Chronica Hungarorum (Latin for "Chronicle of the Hungarians") (), also known as the Thuróczy Chronicle, is the title of a 15th-century Latin-language Hungarian chronicle written by Johannes Thuróczy by compiling several earlier works in 1488. It served as the primary source for the history of medieval Hungary for centuries.
History
Johannes Thuróczy followed a career typical of contemporary legal scholars and, in the final years of his life, served as judge of the Court of the King's Personal Presence. Between the late 1480s and early 1490s, three Hungarian histories were written at the court of the Hungarian king, Matthias Corvinus: the Chronica Hungarorum by Johannes Thuróczy, the Epitome rerum Hungarorum by Pietro Ranzano and the Rerum Hungaricarum decades by Antonio Bonfini. The Thuróczy Chronicle was rooted in the tradition of the previous medieval Hungarian chronicle writing and it was the final work of its genre.
The chronicle recounts the history of the Hungarians from their origins up to the capture of Wiener Neustadt by King Matthias in 1487. The historical knowledge of future generations of people was based on the Thuróczy Chronicle, because it was the most complete medieval Hungarian history at that time. The chronicle itself was the result of a historiographical construction based on the predecessor Hungarian chronicles spanning previous centuries, beginning with the Ancient Gesta. According to Thuróczy, he worked from contemporary works of the time of King Charles I (1301–1342) and King Louis I (1342–1382), which also based on older chronicles. The basic premise of the Hungarian medieval chronicle tradition that the Huns, i.e. the Hungarians coming out twice from Scythia, the guiding principle was the Hun-Hungarian continuity.
King Matthias of Hungary was happy to be described as "the second Attila". In the prologue of his chronicle, Thuróczy set the goal of glorifying Attila, which was undeservedly neglected, moreover, he introduced the famous "Scourge of God" characterization to the later Hungarian writers, because the earlier chronicles remained hidden for a long time. Thuróczy worked hard to endear Attila, the Hun king with an effort far surpassing his predecessor chroniclers. He made Attila a model for his victorious ruler, King Matthias of Hungary (1458–1490) who had Attila's abilities, with this he almost brought "the hammer of the world" to life.
The chronicle was published in print twice in 1488, in Brno and in Augsburg. The Augsburg edition was published in two versions, the one dedicated to the German audience omitted the description of the Austrian campaign of King Matthias. Two ornate copies made for King Matthias of Hungary have been preserved. Both were printed on parchment, and the editor's preface was adorned with gilded letters. The Augsburg edition of the Chronica Hungarorum from 1488 is the first known print made with gold paint. The engravings in both volumes were hand-painted at the Hungarian royal court. The chronicle contains hand-colored woodcuts depicting 41 Hungarian kings and leaders.
The images are listed alongside the chapter titles in the same order as they appear in one version of the Augsburg edition of the Chronica Hungarorum. Illustration DescriptionThe Great Coats of Arms of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary The great coats of arms of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary of 1485 in the first page of the Chronica Hungarorum. The coat of arms of the countries of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and Queen Beatrice of Aragon. In the center, the united coat of arms of Matthias and Beatrice: Matthias, quartered shield: 1: Hungarian double cross and trimount, 2: Hungarian Árpád stripes, 3: Bohemia, 4: Hunyadi family. Beatrice, quartered shield: 1–3: vertically in thirds: a: Hungarian Árpád stripes, b: Anjou lilies, c: Jerusalem, 2–4: Aragon. Clockwise in the outer circle: 1: Bohemia, 2: Luxemburg, 3: Lower Lusatia, 4: Moravia, 5: Austria, 6: Galicia, 7: Silesia, 8: Dalmatia.Saint Ladislaus Chases the Cuman Warrior Who Kidnapped a Girl Two scene in one picture. Saint Ladislaus is chasing and fighting a duel with a Cuman warrior. The legends related to Saint Ladislaus of Hungary, the events of the Battle of Kerlés in 1068 described in the chronicle and the scene of the girl kidnapping had a deep impact on posterity. The scene of the fight of the Christian king symbolizes the victory of Christianity over paganism.The Prologue of Master Johannes Thuróczy to the First Book of the Chronicle of the HungariansPreface Prologue of Johannes Thuróczy in a golden frame with a flowered decorations.The Arrival of the Huns Into Pannonia and the Battle of Tárnok ValleyBattle of Tárnok Valley The Battle of Tárnok Valley was a legendary battle in the medieval Hungarian chronicles between the Huns and Romans in Pannonia. Captain Keve fell during the battle.The Battle Near a Place Named ZeiselmauerBattle of Zeiselmauer The Battle of Zeiselmauer was a legendary battle in the medieval Hungarian chronicles between the Huns and Romans in Pannonia.Election of King Attila, His Morals and Weapons He Used Against the EnemyKing Attila King Attila.The Famous and Great Battle of King Attila Which Was Fought on the Catalaunum PlainBattle of the Catalaunian Plains The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains between the Huns and their vassals commanded by their King Attila against a coalition led by the Roman general Aetius and by the Visigothic king Theodoric I in 451.About the First Captain, the White Horse, the Golden Saddle and the Golden BrakeÁrpád, the First Captain Árpád, Grand Prince of the Hungarians.About the First Captain, the White Horse, the Golden Saddle and the Golden BrakeThe Hungarians Defeat Svatopluk The Seven chieftains of the Hungarians and the Hungarians led by Grand Prince Árpád defeat Svatopluk I of Moravia during the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin.The Second CaptainSzabolcs, the Second Captain Szabolcs, Hungarian chieftain from the seven chieftains of the Hungarians.The Third CaptainGyula, the Third Captain Gyula, Hungarian chieftain from the seven chieftains of the Hungarians.The Fourth CaptainKund, the Fourth Captain Kund, Hungarian chieftain from the seven chieftains of the Hungarians.The Fifth CaptainLehel, the Fifth Captain Lehel, Hungarian chieftain from the seven chieftains of the Hungarians.The Sixth CaptainVérbulcsú, the Sixth Captain Vérbulcsú, Hungarian chieftain from the seven chieftains of the Hungarians.The Seventh CaptainÖrs, the Seventh Captain Örs, Hungarian chieftain from the seven chieftains of the Hungarians.The Hungarians Are Destroying BulgariaHungarian Campaign Against Bulgaria Hungarian campaign against the Bulgarians in the 10th century.The Birth and Reign of Saint Stephen, the First King of the HungariansKing Saint Stephen and Prince Saint Emeric King Saint Stephen I of Hungary and his son Prince Saint Emeric.Battle of King Saint Stephen Against Koppány, Duke of SomogyBattle of King Saint Stephen Against Koppány Battle of King Saint Stephen I of Hungary against Koppány, Duke of Somogy.The Death of King Saint Stephen and the Election of King PeterKing Peter King Peter Orseolo of Hungary.Expulsion of Peter and Election of Aba as KingKing Samuel Aba King Samuel Aba of Hungary.The Coronation of King Andrew Who Was Called Endre the FirstKing Andrew I King Andrew I of Hungary.The Coronation and Engagement of King SolomonKing Solomon King Solomon of Hungary.The Coronation, Life and Reign of King Béla the FirstKing Béla I King Béla I of Hungary.The King’s Fraud, the Two Campaigns of the Princes and Their VictoryThe Battle of King Solomon and Prince Géza Against the Greeks The battle of King Solomon of Hungary and Prince Géza of Hungary against the Byzantine Empire. The Hungarians took Belgrade after a siege of three months in 1071 and Niš in 1072.How Géza the First Was Crowned As King After the Defeat and Running Away of King SolomonKing Géza I King Géza I of Hungary.The Coronation and Campaigns of Saint Ladislaus the First, Brother of Géza and Son of King Béla the FirstKing Saint Ladislaus King Saint Ladislaus I of Hungary.The Coronation of Coloman, Son of King Géza the First, Grandson of King Béla the FirstKing Coloman King Coloman of Hungary.After the Death of King Coloman, His Son, Stephen the Second Was Crowned As KingKing Stephen II King Stephen II of Hungary.The Reign of Béla the Second the Blind, He Is the Son of Prince Álmos, Grandson of Lampert, Great-Grandson of King Béla the FirstKing Béla the Blind King Béla II of Hungary.The Coronation and the Deeds of King Géza the Second, the First-Born Son of King Béla the BlindKing Géza II King Géza II of Hungary.The Coronation and the Deeds of King Géza the Second, the First-Born Son of King Béla the BlindThe Battle of the Fischa The Battle of the Fischa was a victory for the Hungarian army under the leadership of King Géza II and his uncle, Palatine Belos, which defeated a great German army led by Duke Henry X during an open battle in 1146.The Coronation of King Stephen the Third, Who Was the Son of Géza the Second and the Grandson of King Béla The Blind. Prince Ladislaus, the Second Son of King Béla the Blind Usurs the CrownKing Stephen III King Stephen III of Hungary.The Coronation of King Béla the Third, Who Was the Brother of Stephen the Third and the Son of Géza the SecondKing Béla III King Béla III of Hungary.The Coronation of King Emeric, Who Was the Son of King Béla the ThirdKing Emeric King Emeric of Hungary.The Coronation of King Ladislaus the Third, Who Was the Son of King EmericKing Ladislaus III King Ladislaus III of Hungary.The Coronation of King Andrew the Second, Father of Saint Elizabeth, He Was the Son of King Béla the Third and Was Also Called Andrew of JerusalemKing Andrew II King Andrew II of Hungary.The Coronation of King Béla the Fourth, He Was the Son of King Andrew the Second. Also the First Arrival of the Tatars and the Terrible Destruction of HungaryKing Béla IV King Béla IV of Hungary.The War of King Béla With Ottokar, King of BohemiaThe Battle of Kressenbrunn The Battle of Kressenbrunn was fought in 1260 in Lower Austria between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Bohemia for the possession of the duchies of Austria and Styria. The Hungarian forces were led by King Béla IV of Hungary, while the Bohemians were led by King Ottokar II of Bohemia.The Coronation of King Stephen the Fifth, Son of King Béla the FourthKing Stephen V King Stephen V of Hungary.The Coronation of King Ladislaus the Fourth, Son of King Stephen the Fifth, Who Is Called Ladislaus the CumanKing Ladislaus the Cuman King Ladislaus IV of Hungary.The Coronation of King Andrew the Third, the Grandson of King Andrew the Second, He Was Also Called Andrew the VenetianKing Andrew III King Andrew III of Hungary.Ladislaus, that is King Wenceslaus Leaves Hungary and Returns to BohemiaKing Wenceslaus King Wenceslaus of Hungary.Bringing Otto, Prince of Bavaria to Hungary, His Coronation, Captivity and Expulsion, All This Is the Work of Some Barons Against Charles the Child King Otto King Otto of Hungary.The Arrival of Friar Cardinal Gentilis to Hungary and the Crowning of Charles as KingKing Charles I King Charles I of Hungary.The Unfortunate Campaign of King Charles Against Voivode Basarab of WallachiaThe Battle of Posada The Battle of Posada was fought in 1330 between Charles I of Hungary and Basarab I of Wallachia.The Coronation, Life and Campaigns of King LouisKing Louis I King Louis I of Hungary.The Campaign Against the CroatiansThe Campaign of King Louis I Against the Croatians The campaign of King Louis I of Hungary against the rebellious Croatian nobles. King Louis I marched to Croatia in June 1345 and besieged Knin.The Battle of Voivode Stephen Against the Army of Louis, Husband of Joanna Around NaplesThe Battle of Stephen Lackfi Against Louis of Taranto Around Naples