Hungarian Heritage Review, 1986 (15. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1986-08-01 / 8. szám
AUGUST 1986 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW 21 His 3®itlß0tOttßS (3ltt ROGER B. GOODMAN pSf ^Hungarian ^tsrtorjj ||||# — Part Eight — FOUNDATIONS OF THE KINGDOM Thanks to the strength and determination of its several strong and imaginative kings, beginning, of course, with King Saint Stephen, Hungary had become, by the Twelfth Century, a powerful, influential and envied country. Its relatively swift growth, its considerable prosperity, and its vast resources, plus its strategic location in Central Europe, made the land a constant target of the expansionism and greed of neighboring kingdoms. Almost from the beginning of its national identity — but after its own role as a successful invader of the borders of nearby lands — Hungary had to resist political intrigues as well as outright military attempts to make it part of other empires and monarchies. But it was its unique insistence upon retaining its own particular “personality” that made it resist complete absorption into other spheres. The Byzantine “Clutch” For more than half a century after the death of King Kalman in 1116, the Byzantine Empire tried desperately to bring Hungary into its fold. Various weak kings of Hungary either sought Byzantine help to gain their thrones or needed Byzantine forces to help them keep their power. Oddly enough, it was a grandson of King Saint László who appeared to have the greatest opportunity to fulfill the dream of Byzantine expansion. Emperor Manuel of the Byzantine Empire, claiming kinship with the Arpad dynasty through his mother, Piroska, dreamed of reestablishing, under his reign, the glories of the ancient Roman Empire. In the course of twenty-two years he attacked Hungary no less than ten times, each time unsuccessfully. But it was through Bela, son of Almos, that Manuel felt he had his finest chance to accomplish his vast, imperial goal. Bela, the “Byzantine” Bela, the younger brother to King István III of Hungary, was invited to Manuel’s court, with a promise that the Imperial Princess would be his bride. If this had been accomplished, on the death of István, the throne of Hungary would go to Bela, and since he would also become Emperor of Byzantium, the unification of this great empire would be completed. At the Greek court, Bela’s name was changed to Alexios, and the young prince was regarded as heir to both the Hungarian and Byzantine thrones. A Change in Plans Circumstances, however, soon changed the situation within the Empire, as well as inflicting a considerable transformation on Bela’s position. First, a son was born to the wife of Emperor Manuel; Bela’s position as heir to the throne was therefore rescinded. Second, Bela’s engagement to the daughter of Manuel was revoked by the Emperor. From then on Bela remained at court simply as a friend of the Emperor. Manuel kept Alexios (Bela) at his court, anticipating that when the Hungarian throne became vacant, he would have a friend and ally to work with towards achieving his grandiose schemes. Farewell, Alexios! When, in 1172, István III died, Bela did indeed become King of Hungary. Accompanied by an escort of Byzantine troops, he returned to his native land to claim his throne. But on his assuming royal power, Bela surprised the expectant Manuel. He discarded forever his Greek name, Alexios. In addition, he put to good use all the things he had learned about the efficient operation of the Byzantine Empire. And he translated these changes into Hungarian usage. Even though he had great reforms in mind, Bela was forced to overcome severe obstacles. The Hungarians did not completely trust him: his Greek stay hindered their acceptance of him as a true and genuine Hungarian monarch. They felt that because he had come with Byzantine forces in attendance, his loyalties were somehow suspect. Indeed, Bela had to send his own mother into exile, because she was trying to establish his younger brother, Geza, on the throne. But Bela proved strong enough to handle these difficulties, plus, of course, the extraordinary handicap of being blind. (Remember that he and his father had been blinded by King Kalman!) Shrewdness and Strength Combining the cunning arts of diplomacy he had learned at the Greek court with strong leadership on the field, Bela was able to keep Hungary free of Byzantine clutches; actually, when Emperor Manuel died, Bela won back Sirmium and Dalmatia, previously seized by Manuel, to Hungarian rule. And Bela was able to proceed with his own plans to develop and strengthen Hungary itself. Among his first achievements, Bela established the Royal Chancellery, an institution through which written records were kept of every important matter that came before the King. In this way, people who received and owned estates in the realm were enabled to prove their titles by reference to solid and valid documents. This was an enormous step towards implementing civil law and civil rights in Hungary. Oddly enough, this regulation also promoted literacy throughout Hungary. Because it was essential that property owners be able to understand the deeds to their estates, it was decreed that there be at least one literate person in every community in the kingdom. Bela’s “Outreach” Program Under Bela’s rule scholars and students were sent throughout Europe to study and to observe. When they returned to Hungary, they were placed in important, —continued next page
