History of the Hungarians
A narrative history podcast that traces the journey of the Hungarian people from their nomadic origins to the present day. The show covers key events, figures, and cultural developments in Hungarian history. It is hosted by Ferenc Hüvös and includes references to Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dances in its intro and outro.
Episodes
38 - Family Affairs
After the Mongol invasion, Béla IV ruled for another twenty-eight years. While the most memorable reforms of that time we discussed last time, there are a few things that happen apart – like Hungary’s return to regional power-plays, or Béla’s conflicts within the family. Despite all the kingdom just survived, the Árpádians won’t be any less of a quarrelsome bunch. But there is a new element in the
37 - The Second Founding
The medieval Kingdom of Hungary survived the Mongol invasion – but not intact. Vast swathes of the kingdom lay in ruin and depopulated. Yet, Hungary bounces back quickly. How is that possible? Join us today as we take a look at the massive societal and economic reforms, and the changes that accompany them that collectively would be called the Second Founding, and earn for Béla IV the name: the Sec
36 - Where the Mongols Tread
“The Kingdom of Hungary, that stood for 350 years, was utterly destroyed by the Mongols.”This is how the annals of a Bavarian monastery refer to the year 1241 – and while they were not exactly correct, they were not far off the mark. Following the Battle of Muhi and its disastrous end, the invading Mongol forces moved swiftly to take control of their prize. What this meant for the population alrea
35 - The Battle of Muhi
We put it off long enough, and cannot anymore – the Mongols are here! In 1241, the armies of Hungary massed against this threat, one that they seemingly did not even fully understand. The resulting battle shaped the future of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom, as Saint István’s system is put to the ultimate test. Come, find out if the time allotted to Béla for preparations thanks to Friar Julianus am
34 - The Travels of Brother Julianus
Today we head back to whence we came: the Great Eurasian Steppe, as we follow a friar of the Dominican Order on a grand quest in search of Magna Hungaria – and some long-lost brothers they believed still dwelt there. Their journey, undertaken as the Steppe itself was undergoing afundamental change due to the emergence of the Mongol Empire, is an inspiring, and yet tragic tale that every Hungarian
33 - Before the Storm
Today, we begin discussing the life and reign of Béla IV – without question one of the most important, most influential kings of the Árpádian dynasty, with a long-lasting legacy. Béla would have to show his mettle in situations no other Árpádian faced, but his early years are mostly about dealing with the legacy of his father. András II broke the kingdom’s equilibrium, and Béla was intent on rebui
Special Episode - the 2026 Election
In the very first special episode of History of the Hungarians, we take a look at the 2026 election, how we got here, and why they were so important.Website: historyofthehungarians.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579815072390Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofthehungariansSupport us at: https://buymeacoffee.com/historyofthehungarians The song heard in the intro and
32 - Visit You in Your Descendent
András II found no rest even after issuing the Golden Bull – albeit never holding himself to what he promised in it might be the reason why. In the last decade of his reign, András struggled with his son, Béla, who was dead-set on ending the mass alienation of royal land, and the Church, who felt that they drew the short stick during the Golden Bull. During thislatter conflict, the king who has be
31 - The Golden Bull of 1222
Today, we reach the year 1222 – and the Golden Bull. Facedwith opposition, internal strife, and mounting pressure from his most loyal supporters, King András II is forced to issue a document that would become the basis of Hungary’s feudal development for centuries to come. It became a foundational document for the development of Hungarian Law, to the point that the justices of the constitutional c
30 - Holy Tourism
Send your questions for the Q&A to: historyofthehungarians@gmail.comWe take a view at something that took up much of András II’s time: his wars and his ambitions abroad. From his attempt to reclaim the kingdom he held as a child, to attempting to take the crown of the Latin Empire, András was active on the European stage. Come, join us, and see how his desire for the Latin Emperorship finally
29 - Afraid you should be not
Send your questions for the Q&A to: historyofthehungarians@gmail.comToday’s topic is the first part of András II’s reign: a period characterized by the immense favor the king showed to his wife’s family. This favoritism would end in tragedy, when a group of leading Hungarian noblemen decided that Gertrude was the source of their problems. But what was it they thought the queen threatened? What
28 - Brotherly Love
We begin the 13th century – and close out the 12th – with the tale of two brothers. The sons of Béla III they both may be, but their differing personalities, ambitions and goals will quickly reignite the old plague of their dynasty. Meanwhile, the kingdom truly stands on the precipice of a new era, with our friends in the Most Serene Republic of Venice banging on the doors accompanied by thousands
27 - The Forgotten Century
Often I heard the 12 th century be called Hungary’s forgotten century: it is skipped over entirely in public education, and even in my university course, I remember not much being said about it, unless you dug for it yourself. Meanwhile it is an important bridge between what was – Saint István’s kingdom, straddling the place between the feudal west and the imperial east – and what will be: an even
26 - Back to the Stage
The second half of Béla’s reign was dedicated to Hungary’s great re-entry to the medieval power-politics of his day. On today’s episode, we shall discover how this was possible, why it happened now – and the results of taking up such an aggressive stance again, after decades on the mend. Come, join us as we discuss Hungary’s attempts to seat an Árpádian on the throne of Halics, Béla’s role in dipl
25 - The Direction of the Kingdom
Béla III’s reign is a pivotal time in the history of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom – he is the last king to rule the way Saint István intended, and the first to usher in some new practices. He was given the task of overseeing Hungary’s recovery from the conflicts of the decades prior, something he manages to the tune of being one of the richer crowned heads of Europe. Come, join us today as we ex
24 - The Boy They Called Alexios
“What kind of blasphemy has our emperor committed, that he not only denied his daughter’s hand to us Romans, but this foreigner, he considers better than us all, and places above us into power?”These were the words that accompanied Béla, from theHouse of Árpád when he was proclaimed the heir to the Byzantine emperor. To say that his potential elevation was not unanimously approved of would be an u
23 - In his father's shadow
István III may have triumphed over his uncles, but he is far from being in the clear. His father, Géza II created many issues, and Hungary had few friends to call on for help – all this coming down on István’s head. The young king’s reign would be filled with trying to extricate himself from these struggles. Let us see whether he manages to stabilize his kingdom, or will the newly minted power in
22 - A Lingering Question
To say that the Dynasty of Árpád was a tumultuous bunch would be an understatement. Time and again we have seen infighting regarding the succession. But this latest spat, the subject of today’s episode might be the worst yet – as two Istváns and a László gear up to fight it out for the crown. This tale has all the hallmarks of historical tragedy, witharmies clashing, duplicitous nobles, a priest m
21 - The Two Sides of Power Politics
Géza II’s reign is, in a way, a premature show of the strength the medieval Kingdom of Hungary would be able to wield one day. With the homefront secure, Géza threw himself into European power-politics, standing toe-to-toe with some of the greatest powers of his time. While initially successful, the king’s rashness to make enemies and maintain the fight would cause problems that would reverberate
20 - Coming into Power
Géza II is a curious case – almost entirely forgotten in popular memory today, he was one of the more intriguing rulers of medieval Hungary I came across while researching the show. Seriously, I had a hard time finding useful images of him, something that has never been an issue previously. Inheriting a calm domestic scene, Géza would, once he reachedmaturity, direct his kingdom’s power outward, a
19 - The Blind Man's Kingdom
By every metric of his own time, Béla the Blind should have been unfit to rule. And yet, it is his kingship that begins to heal the wounds of István II’s reign – even if that means brutal bloodletting and cutting out some parts first. Come, join us this week for a tale of an unlikely king, brutal vengeance, shrewd diplomacy, wars and usurpers! Website: historyofthehungarians.comFacebook:https://ww
18 - Unfortunate Son
The Kingdom of Hungary enters the 12th century proper with king latter medieval chroniclers uniformly seem to loathe.István II obviously drew the short end of the historical stick: his father was already disliked by posterity, but his accomplishments were, at least, harder to deny. István will spend his reign bumbling from one foreign entanglement to another, desperate to maintain the kingdom’s st
17 - A Century in Review
The passing of King Kálmán provides us with an opportunity to stop, look back, and take in all the changes the 11th century had wrought. Today’s topic is going to be a little different than our usual tale of kings and usurpations: we will look at what can be gleamed about the shifts in society, culture, and religion that this first century of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary had experienced. How di
16 - Kálmán, the Not-so-Nerdy
King Kálmán the Learned – also seen it translated as “the Bookish”, which is delightful – was the final Hungarian ruler of the 11th century. He is a fascinating case: much maligned by posterity for his actions against his brother, Kálmán was one of the most learned, and easily one of the most enlightened rulers of medieval Hungary. His rule is an excellent bookmark,not just on the century, but by
15 - The Kingdom of Croatia
This week’s episode pauses the ongoing narrative a bitto take a look at a country that’s history is going to be inextricably tied to that of the medieval Hungarian state: the Kingdom of Croatia. We shall discuss the origins of the Croatian people, the effects of them living right on theborder of two empires, and a document that is an obvious forgery, but still manages to get almost everything that
14 - The Very Image of Chivalry
The first century in the history of the Kingdom of Hungary is almost perfectly framed by two saint-kings. And it might besurprising, but the topic of today’s episode, László was, for the longest time, the more popular of the two. In contrast to István’s stern reputation, László garnered that of a chivalrous knight, a warrior-king, who expanded the borders and warred against pagans and his fellow C
13 - The King and the Duke
This week, we continue to follow the infighting amongst the early Árpádians, as generations shift, but old ambitions remain open. The story of Géza and Salamon is not as well-known even in Hungary, but it is a tale full of twists, turns, conniving nobles, and fits well into the international battle of their age. For the Investiture Controversy will shape the contest between the King and the Duke,
12 - The Sons of Vazul
After the Árpádians reassert themselves, the two brothers, András and Béla find themselves working side-by side to keep Hungary out of the Holy Roman Empire’s orbit. But even the best working relationships can become frayed when succession is at stake. Come, see how a…somewhat pre-decided choice between a crown and a sword led the newly restored Árpádians down on the path to generations offeuding!
11 - The Venetian King
Peter Orseolo was the only foreign-born king of Hungary in the Árpádian period, and as such, the target of many attacks, deserved and otherwise. The chroniclers later on would have a vested interest in depicting him as one of the worst kings Hungary ever had – but his contemporaries rose against him in open revolt not once, but twice. In this week’s episode we do not simply discover Peter’s ill-fa
10 - Stephanus Rex
Today we shall discuss the events of István’s reign. How lucky that the man himself left us an entire treatise about his rulingphilosophy, as he sought to prepare his heir to follow after him. So come, join us as we discuss István’s reign, his foreign policy towards the two great empires on his doorstep, and how the best laid plans may go awry when facing a boar in the forest…Website: historyofthe
09 - The Kingdom of Saint István
The second season of our show begins with a deep-dive into the Kingdom’s reorganization under the reign of István I, better know internationally as Saint Stephan. The task before our protagonist is daunting: his newly formed Kingdom was, just a few short years ago, not much more than a patchwork of tribal lands, still somewhat nomadic in their lifestyle. Join us in exploring the steps István took
08 - Kingdom Come
After two episodes of horsing around all over Europe, it is time to return to the Carpathian Basin. In our season finale we see a father and a son attempt to change their people’s destiny and a familial struggle that ends in four parts.Find us on Facebook, Instagram, or write a question to historyofthehungarians@gmail.com!
07 - The Adventures Part II: The Balkan Kerfuffle
While the western Adventures are surprisingly well-documented, in the Balkans we deal with battles that may or may not have happened, tales of revenge that are likely all fabrications, and a musical chair of relationships, as the Byzantines and the Bolgars jockey for power. Come, join us as we explore this mess!And if you just can't get enough of history podcasts, A History of Italy awaits!
06 - The Adventures: Raiding the West
Around the same time the Vikings were causing some hay on the coastlines, the Hungarians got on the road to steal anything that was not nailed down inland. Let's discuss how these campaigns went, what made them successful, and the effects they had on the emerging Hungarian Principality.
05 - Pozsony
The Hungarians took over the Basin with little effort, but by 907, the hammer was about to fall. We shall follow the unfolding confrontation between the Bavarians, seeking to reconquer their lost territories, and the Magyars now occupying them, and discuss the myths surrounding this battle.
04 - The Conquest
No biggie, just the most consequential event in Hungarian history. Let's discuss how it went, the theories surrounding it, and the issue with our major source for the event.
03 - Carpathians
A discussion of the Carpathian Basin's history and geography. Follow the show on Facebook and other social media! If you have questions, or just feel like saying hi, send it to historyofthehungarians@gmail.com
02 - The Final Stop
The Hungarians leave behind the Khazars, and then the Steppes altogether. Let's get them right up to the Conquest, shall we?
01 - First Steppes
From the wide grasslands, a people take shape. A long-winded discussion on the origins of the Hungarians, both linguistic and mythical theories.
Introduction
A short introduction and discussion of what the show will be all about. See you on the 20th of August!
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