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115-680: Székesfehérvár, a royal residence ( székhely ), as capital of the Kingdom of Hungary , held a central role in the Middle Ages. As required by the Doctrine of the Holy Crown , the first kings of Hungary were crowned and buried here. Significant trade routes led to the Balkans and Italy , and to Buda and Vienna . Historically the city has come under Ottoman and Habsburg control, and

230-533: A forlorn hope preceded the pike square to break enemy pikes. The pikemen were supported by halberdiers , who would rush a gap in an opposing line, a tactic also copied from the Swiss. As their solidarity grew, commanders emphasized finesse and timing, rather than the head-down battering charge of the Swiss. As the Landsknechte's fighting techniques were developed, they no longer preferred fighting along

345-481: A lieutenant colonel in the colonel's stead. The regiment itself was formed by ten Fähnlein , equivalent to a company and commanded by a captain. A Fähnlein was made up by 400 men, including 100 veterans. Rotten , equivalent to a platoon , were the building blocks of the Fähnlein and contained either ten ordinary Landsknechte or six Doppelsöldner , led by a Rottmeister elected by his unit. In totality,

460-580: A sally ended in most of the defenders including the commander, György Varkoch , being locked out by wealthy citizens fearing they might incur the wrath of the Ottomans by a lengthy siege. The Ottoman Empire continued to stretch northwards, taking parts of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 16th century, and reaching as far north as the Podolia in the mid-17th century; by the signing of the Peace of Buczacz with

575-592: A Christian kingdom established in Central Europe. Stephen I of Hungary was canonized as a Catholic saint in 1083 and an Eastern Orthodox saint in 2000. Around the 11th century, the Kingdom of Hungary became a Christian state , and Catholicism in the Hungarian Kingdom was a state religion . After his death, a period of revolts and conflict for supremacy ensued between the royalty and

690-479: A Croatian-Hungarian nobleman, Nikola IV Zrinski , Ban of Croatia, accomplished an attack on an Ottoman military camp at Siklós. Suleiman I held off his attack of Eger for the time being, and began to set off towards Nikola IV Zrinski's fortress at Szigetvár . From 2 August to 7 September, the Ottoman forces had laid siege to the fortress with a force, at the least, of 150,000 against Zrinski's 2,300 defenders. While

805-567: A European power. Archduke Maximilian , who became co-ruler of Burgundian lands in 1477 by marrying Mary of Burgundy , was greatly influenced by the Swiss victories. When the French contested the inheritance, Maximilian levied a Flemish army and defeated the French in 1479 at the Battle of Guinegate , mixing Swiss-styled square infantry formation and Hussite wagon forts tactics. The dissolution of his levied army at war's end found Maximilian wanting

920-546: A defeat for the Hungarian-French forces led by Sigismund and Philip of Artois, Count of Eu . However, Sigismund continued to successfully contain the Ottoman forces outside of the Kingdom for the rest of his life. Losing popularity among the Hungarian nobility, Sigismund soon became victim of an attempt against his rule, and Ladislaus of Anjou-Durazzo (the son of the murdered King of Naples Charles II of Hungary)

1035-529: A locality he knew with drummers and fifers. Recruits gathered at a specified place and time for the muster . There, they would parade under an arch and be inspected by the colonel and his captains, then be paid their first months' salary. The colonel next read the Bestallungsbrief in full to the soldiers, who then swore oaths of allegiance to cause, officers, and the Emperor . This ceremony also saw

1150-425: A lord with a letter patent ( Bestallungsbrief ) that named the unit colonel ( Obrist ). This document laid out the size and structure of the unit, the pay of its men, and contained its Articles of War ( Artikelsbriefe ). Upon accepting the commission and securing funding, either through a bank loan or a grant from the lord, the colonel assembled his chain of command. His captains , once appointed, would then go to

1265-467: A mainly agricultural city. In 1909 The Times Engineering Contract List noted a bridge construction contract valued at £12,000 to be overseen by the Chief Magistrate . New prosperity arrived between the two world wars, when several new factories were opened. In 1922 a radio station was established. It used two masts insulated against ground, each with a height of 152 metres. The last mast of

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1380-624: A mixed population: Hungarians , Germans , Serbs , and Moravians . By 1702, the cathedral of Nagyboldogasszony was blown up, thus destroying the largest cathedral in Hungary at that time, and the coronation temple. By the Doctrine of the Holy Crown , all kings of Hungary were obliged to be crowned in this cathedral, and to take part in coronation ceremony in the surroundings of the cathedral. The coronations after that time were held in Pozsony (now Bratislava ). In 1703, Székesfehérvár regained

1495-427: A normal Landsknecht 's pay and getting the title Doppelsöldner , made up a quarter of each Fähnlein . 50 of these men were armed with a halberd or with a 66-inch (170 cm) two-handed sword called a Zweihänder while another fifty were arquebusiers or crossbowmen . The focus on firearms, rather than crossbows, as ordained by Maximilian, was where they were different from the Swiss. Maximilian abolished

1610-603: A permanent and organized military force like the Confederation's to protect his domain. The existing Burgundian structure was inadequate to this end, however, and moreover the French wielded a monopoly on the hiring of Reisläufer . Maximilian began raising the first Landsknecht units in 1486, amassing 6,000–8,000 mercenaries. One of these units he gave to Eitel Friedrich II, Count of Hohenzollern , who trained them with Swiss instructors in Bruges in 1487 to become

1725-465: A playground for innovations, foreshadowing developments in military practices. The Tross were the camp followers or baggage train who travelled with each Landsknecht unit, carrying military necessities, the food, and the belongings of each soldier and his family. The Tross was made up of women, children and some craftsmen. Women and young boys set up Landsknecht camps, cooked, mended injuries, and dug and cleaned latrines. A Landsknecht

1840-511: A powerful Ottoman army. By 1541, the fall of Buda marked a further division of Hungary into three areas. The country remained divided until the end of the 17th century. In 1547, the Truce of Adrianople was signed between Charles V and Suleiman the Magnificent . Through this treaty, Ferdinand I of Austria and Charles V recognized total Ottoman control of Hungary, and agreed to pay to

1955-606: A repeat of Stuhlweissenburg, Maximilian now sought to homogenize the Landsknechte into a fully professional, and mostly Germanic military force. In the 1490s, the well-trained Landsknechte managed to defeat significantly greater Frisian armies. Paul Dolnstein  [ de ] wrote of the siege of Älvsborg Fortress in July 1502, fighting for the king of Denmark: "We were 1800 Germans, and we were attacked by 15000 Swedish farmers ... we struck most of them dead." After

2070-479: A retinue of a jailer, bailiff, and executioner ( Freimann ). Just like the Reisläufer , Landsknecht formations consisted of men trained and armed with pikes , halberds , and swords. 300 men of a Fähnlein would be armed with a pike, though a Landsknecht 's pike was generally shorter than a Reisläufer 's at about 4.2 meters (14 ft). Experienced and well-equipped soldiers, receiving double

2185-473: A staff that included much of the same, but with additional musicians and two Doppelsöldner to protect him. A provost marshal and Schultheiss were appointed by the colonel to maintain military discipline and to prosecute the Artikelsbriefe respectively. The provost was unimpeachable, and feared. Harsh punishments could be expected for offenses such as mutiny or drunkenness on duty. A provost had

2300-411: A straight line (as exercised by even the Swiss until the end of the fifteenth century), but leaned towards a circle-wise movement that enhanced the use of the space around the combatant and allowed them to attack the opponents from different angles. The circle-wise formation described by Jean Molinet as the "snail" would become the hallmark of Landsknechte's combat. The new types of combat also required

2415-578: A success story of Hungary's transition to a market economy. A few years later Denso , Alcoa , Philips , and Sanmina-SCI Corporation also settled in the city. Ethnic groups (2001 census): Religions (2001 census): The current mayor of Székesfehérvár is András Cser-Palkovics (Fidesz). The local Municipal Assembly, elected at the 2019 local government elections , is made up of 21 members (1 Mayor, 14 Individual constituencies MEPs and 6 Compensation List MEPs) divided into this political parties and alliances: List of City Mayors from 1990: Székesfehérvár

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2530-521: Is an important hub for the Hungarian railway system ( MÁV ). Trains depart to the northern and southern coasts of Lake Balaton and towards the capital. The city is also reachable by regional buses from other major national destinations. There are numerous local buslines operating 7 days a week, operated by the company that also operates the regional buses in the region, KNYKK Zrt. ( Közép-Nyugat Magyarországi Közlekedési Központ). Alba Regia Sportcsarnok

2645-444: Is an indoor stadium in the city. It hosts a number of sport clubs from amateur to professional level, with 2017 Hungarian basketball championship winner Alba Fehérvár being its most notable tenant. Other city sports clubs include: Székesfehérvár is twinned with: 47°11′44″N 18°24′32″E  /  47.19556°N 18.40889°E  / 47.19556; 18.40889 Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary

2760-551: The Chronicon Pictum , ended his war of reunification . He implemented considerable economic reforms and defeated the remaining nobility who were in opposition to royal rule, led by Máté Csák III . The kingdom of Hungary reached an age of prosperity and stability under Charles I. The gold mines of the Kingdom were extensively worked and soon Hungary reached a prominent standing in European gold production. The forint

2875-578: The Battle of Novara in 1513, the Swiss executed the hundreds of German Landsknecht mercenaries they had captured who had fought for the French. At the Battle of Bicocca and the Battle of Marignano (1515), the Landsknecht performed well, defeating the famed Reisläufer . The Imperial Landsknechte were instrumental in many of the Emperor's victories, including the decisive Battle of Pavia in 1525. The same year, they also managed to defeat

2990-614: The Cumans and acquired parts of Croatia in 1091. Due to a dynastic crisis in Croatia, with the help of the local nobility who supported his claim, he managed to swiftly seize power in northern parts of the Croatian kingdom ( Slavonia ), as he was a claimant to the throne due to the fact that his sister was married to the late Croatian king Zvonimir who died without an heir. However, kingship over all of Croatia would not be achieved until

3105-580: The European wars of religion . Although prone to mutiny if unpaid and divided within their ranks between Catholics and Lutherans , the Landsknechte were well-armed and experienced warriors, recruitable in large numbers throughout Germany and Austria by the Holy Roman Emperor . This guaranteed both quantity and quality to the Imperial military for a century and a half. At their peak during

3220-461: The Gemeinweibel , was the spokesman for the men and was elected monthly. According to Imperial law, a colonel could have a staff of 22 officers but in practice this depended on the colonel's wealth. Included in that staff were a chaplain, a scribe , a doctor, a scout, his personal quartermaster and ensign, a drummer and fifer , and a bodyguard ( Trabanten ) of eight men. Captains also had

3335-585: The Habsburg Empire , which pushed the Great Migrations of the Serbs to the southern regions of the Kingdom of Hungary (though as far in the north as the town of Szentendre , in which they formed the majority of the population in the 18th century, but to smaller extent also in the town of Komárom ) and Habsburg-ruled Croatia . The city began to prosper again only in the 18th century. It had

3450-718: The Hungarian Chamber , was directly subordinated to the Court Chamber in Vienna . The Hungarian language reform started under the reign of Joseph II . The reform age of Hungary was started by István Széchenyi a Hungarian noble, who built one of the greatest bridges of Hungary, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge . The official language remained Latin until 1836, when Hungarian was introduced. Between 1844 and 1849, and from 1867 onward, Hungarian became

3565-572: The Kingdom of Croatia , being in personal union with it, united under the King of Hungary . According to the demographers, about 80 percent of the population was made up of Hungarians before the Battle of Mohács , however in the mid-19th century out of a population of 14 million less than 6 million were Hungarian due to the resettlement policies and continuous immigration from neighboring countries. Major territorial changes made Hungary ethnically homogeneous after World War I . More than nine-tenths of

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3680-600: The Ottoman Empire led by Suleiman the Magnificent annihilated the Hungarian army. In trying to escape, Louis II drowned in the Csele Creek. The leader of the Hungarian army, Pál Tomori , also died in the battle. Due to a serious defeat by the Ottomans ( Battle of Mohács ) the central authority collapsed. The majority of Hungary's ruling elite elected John Zápolya (10 November 1526). A small minority of aristocrats sided with Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor , who

3795-624: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1672, most of the Balkans was under Ottoman control. Except for a short period in 1601 ,when Székesfehérvár was reconquered by an army led by Lawrence of Brindisi , the city remained under Ottoman administration for 145 years, until 1688, with the Ottomans being preoccupied with the Morean War . They renamed the city Beograd ("White city", from Serbian Beograd ) and built mosques . In

3910-569: The Red Army advanced on the city. The Germans had chosen to concentrate their forces to protect the 15-mile gap between Fehérvár and Lake Balaton . Whereas most of the gap consisted of marsh and difficult ground, Fehérvár was the node for eight highways and six railways. Despite the heavy German defences, a Soviet flying column broke through and occupied the city on 23 December; the Germans were able to push them out on 22 January 1945. In March 1945,

4025-541: The Sack of Rome in 1527. The Germanic compound Landsknecht (earlier Lantknecht , without Fugen-"s" ) combines Land and Knecht to form "servant of the land". The compound Lantknecht was used during the 15th century for bailiffs or court ushers . The word Landsknecht first appeared in the German language circa 1470 to describe certain troops in the army of Charles , Duke of Burgundy . As early as 1500,

4140-574: The Serbian Empire and the Golden Horde , restoring the Hungarian monarchs' authority over territories along the frontiers which had been lost during the previous decades. In 1370 Louis's uncle, Casimir III of Poland , died without male issue. Louis succeeded him, thus establishing the first union of Hungary and Poland . This lasted until 1382 when Louis himself died without male issue; his two daughters, Mary and Jadwiga , then ascended

4255-462: The Treaty of Trianon and it covered what is today Hungary , Slovakia , Transylvania and other parts of Romania , Carpathian Ruthenia (now part of Ukraine ), Vojvodina (now part of Serbia ), the territory of Burgenland (now part of Austria ), Međimurje (now part of Croatia ), Prekmurje (now part of Slovenia ) and a few villages which are now part of Poland . From 1102 it also included

4370-610: The early modern period . Consisting predominantly of pikemen and supporting foot soldiers, their front line was formed by Doppelsöldner ("double-pay men") renowned for their use of Zweihänder and arquebus . They formed the bulk of the Holy Roman Empire's Imperial Army from the late 15th century to the early 17th century, fighting in the Habsburg-Valois wars , the Habsburg-Ottoman wars , and

4485-421: The gevierte Ordnung , forty to sixty men deep. Doppelsöldnern made up the formation's first two ranks. Then came the ensigns, and then the squares themselves. Pikemen, supported by halberdiers, formed the square while swordsmen made up their front and rear. The most experienced soldiers were located at the back of the formation and arquebusiers were placed on its flanks. In the attack, a band of soldiers called

4600-576: The peasants' revolt in the Empire. At their peak in the early 16th century, the Landsknechte were considered formidable soldiers who were often brave and loyal. However, these qualities may have declined afterward. The Landsknechte were also employed by the Habsburg emperor and the royal Valencian authorities in the suppression of the First Revolt of Espadà of 1526 , which took place in

4715-539: The siege turned into a victory for the Ottomans, it came at the cost of: 25,000 Ottoman soldiers and Suleiman I, who before the final battle of Szigetvár, due to natural causes of old age and illness. In the following centuries there were numerous attempts to push back the Ottoman forces, such as the Long War or Thirteen Years' War (29 July 1593 – 1604/11 November 1606) led by a coalition of Christian forces. In 1644

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4830-845: The " Black Guard " – the first Landsknechte . In 1488, Maximilian organized the Swabian League , creating an army of 12,000 infantry and 1,200 cavalry to deter Bavaria and Bohemia . This is considered to be the first Landsknecht army to be raised in Germany. Maximilian raised a strong army for the Austrian-Hungarian War of 1490, and succeeded in driving the Hungarians out of Austria. The Landsknechte in his army refused to serve after sacking Stuhlweissenburg (now Székesfehérvár, Hungary ), citing lack of pay and stopping Maximilian's advance on Buda. To prevent

4945-666: The 12th century, the town prospered; churches, monasteries, and houses were built. It was an important station on the pilgrim route to the Holy Land. András II issued the Golden Bull here in 1222. The Bull included the rights of nobles and the duties of the king, and the Constitution of Hungary was based on it until 1848. It is often compared to England's Magna Carta . During the Mongol invasion of Hungary (1241–1242),

5060-666: The 16th–17th centuries, it looked like a Muslim city . As a result, most of the original Hungarian population fled. It became a sanjak centre in the Budin Province , known as İstolni Beograd during Ottoman rule. Ottoman expansion in Europe ended with their defeat in the Great Turkish War in 1699. The Treaty of Karlowitz forced them to surrender the region of Hungary under Ottoman control and portions of present-day Croatia , Romania , Slovakia , and Serbia to

5175-610: The Danube. He also had a small stone castle built. Székesfehérvár was first mentioned in a document by the Bishopric of Veszprém , 1009, as Alba Civitas . István I , Grand Prince of the Hungarians , granted town rights to the settlement, surrounded the town with a plank wall, and founded a school and a monastery. Under his rule the construction of the Romanesque Székesfehérvár Basilica began (it

5290-507: The French army in Italy, but funds were not available to pay the soldiers. The 34,000 Imperial troops mutinied and forced their commander, Charles III, Duke of Bourbon , to lead them towards Rome. The Sack of Rome in 1527 was executed by some 6,000 Spaniards under the Duke, 14,000 Landsknechte under Georg von Frundsberg, some Italian infantry and some cavalry. Terence McIntosh comments that

5405-522: The Habsburg Empire, and its constitution was kept, even though it was only a formality. After the departure of the Ottomans, the Habsburgs dominated the Hungarian Kingdom. The Hungarians' renewed desire for freedom led to Rákóczi's War for Independence. The most important reasons of the war were the new and higher taxes and a renewed Protestant movement. Rákóczi was a Hungarian nobleman, son of

5520-533: The Hungarian crown were incorporated into Austria-Hungary under the name of Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen . The monarchy ended with the deposition of the last king Charles IV in 1918, after which Hungary became a republic. The kingdom was nominally restored during the " Regency " of 1920–46, ending under the Soviet occupation in 1946. The Kingdom of Hungary was a multiethnic state from its inception until

5635-720: The King of Hungary and Archduke of Austria. In 1708, the Habsburgs finally defeated the main Hungarian army at Battle of Trencsén , and this diminished the further effectiveness of the Kuruc army. While the Hungarians were exhausted by the fights, the Austrians defeated the French army in the War of the Spanish Succession . They could send more troops to Hungary against the rebels. Transylvania became part of Hungary again starting at

5750-575: The Mongols finally destroyed the combined Hungarian and Cuman armies at the Battle of Muhi . In 1242, after the end of the Mongol invasion, numerous fortresses to defend against future invasion were erected by Béla IV of Hungary . In gratitude, the Hungarians acclaimed him as the "Second Founder of the Homeland", and the Hungarian Kingdom again became a considerable force in Europe. In 1260 Béla IV lost

5865-411: The Ottoman and Wallachian troops at the Battle of Breadfield . The army of Hungary destroyed its enemies almost every time when Matthias was king. Matthias died without legitimate heir, and was thus succeeded by Vladislaus II Jagiellon (1490–1516), the son of Casimir IV of Poland . In turn, Vladislaus was succeeded by his son Louis II (1516–26). In 1526, at the Battle of Mohács , the forces of

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5980-405: The Ottomans a yearly tribute of 30,000 gold florins for their Habsburg possessions in northern and western Hungary. On 1 May 1566, Suleiman I led an Ottoman invasion of Habsburg-controlled Hungary, the Ottoman forces of which was one of the most sizable armies he had led in his rule of 46 years. After reaching Belgrade and met with John II Sigismund Zápolya on 27 June, Suleiman I learned that

6095-517: The War of Babenberg Succession, his army was defeated at the Battle of Kressenbrunn by the united Bohemian forces. However, in 1278, Ladislaus IV of Hungary and Austrian troops fully destroyed the Bohemian army at the Battle on the Marchfeld . The Árpád dynasty died out in 1301 with the death of Andrew III . Subsequently, Hungary was ruled by the Angevins until the end of the 14th century, and then by several non-dynastic rulers – notably Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor and Matthias Corvinus – until

6210-410: The Winter Campaign by Miklós Zrínyi burnt the crucial Suleiman Bridge of Osijek in eastern Slavonia , interrupting a Turkish supply line in Hungary. At the Battle of Saint Gotthard (1664) , Austrians and Hungarians defeated the Turkish army. After the Ottoman siege of Vienna failed in 1683, the Habsburgs went on the offensive against the Turks. By the end of the 17th century, they managed to invade

6325-434: The appointing of the unit staff and its standard bearers, or Fähnriche ( ensigns ), who swore to never lose the standard. The colonel was the highest–ranking officer in a regiment, but if his force contained more than one regiment he could become a Generalobrist . If it contained cavalry and artillery in addition to its infantry, then he could be a Feldobrist or Generalfeldobrist . The regiment would be commanded by

6440-402: The area was the battleground for the last major German offensive of World War II ; but following its failure Marshal Tolbukhin broke through the German lines once more and recaptured the city on 22 March. A Soviet airfield was established at nearby Szabadbattyán . In August 1951, over 150 people were killed when two trains collided in Fehérvár. In the aftermath of World War II , the city

6555-564: The battlefield usefulness of the Landsknechte , somewhat unfairly. Their status also suffered from the rising reputation of the dreaded Spanish tercios who, however, were far less abundant and more expensive to train. When serving in southern Europe, Landsknechte were still considered elite troops. In the army of the Dutch rebels, many German mercenaries were hired but were forced to give up some Landsknecht traditions in order to increase their discipline in river crossing and their naval fighting abilities. Increasing ill-discipline within

6670-412: The campaigns of the Hungarian general, Artúr Görgey , forced the Austrians on the defensive. One of the most famous battles of the revolution, the Battle of Pákozd , was fought on 29 September 1848, when the Hungarian revolutionary army led by Lieutenant-General János Móga defeated the troops of the Croatian Ban Josip Jelačić . Fearing defeat, the Austrians pleaded for Russian help. The combined forces of

6785-448: The central and southern territories of Hungary in the 16th century, the country was partitioned into three parts: the Habsburg Royal Hungary , Ottoman Hungary , and the semi-independent Principality of Transylvania . The House of Habsburg held the Hungarian throne after the Battle of Mohács in 1526 continuously until 1918 and also played a key role in the liberation wars against the Ottoman Empire. From 1867, territories connected to

6900-411: The cities flourish and the folk are wealthy. Although it is hardly credible that they refer to all layers of society, the documents were inspired by the reality. In 1222 Andrew II of Hungary issued the Golden Bull which laid down the principles of law. In 1241, Hungary was invaded by the Mongols and while the first minor battles with Subutai's vanguard probes ended in seeming Hungarian victories,

7015-435: The city centre preserved its Baroque atmosphere. The most important Baroque buildings are the cathedral, the episcopal palace and the city hall. After the end of the Communist regime in Hungary (1989), the planned economy was abandoned in favor of the implementation of a free market system; all the important factories were on the verge of collapse (some eventually folded) and thousands of people lost their jobs. However,

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7130-401: The city profited from losing the old and inefficient companies, as an abundance of skilled labour coupled with excellent traffic connections, and existing infrastructure attracted numerous foreign firms seeking to invest in Hungary. Székesfehérvár became one of the prime destinations for multinational companies setting up shop in Hungary ( Ford and IBM are some of them), turning the city into

7245-421: The colloquial, and also the official name of Hungary. The names in the other native languages of the kingdom were: Polish : Królestwo Węgier , Romanian : Regatul Ungariei , Serbian : Kraljevina Ugarska , Croatian : Kraljevina Ugarska , Slovene : Kraljevina Ogrska , Slovak : Uhorské kráľovstvo , and Italian (for the city of Fiume ), Regno d'Ungheria . In Austria-Hungary (1867–1918),

7360-433: The country was divided between powerful lords hostile to each other. A coalition of some of these oligarchs first crowned Wenceslaus III , who quickly fled from the anarchy, then Otto III , who was forced to leave by the Kán family . Charles, remaining as the only candidate, was finally crowned King Charles I in 1310. His famous battle at Rozgony , described as "most cruel battle since the Mongol invasion of Europe " by

7475-414: The creation of the most luxurious building in all of central Europe. In his laws can be seen the traces of the early mercantilism . He worked hard to keep the nobility under his control. A great part of his reign was dedicated to the fight with the Ottoman Empire, which started to extend its frontiers and influence to Europe. In 1396 was fought the Battle of Nicopolis against the Ottomans, which resulted in

7590-415: The crossbow in military use in 1517 (although other countries continued to use them). Most Landsknechte , regardless of primary weapon, carried a short sword called a Katzbalger for close combat. By the end of the 16th century, however, the number of pikemen in a Fähnlein had diminished to around 200. They also copied the Swiss in tactics. Landsknechte fought in a pike square they called

7705-403: The cults of the princesses Saint Elizabeth and Saint Margaret , which added relevance to the lineage inheritance through the feminine branches. Charles restored the royal power which had fallen into feudal lords' hands, and then made the lords swear loyalty to him. For this, he founded in 1326 the Order of Saint George , which was the first secular chivalric order in the world, and included

7820-415: The death of his brother Wenceslaus of Luxembourg , obtaining the formal control of three medieval states, but he struggled for control of Bohemia until the peace agreement with the Hussites and his coronation in 1436. In 1433 was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope and ruled until his death in 1437, leaving as his only heir his daughter Elizabeth of Luxembourg and her husband. The marriage of Elizabeth

7935-436: The early 16th century. When Andrew III's predecessor, Ladislaus IV , was assassinated in 1290, another nobleman was set up as titular King of Hungary: Charles Martel of Anjou . Charles Martel was the son of King Charles II of Naples and Mary of Hungary , the sister of Ladislaus IV. However, Andrew III took the crown for himself and ruled without inconvenience after Charles Martel's death in 1295. Upon Andrew's death in 1301,

8050-402: The end of the 17th century, and was led by governors. In 1711, Austrian Emperor Charles VI became the next ruler of Hungary. Throughout the 18th century, the Kingdom of Hungary had its own diet (parliament) and constitution, but the members of the Governor's Council ( Helytartótanács , the office of the palatine ) were appointed by the Habsburg monarch, and the superior economic institution,

8165-476: The exclusively used official language. The European revolutions of 1848 swept into Hungary, as well. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 sought to redress the long suppressed desire for political change, namely independence. The Hungarian National Guard was created by young Hungarian patriots in 1848. In literature, this was best expressed by the greatest poet of the revolution, Sándor Petőfi . As war broke out with Austria, Hungarian military successes, which included

8280-561: The expansionist, aggressive policy pursued by Maximilian I and Charles V at the inception of the early modern German nation (although not to further the aims specific to the German nation per se), mainly relying on German manpower as well as utilizing fearsome Landsknecht and other mercenaries (with the Battle of Pavia and atrocities like the Sack of Rome being associated with them), would affect

8395-416: The granddaughter of King Robert of Naples , in 1332. Robert died in 1343, bequeathing his kingdom to Joanna but excluding the claim of Andrew. In 1345, a group of noble Neapolitan conspirators murdered Andrew at Aversa . Almost immediately, Louis declared war on Naples , conducting a first campaign in 1347–1348 and a second in 1350. He eventually signed peace with Joanna in 1352. Louis also waged wars against

8510-406: The greatest Hungarian jurists and statesmen of the 16th century, István Werbőczy in his work Tripartitum treats Croatia as a kingdom separate to Hungary. Especially Arabic and Byzantine travelers from this time praised the richness country, the dense pastures, the nicely cultivated lands, the plentiful animals in waters and forests. They said that the wheat is cheap, the markets are populous,

8625-426: The heart of Hungary and captured the city of Székesfehérvár, which they sacked, as well as the tomb of King Mátyás, which was kept there. His Landsknechts were still unsatisfied with the plunder and refused to go for taking Buda. He returned to the Empire in late December and the Hungarian troops liberated Székesfehérvár in the next year. The Ottoman Turks invaded the city after a long siege in 1543 and only after

8740-501: The inequality of power relations, led by Francis II Rákóczi (II. Rákóczi Ferenc in Hungarian). Its main aims were to protect the rights of the different social orders, and to ensure the economic and social development of the country. Due to the adverse balance of forces, the political situation in Europe and internal conflicts the freedom fight was eventually suppressed, but it succeeded in keeping Hungary from becoming an integral part of

8855-597: The influence and meddling of the Holy Roman Empire in Hungary's affairs. At the time of the initial Ottoman encroachment, the Hungarians successfully resisted conquest. John Hunyadi was leader of the Crusade of Varna , in which the Hungarians tried to expel the Turks from the Balkans. Initially, they were successful, but later at the Battle of Varna , the Ottomans won a decisive if Pyrrhic victory . Wladyslaw III

8970-554: The invaders could not get close to the castle: Kadan ruled Mongol warriors could not get through the surrounding marshes because of flooding caused by melting snow. In the 13th–15th centuries, the town prospered, and several palaces were built. In the 14th century, Székesfehérvár was surrounded by city walls. After the death of King Mátyás (1490), the German army of 20,000 men led by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I invaded Hungary. They advanced into

9085-560: The legendary heroine Ilona Zrínyi . He spent a part of his youth in Austrian captivity. The Kurucs were troops of Rákóczi. Initially, the Kuruc army attained several important victories due to their superior light cavalry. Their weapons were mostly pistols, light sabre and fokos . At the Battle of Saint Gotthard (1705) , János Bottyán decisively defeated the Austrian army. The Hungarian colonel Ádám Balogh nearly captured Joseph I ,

9200-530: The maintenance of a stable bodily equilibrium. Maximilian, an innovator of these types of movements, also saw value in their effects over the maintenance of group discipline (apart from the control of centralised institutions). As Maximilian and his commanders sought to popularize these forms of movements (which only became daily practice at the end of the fifteenth century and gained dominance after Maximilian's death in 1519), he promoted them in tournaments, in fencing and in dancing as well. The courtly festivals became

9315-516: The most important noblemen of the Kingdom. Charles married four times. His fourth wife was Elizabeth , the daughter of Władysław I of Poland . When Charles died in 1342, his eldest son by Elizabeth succeeded him as Louis I . In the first years of his reign, Louis was advised closely by his mother, making her one of the most influential personalities in the Kingdom. Charles had arranged the marriage of his second son, Andrew , with his cousin Joanna ,

9430-504: The mountains of Espadà , in modern-day Spanish Castelló province (then in the Aragonese Kingdom of Valencia ), where thousands of Valencian Muslim fellah s took up arms against the decree of forced conversion issued that very year by the emperor . They are attested as deployed in the armies of Kings John III of Navarre and successor Henry II of Navarre during their campaigns to reconquer Navarre (1512–1524). In

9545-458: The name of the place before the late 10th century.) In the Middle Ages its Latin name was Alba Regalis / Alba Regia . The town was an important traffic junction between Lake Balaton and Lake Velence , several trade routes led from here to the Balkans and Italy , and to Buda and Vienna . Today, the town is a junction of seven railroad lines. Grand Prince Géza of the Árpád dynasty

9660-458: The names used in official documents in Latin from the beginning of the kingdom to the 1840s. The German name Königreich Ungarn was used officially from 1784 to 1790 and again between 1849 and the 1860s. The Hungarian name ( Magyar Királyság ) was used in the 1840s, and then again from the 1860s to 1946. The unofficial Hungarian name of the kingdom was Magyarország , which is still

9775-421: The nobles. In 1051 armies of the Holy Roman Empire tried to conquer Hungary, but they were defeated at Vértes Mountain . The armies of the Holy Roman Empire continued to suffer defeats; the second greatest battle was at the town now called Bratislava , in 1052. Before 1052 Peter Orseolo, a supporter of the Holy Roman Empire , was overthrown by king Samuel Aba of Hungary . This period of revolts ended during

9890-428: The population of modern Hungary is ethnically Hungarian and speaks Hungarian as their mother tongue. Today, the feast day of the first king Stephen I (20 August) is a national holiday in Hungary, commemorating the foundation of the state (Foundation Day). The Latin forms Regnum Hungariae or Ungarie ( Regnum meaning kingdom); Regnum Marianum (Kingdom of Mary ); or simply Hungaria , were

10005-705: The ranks saw them replaced with an improved system of raising a German army, the Kaiserlicher Fussknecht , which was far less reliant on mercenaries. The Landsknechte , often recruited from South Germany, came from a society with exploding population growth, increasing unemployment, diverse cultural factors and depleting hierarchical structure (unlike the tightly organized society of the Swiss). In addition to dispossessed craftmen and peasants, there were burghers, aristocrats and runaway serfs as well. They were also used to freedom of carrying weapons. The result

10120-417: The regiment averaged 4,000 men; ten Fähnlein , containing 40 Rotten . Unit sergeant majors , called Feldweibel , were tasked with training drill and formation. The regimental sergeant major, Oberster-Feldweibel was responsible for drill on the battlefield. Rotten sergeants, Weibel , were charged with ensuring discipline and relaying liaisons between enlisted men and their officers. One of these men,

10235-420: The reign of Béla I . Hungarian chroniclers praised Béla I for introducing new currency, such as the silver denarius, and for his benevolence to the former followers of his nephew, Solomon. The second greatest Hungarian king, also from the Árpád dynasty, was Ladislaus I of Hungary , who stabilized and strengthened the kingdom. He was also canonized as a saint. Under his rule Hungarians successfully fought against

10350-680: The reign of Charles V of Habsburg , and under the leadership of notable captains such as Georg von Frundsberg and Nicholas of Salm , the Imperial Landsknechts obtained important successes such as the capture of the French King Francis I at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 and the resistance against the Ottoman Turks led by Suleiman the Magnificent at the Siege of Vienna in 1529, while also being responsible for

10465-455: The reign of his successor Coloman . With the coronation of King Coloman as " King of Croatia and Dalmatia " in Biograd in 1102, the two kingdoms of Croatia and Hungary were united under one crown. Although the precise terms of this relationship became a matter of dispute in the 19th century, it is believed that Coloman created a kind of personal union between the two kingdoms . The nature of

10580-406: The relationship varied through time, Croatia retained a large degree of internal autonomy overall, while the real power rested in the hands of the local nobility. Modern Croatian and Hungarian historiographies mostly view the relations between Kingdom of Croatia (1102–1526) and Kingdom of Hungary from 1102 as a form of a personal union , i.e. that they were connected by a common king. Also, one of

10695-497: The remainder of the historical Kingdom of Hungary and the principality of Transylvania. For a while in 1686, the capital Buda was again free from the Ottoman Empire, with the aid of other Europeans. Rákóczi's War for Independence (1703–1711) was the first significant freedom fight in Hungary against absolutist Habsburg rule. It was fought by a group of noblemen, wealthy and high-ranking progressives who wanted to put an end to

10810-537: The same context, they are also found fighting on Charles V's side (battle for Hondarribia , 1521–1524) where they performed strongly. They also served in high numbers in the Imperial army during the campaigns of Austria (1532), France (1542), Germanic Reformed League (1547) and in of all the Italian wars. Others also fought on the Habsburg-Ottoman frontier . The army of the Holy Roman Emperor defeated

10925-594: The station was demolished in 2009. In 1944, after the occupation of Hungary by Nazi Germany , the city's Jewish population was confined to a ghetto and was eventually deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp , together with further 3,000 Jews from the area. The pre-war Jewish population consisted of Neolog (Reform) and Orthodox communities with their respective synagogues, and some of its members were active Zionists . In December 1944, Fehérvár came under Russian artillery fire, and stiff fighting broke out as

11040-468: The status of a free royal town . In the middle of the century, several new buildings were erected (Franciscan church and monastery, Jesuit churches, public buildings, Baroque palaces). Maria Theresa made the city an episcopal seat in 1777. By the early 19th century, the German population was assimilated . On 15 March 1848, the citizens joined the revolution . After the revolution and war for independence, Székesfehérvár lost its importance and became

11155-474: The support of the Ottoman Sultan. A three-sided conflict ensued as Ferdinand moved to assert his rule over as much of the Hungarian kingdom as he could. By 1529 the kingdom had been split into two parts: Habsburg Hungary and the "eastern-Kingdom of Hungary". At this time there were no Ottomans on Hungarian territories, except Srem's important castles. In 1532, Nikola Jurišić defended Kőszeg and stopped

11270-828: The term was morphed into Lanzknecht , referring to the unit's use of the pike as its main weapon. Over the Burgundian Wars , the well-organized and supplied armies of Charles the Bold were defeated again and again by the Swiss Confederation , which wielded an ad hoc militia army. Charles's army lacked esprit de corps because of its composition by feudal lords, mercenaries, and levied gentry. The Swiss army, though poorly organized, were highly motivated, aggressive, and well-trained with their arms. The Swiss pikemen , called Reisläufer , repeatedly defeated and eventually killed Charles, eliminating Burgundy as

11385-548: The thrones of Hungary and Poland respectively. Louis I of Hungary always kept good and close relationships with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg and finally proclaimed Charles's son Sigismund of Luxembourg to succeed him as King of Hungary. Sigismund became a renowned king who created many improvements in the Hungarian law system and who rebuilt the palaces of Buda and Visegrád. He brought materials from Austria and Bohemia and ordered

11500-545: The two empires quelled the revolution. The desired political changes of 1848 were again suppressed until the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 . Population 1910 (Kingdom of Hungary without Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia ) Landsknecht The Landsknechte (singular: Landsknecht , pronounced [ˈlantsknɛçt] ), also rendered as Landsknechts or Lansquenets , were German mercenaries used in pike and shot formations during

11615-705: The unofficial name Transleithania was sometimes used to denote the regions of the Kingdom of Hungary. Officially, the term Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen was included for the Hungarian part of Austria-Hungary, although this term was also in use prior to that time. The Hungarians, led by Árpád , settled the Carpathian Basin in 895 and established the Principality of Hungary (896–1000). The Hungarians led several successful incursions to Western Europe, until they were stopped by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor in Battle of Lechfeld . The principality

11730-581: The way neighbours viewed the German polity, although in the longue durée, Germany tended to be at peace. From the 1560s on, after the death of Frundsberg, the reputation of the Landsknechte steadily decreased. In the French Wars of Religion and the Eighty Years War , their bravery and discipline came under criticism, and the Spanish elements of the army of Flanders regularly deprecated

11845-527: Was Archduke of Austria , and was related to Louis by marriage. Due to previous agreements that the Habsburgs would take the Hungarian throne if Louis died without heirs, Ferdinand was elected king by a rump diet in December 1526. Although the borders shifted frequently during this period, the three parts can be identified, more or less, as follows: On 29 February 1528, King John I of Hungary received

11960-473: Was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen I at Esztergom around the year 1000; his family (the Árpád dynasty ) led the monarchy for 300 years. By the 12th century, the kingdom became a European power. Due to the Ottoman occupation of

12075-610: Was arranged with the Duke Albert V of Austria , who was later crowned as King Albert of Hungary in 1437. The Hungarian kingdom's golden age was during the reign of Matthias Corvinus (1458–1490), the son of John Hunyadi . His nickname was "Matthias the Just". He further improved the Hungarian economy and practised astute diplomacy in place of military action whenever possible. Matthias did undertake campaigning when necessary. From 1485 until his death, he occupied Vienna, aiming to limit

12190-557: Was built between 1003 and 1038). The settlement had about 3,500 inhabitants at this time and was the royal seat for hundreds of years. 43 kings were crowned in Székesfehérvár (the last one in 1526) and 15 kings were buried here (the last one in 1540). In the past few decades, archaeologists have excavated medieval ruins , including those of the Romanesque basilica and the mausoleum of King István I; they can now be visited. In

12305-601: Was called in and crowned. Since the ceremony was not performed with the Hungarian Holy Crown, and in the city of Székesfehérvár , it was considered illegitimate. Ladislaus stayed only few days in Hungarian territory and soon left it, no longer an inconvenience for Sigismund. In 1408 he founded the Order of the Dragon , which included most of the relevant monarchs and noblemen of that region of Europe at that time. This

12420-529: Was decapitated during this battle. In 1456, John Hunyadi delivered a crushing defeat of the Ottomans at the Siege of Belgrade . The Noon Bell commemorates the fallen Christian warriors. In the 15th century, the Black Army of Hungary was a modern mercenary army, with the Hussars the most skilled troops of the Hungarian cavalry . In 1479, under the leadership of Pál Kinizsi , the Hungarian army destroyed

12535-423: Was introduced as a currency, replacing the denars , and soon after Charles's reforms were implemented, the economy of the Kingdom started to prosper again, having fallen into a parlous state following the Mongol invasion. Charles exalted the cult to Saint Ladislaus I, using him as a symbol of bravery, justice and purity. He also venerated his uncle, Saint Louis of Toulouse . On the other hand, he gave importance to

12650-668: Was just a first step for what was coming. In 1410 he was elected King of the Romans , making him the supreme monarch over the German territories. He had to deal with the Hussite movement, a religious reformist group that was born in Bohemia, and he presided at the Council of Constance , where the theologist founder Jan Hus , was judged. In 1419 Sigismund inherited the Crown of Bohemia after

12765-611: Was known in many languages by translations of "white castle" – Croatian : Biograd , Slovak : Belehrad , etc. The place has been inhabited since the 5th century BCE. In Roman times , the settlements were called Gorsium and Herculia . After the Migration Period Fejér County was the part of the Avar Khaganate , while the Slavic and Great Moravian presence is disputed. (There is no source for

12880-595: Was subject to industrialization , like many other cities and towns in the country. The most important factories were the Ikarus Bus factory, the Videoton radio and TV factory, and the Könnyűfémmű (colloquially Köfém) aluminium processing plant, since acquired by Alcoa . By the 1970s, Székesfehérvár had swelled to more than 100,000 inhabitants (in 1945 it had only about 35,000). Several housing estates were built, but

12995-536: Was succeeded by the Christian Kingdom of Hungary with the coronation of St Stephen I (son of principal Géza. Originally called Vajk until baptized) at Esztergom on Christmas Day 1000. The first kings of the kingdom were from the Árpád dynasty . He fought against Koppány and in 998, with Bavarian help, defeated him near Veszprém . The Catholic Church received powerful support from Stephen I, who with Christian Hungarians and German knights wanted

13110-406: Was that soldiers leaned towards a libertine (and also brutal) lifestyle. Thus, the role of the regiment, leadership by example (commanders tended to dismount to fight with the troops) and harsh discipline (involving capital punishment) were emphasized to compensate. As with the Reisläufer , a regiment (a typical Landsknecht regiment consisted of 4,000 men ) of Landsknechte was raised by

13225-581: Was the nominal overlord of all seven Magyar tribes but in reality ruled only part of the united territory. He aimed to integrate Hungary into Christian Western Europe by rebuilding the state according to the Western political and social models. Géza founded the Hungarian town in 972 on four moorland islands between the Gaja stream and its tributary, the Sárvíz , one of the most important Hungarian tributaries of

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