Hungarian Heritage Review, 1987 (16. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1987-08-01 / 8. szám
3MÜ£8tonez (3n Hungarian JMtsiorg- by-ROGER B. GOODMAN Part II A MOMENT OF GLORY: MATTHIAS THE KING —From “The Spirit of Hungary” by Stephen Sisa. Published by the Rákóczi Foundation Busts of Beatrix and Matthias Matthias Corvinus Through the influence of the Queen, a child of the Italian Renaissance, the Court soon blossomed into glory. Matthias himself was a scholar, versed in several languages, able to read widely and to write intelligently, and always delighted in the company of learned men. Craftsmen from all over Europe flocked to the Court; great, highly decorated halls and chambers graced the Royal Palace and other buildings. Court musicians filled the air with their harmonious sounds. Ambassadors and representatives from other lands spoke admiringly of the splendor of Royal Buda. The King collected a magnificent library and encouraged printing and scholarship. And it was at this time that he was given the surname “Corvinus” (the raven), a reference to the bird in the heraldry of his great father, Janos. The grandeur of the Court was both a beacon and a reflection of the position of Hungary in the world. For she was now one of the most populous of the great powers; she —continued next page AUGUST 1987 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW 21
