H. Kolba Judit szerk.: Historical Exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum Guide 2 - From the Foundation of the State until the Expulsion of the Ottomans - The history of Hungary in the 11th to 17th centuries (Budapest, 2005)

ROOM 6 - Hungary Split into Three Parts. The Ottoman Occupation (second half of the 16th century-17th century) (Ibolya Gerelyes)

46. Pendant with opals, 1st half of the 16th century The Ottoman view is represented by the copy of a miniature from the Ottoman chronicle of 1558, dealing with the events of the life of Suleyman the Magnificent. Its painters must have been in possession of exact data about the location and course of the Mohács battle. Another miniature from the Ottoman chronicle is linked to an event, still a little unclear, connected with the Holy Crown of Hungary. In autumn 1529, on his way to the unsuccessful Vienna raid, Suleyman confirmed John I (Szapolyai) in Buda as king of Hungary, and even handed over to him the Holy Crown, which had come into his possession from the Keeper of the Crown Péter Perényi, when he fell into Turkish hands. We do not know the exact details, but it is a fact that in 1529 the crown was in Suleyman's camp before it passed into the possession of King John, who escaped with it to Transylvania. The third Turkish miniature, also from the chronicle of Arifi, shows the capture of Buda Castle in 1541. In the middle of the picture we again find Sultan Suleyman, before him stands the dowager queen Isabella, with the infant John Sigismund (1556-71) in her arms. In the foreground, members of the Hungarian retinue are shown in groups, among them are György Martinuzzi, known as Fráter György (Friar George), bishop of Várad, later cardinal. In the background we see Janissaries, infiltrating the castle, in order to seize it by a ruse. The high technical level of the jewellery of the period is shown on an elaborately made artistic pendant with opals, whose owner was, acccording to tradition, Queen Isabella herself (Fig. 46). The portraits of the two monarchs, Ferdinand I and Suleyman I, respectively, who divided the territory of the country between them, were painted by unknown 16th-century masters, that of Sultan Suleyman without doubt by an Italian follower of Titian. Documents from the time mention no fewer than four portraits of Suleyman attributed to Titian. The features of John Sigismund, prince of Transylvania, are portrayed by the German engraver Domenicus Custos. RENAISSANCE RELICS FROM 16TH CENTURY HUNGARY While the stylistic trend of Renaissance art was at the time of its appearance bound mainly to the royal court, in its spread following the death of King Matthias an important role was played by the aristocracy. One of the most generous patrons of the arts was András Báthory, lord-lieutenant of Somogy and Szatmár. It was he who ordered the choir-stalls for the family burial place, the Church of St. George at Nyírbátor, which he enriched with Renaissance elements. In the year of the Battle of Mohács he had carved a relief showing the Madonna, and the master, presumably a