A Complete History of the Hungarian War - Including Outline History of Hungary, and Biographical Notices of the Most Distinguished Officers; With Authentic Portraits and Illustrations #270247

The history of Hungary, from the ninth to the twelfth century, is consequently full of interest for the political philosopher. In the first years of that period, we see the Hungarian people, worried by foreign enemies, and hurried on by those migratory instincts which are peculiar to nomadic populations, leave their homes in Central Asia, and proceed to the Caspian, and thence to the Black Sea; thence they direct their steps to the Danube; for a legend is rife among them of a land of promise, belonging to the inheritance of Attila, Prince of the Huns, and kinsman to their tribe. Obedient to the advice of the Chazars, their neigh hours, we behold the chiefs of the clans assemble for the election of a prince; but, jealous of his influence, they limit the extent of his power. They make a State, and that State stands alone in history; for it originated in a social contract, the provisions of which were not only enacted, but also observed. Thus united into a nation, the Hungarian tribes proceed, toward the end of the ninth century, to conquer their present country. The conquest is an easy one. For tune favours them; they become overbearing, and begin to devastate the neighbouring countries. They make inroads upon Southern Germany, Upper Italy, and the northern provinces of the Byzantine Empire. Some detached parties visit even the south of France, and advance to the walls of Constantinople, until the hero Botond — thus runs the Hungarian legend breaks the gates of that city with his club.