Kingdom of Hungary Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Kingdom of Hungary

Magyar Királyság

1000—1918

1919—1944

1944—1946

Flag (1867-1918)

Coat of arms (1915-1918)

Territory of the Kingdom of Hungary

Capital

Esztergom;
Fehérvár;
Buda;
Pozsony;
Debrecen;
Budapest

Government

Monarchy

Monarch

• 1000-1038

Stephen I of Hungary

• 1916-1918

Charles I of Austria

History

• Coronation of Stephen I of Hungary

1000

• Act I/1946

1946

ISO 3166 code

Preceded by

Succeeded by

	Hungarian prehistory
	Hungarian Soviet Republic
	Hungarian State

Hungarian Democratic Republic
Hungarian State
Second Hungarian Republic

The Kingdom of Hungary was a powerful monarchy in Central Europe. It existed for a very long time, from the Middle Ages (around the year 1000) until the 20th century (1946).

Hungary started as a Christian kingdom when its first king, Stephen I, was crowned in Esztergom around the year 1000. His family, the Árpád dynasty, ruled for 300 years. By the 12th century, Hungary became an important country in Europe.

In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire took over parts of central and southern Hungary. This split the country into three areas:

The Habsburg Royal Hungary
Ottoman Hungary (ruled by the Ottomans)
The semi-independent Principality of Transylvania

The House of Habsburg (a powerful European royal family) ruled Hungary after the Battle of Mohács until 1918. They also helped free Hungary from Ottoman rule.

From 1867, Hungarian lands became part of Austria-Hungary. This was known as the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen. The monarchy ended in 1918 when the last king, Charles IV, was removed from power. Hungary then became a republic.

The kingdom was brought back in name from 1920 to 1946, during a time called the "Regency". However, it truly ended when the Soviet Union took control in 1946.

The Kingdom of Hungary was home to many different groups of people. It included areas that are now Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Transylvania (part of Romania), Carpathian Ruthenia (part of Ukraine), Vojvodina (part of Serbia), and Burgenland (part of Austria). From 1102, it also included Croatia, which was united with Hungary under the same king.

Today, August 20th is a national holiday in Hungary. It celebrates the founding of the state by King Stephen I.

From Kingdom to Republic

László Rajk was a Hungarian Communist politician. He served as Minister of Interior and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

After the Soviet Union took over Hungary in 1944, they set up strict rules. They took important resources and controlled Hungary's internal affairs. The Soviet Red Army created police groups to target people they called "class enemies."

The Soviets thought poor Hungarians would support the communists in elections. However, the communists did not win many votes. A coalition government was formed, led by Prime Minister Zoltán Tildy.

Despite this, the Soviets interfered. They made sure communists got important government jobs. They also put in place harsh rules and punishments. In 1945, Soviet Marshal Kliment Voroshilov forced the Hungarian government to give the Interior Ministry to a communist.

The new Communist Interior Minister, László Rajk, created the ÁVH secret police. This police force stopped political opposition. They used threats, false accusations, imprisonment, and torture.

Engraving of the Hungarian Holy Crown

In 1946, Hungary's government changed to a republic. The monarchy was officially ended. Soon after, the Soviet Union pushed Hungarian leader Mátyás Rákosi to start a "more intense class struggle." This led to Hungary becoming a communist state.

This communist rule lasted until October 23, 1956. On that day, the Hungarian uprising began. The uprising was successful for a short time, until November 10, 1956. Soviet occupation was then restored and lasted until 1989. In 1989, the communists agreed to give up their power. This led to free elections in March 1990.

Today, Hungary is a free republic. People see the Kingdom of Hungary as an important part of the country's history. This connection to the past is shown in Hungary's national symbols. The Holy Crown of Hungary and the Coat of arms of Hungary are the same as they were during the monarchy. Many holidays, the official language (Hungarian), and the capital city Budapest have also stayed the same. In 2000, Hungary celebrated 1000 years since its founding.

Images for kids

King Stephen I of Hungary
The Holy Crown of Hungary along with other regalia
Hungary (including Croatia) in 1190, during the rule of Béla III
The Meeting of Ladislaus IV and Rudolf I during the Battle on the Marchfeld, painting by Mór Than (1873)
Local autonomies (including Cumania, Székely Land and Transylvanian Saxons) in the late 13th century
King Charles I of Hungary
The administrative divisions of medieval Hungary
Louis I of Hungary on Heroes Square, Budapest
King Sigismund of Hungary
Renaissance portrait of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, (marble relief by Giovanni Dalmata (attributed to), Benedetto da Maiano (previous attribution) 1476)
Western conquests of Matthias Corvinus
The Battle of Buda (1686): Hungarians and the Holy League (1684) reconquering Buda
The Battle of Kuruc-Labanc, kuruc preparing to attack traveling coach and riders, c. 1705
Distribution of Hungarians in the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (1890)
Ethnic map of the Hungary proper publicized by the Hungarian Trianon delegation. Regions with population density below 20 persons/km2 are left blank and the corresponding population is represented in the nearest region with population density above that limit. The vibrant, dominant red color was deliberately chosen to mark Hungarians while the light purple color of the Romanians, who were already the majority in the whole of Transylvania back then, is shadow-like. Hungarians Germans Slovaks Ruthenians Romanians Serbs Croats Spaces with a smaller density than 20 persons/sq km
Coronation of Francis Joseph I and Elisabeth at Matthias Church, Buda, 8 June 1867
The Treaty of Trianon: Hungary lost 72% of its territory, its sea access, half of its 10 biggest cities and all of its precious metal mines; 3,425,000 ethnic Hungarians found themselves separated from their motherland.
Miklós Horthy was regent of Hungary from 1920 to 1944
István Bethlen, the Prime Minister of Hungary

Kingdom of Hungary facts for kids

From Kingdom to Republic

Images for kids

See also