CÍMLAP
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CONTENTS, PREFACE |
Contents
I. Roman Period
II. The Huns - Attila
III. The Magyars - Origin, manners, first appearance in Europe, their ravages in Germany and Italy - Final overthrow by Otho the Great
IV. The Dynasty of Arpad
V. Dynasty of Arpad continued
VI. Ascension of the House of Anjou - Charles Robert
VII. Louis the Great
VIII. Maria and Sigismond - The Turks
X. Ladislaus II.
XI. Ladislaus III. - Regency of Hunyadi
XII. Mathias Corvinus
XIII. Ladislaus IV. and Louis II. - Peasant War and Turkish Conquests
XIV. Ferdinand I. and John Szapolyai
XV. John Sigismond and Stephen Bathori
XVI. Wars of Gabriel Bethlem and Ferdinand II. and III.
XVII. The Reign of Leopold
XVIII. Rebellion of Francis Rakotski
XIX. Charles III. and Maria Theresa
XX. Troubles in the Reign of Joseph II., and Leopold II., and Francis I.
XXI. Conflicts between the Diet and the Government - Progress of Reform
XXII. War of Independence
XXIII. The Horrors of the Peace
XXIV. The Hungarian Constitution - Variety of Races
Preface
Many of the facts detailed in this work will possess no novelty for students
of history. The writer does not profess to have derived his materials
from any extraordinary sources. With most, if not all, of the books he
has consulted, the literary world is, more or less, familiar.
His object has been simply to present, in a popular form, the history
of a great people, concerning whom the mass of English readers have
no information except what can be gleaned from the stray and scanty
allusions contained in the various accounts of the wars and revolutions
of the German empire. He has dwelt at considerable length upon
the relations existing between Hungary and the House of Hapsburg,
because it is mainly upon the peculiar nature of these that her claims
to the sympathy of Europe are founded. He has endeavoured throughout
to make the narrative as plain and succinct as possible; and for the
attainment of this object has, in many places, sacrificed a great number of
collateral details. Foreign wars, as the least interesting episodes in a
nation's life, when they leave behind no marked results, he has in many
instances passed over with a mere mention. His great aim has been to
convey a clear idea of the nature and the origin of the late revolution
to the minds of those who have hitherto given but little attention to
European politics. For information regarding the war of independence he
has consulted most of the works which have since appeared on the subject.
To that of General Klapka, as the most trustworthy, perhaps, he is under
greater obligations than any. The interest which the Magyars excited
in 1849 is kept alive by the certainty, which every one who pays any
attention to the state of affairs on the continent must feel, that, in the
next great European convulsion, they will play, if possible, a still more
important part than in the last.
A history of Hungary, which will satisfy all the requirements of criticism,
can never be written until her archives are in the hands of the rightful
owners, and until the restoration of her liberties shall have enabled
foreigners to study her institutions with the attention they merit. To
such a character, therefore, this one lays no claim.
London, September, 15th, 1853.