of France became friends. This friendship, in turn, became the foundation stone of Hungary’s new French orientation, which — reaching its climax during the reign of Béla III in the last third of the twelfth century — brought many benefits to the country.

The crusaders were also accompanied by two historians, the German Otto Babenberg, the Bishop of Freising, and the Italian Odo de

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A New York Times article (almost two columns in length), “An Enlightening Collection From Budapest” by Rita Reif (March 12, 1978, p. D27) states: “The revivals of interest in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement have sparked numerous exhibitions and more than a score of books ... both movements emerged at the turn of the century... to reestablish handicrafts and standards of excellence in the decorative arts ...: Art Nouveau is basically baroque and characterized by whiplash curves, whereas the Arts and Crafts style is neo-medieval and architectural in its orientation. ... the cities to which it (i.e., the exhibit) will travel, all have large Hungarian-American communities. New Brunswick, a city of about 40,000, has approximately 7,000 Hungarian-Americans, and in its suburbs are thousands more of first, second and third generation citizens who trace their origins to Hungary, according to Phillip Dennis Cate, director of the university’s enterprising gallery.” The show will be taken later to “Wausau, Wis.;1 South Bend, Ind.; Rochester; Sacramento; Cincinnati, and Chica_.n

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Another news item in The Rutgers Daily Tar gum (March 13, 1978, pp. 3, 9) is excerpted as follows: “In the decade before World War I, Hungarian arts reflected the dominant stylistic trend of the period — the art nouveau, said Phillip Cate, director of the University Art Gallery. ... Hungary, celebrating its 1,000th anniversary in 1896, enthusiastically adapted elements of the art nouveau style in all fields of artistic production, to create a national style, Cate said.” Within the display are “ceramics from the Zsolnay factory at Pécs, graphic (sic) by the Persian-trained artist József Rippl- Rónai, and decorative arts by Pál Horti” as well as “photographs... of ... architecture and interiors, with emphasis on important work of Odon Lechner, ... The University Art Gallery, Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and the American Hungarian Foundation” were co-sponsors of additional events at the gallery concurrently with the exhibit.

Yet an additional item captioned “Art Nouveau exhibit, a refreshing change,” by Frances Burke (Special to The News Tribune, March 17, 1978, p. 11) informs us thusly: “Primarily a movement in the applied arts such as jewelry, ceramics, leather and metal work, furniture, wallpaper, etc., Art Nouveau originated in England, peaked in France and eventually settled in Austria. But it affected all of the western world and in the current exhibit at Rutgers University, ... Hungary’s contribution to the movement is examined in an entertaining and painlessly educational way. ... But it is in the embroidery, laces and tapestries that the blending of traditional Hungarian folk art with the ‘new art’ produces a true national style within the framework of an international style. ...”

On opening day, a lecture en-