The Eighth Tribe, 1978 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1978-06-01 / 6. szám
June, 1978 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 7 Deogilo, King Louis’s court chaplain, both of whom left written reports about their impressions in Hungary. Although colored by their biases and preconceived notions about Hungary and the Magyars, these reports are still useful, for they constitute the first detailed Western description of the Kingdom of Hungary. Emperor ManuePs Plans for a Hungaro-Byzantine Union After the death of Emperor John II Comnenus, the husband of the Hungarian Piroska (Irene) in 1143, it was their son Manuel (1143-80) who ascended the Byzantine throne. This grandson of King St. Ladislas of Hungary was saturated with the idea of the universality of the Byzantine Empire. His main goal in life — in imitation of his sixth-century predecessor, Justinian the Great — was the restoration of the universal Roman Empire- Manuel, however, was rivalled in this goal by the equally powerful and ambitious holy roman emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa (1152-90). True, the two empires were forced to cooperate in an uneasy alliance in conjunction with the Second Crusade of 1147-48, but by the early 1150’s their ways had parted, and both emperors went ahead to try to establish their own versions of a “universal state.” Emperor Manuel of Byzantium had hoped to advance his cause by the conquest of Italy and Hungary — the latter of which was to serve as his base of operation in his projected onslaught against the Holy Roman Empire. He began a series of offensives in 1150, when he attacked the Serbians, who were supported by Hungary. In the course of the next two decades Manuel organized nearly a dozen major campaigns against the land of his maternal ancestors, but without much success. He initiated his last major campaign in 1167, which brought him some military victories, but without breaking the power of the Magyars. This triumph was followed by a victory parade in Constantinople, in which captured “Pannonians” (Hungarians) were also forced to participate. Yet, by this time Manuel himself was fully aware that he will never be able to gain Hungary by military force. It was this realization that prompted the great emperor to turn to dynastic diplomacy, and to come up with the idea of a Byzantine-Hungarian personal union. The roots of this proposed union actually reach back to 1163, when Manuel — who had no son — proposed a marriage between King Géza's younger son Béla (the future Béla III of Hungary) and his own daughter Maria. This proposal also included a provision that Béla 109 titled “Art as a Reflection of Social Development in Hungary” by Dr. Joseph Held, Chairman of the Department of History of University College and Director of the Soviet East-European Program, Rutgers University spoke on several points of interest regarding the influence and effects upon fine and applied arts about the creative accomplishments of persons from various levels of socio-economic backgrounds from peasantry and gentry. Further events tied in with the displayed collection were: Hungarian Easter egg demonstration by Ms. Irene Hajdú Németh, and Hungarian Scouts Folk Ensemble dance performances. Key artifacts of interest to this visitor included among other things: architectural drawings for structural glass and other segments of New York’s Radio City; art photography and photographic enlargements of several buildings in Hungary well-known as educational-cultural landmarks and/or aesthetic architectural designs; portraiture of Endre Ady; book samplings of varied prose and poetic works by both men and women writers (one bearing the translated title of Ghost Poems); handcreated, plush-piled, deep-fringed carpet/wall coverings, and the intricately embroidered garments created by unacknowledged anonymous (more likely than not, women) artisans. In its totality, this exhibit contains numerous facets of creative output relative to a diverse range of talents — as representations of folk art, skilled craftsmanship, creative artisanship through master works of fine art! —-M. Takacs Barboe International Folk Toys Exhibit NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM TRENTON, NEW JERSEY December, 1977-January 8, 1978 Toys that gladdened the eyes and hearts of girls and boys from far reaches of the world were on
