15th century Hungarian military commander János Hunyadi (1406-1456) will receive a statue in the Zimony/Zemun municipality of the Serbian capital, Belgrade/Nándorfevérvár.
Transylvanian-born Hunyadi’s first documentary mention is from the year 1409, when King Sigismund donated the Vajdahunyad/Hunedoara Castle to his father, Voyk, son of Serbe. His origin is still disputed today, but the most likely is that his family was of Romanian ethnicity. His father – though not a noble – was a “court knight” during Sigismund’s rule.
Hunyadi received a thorough military education, as in his teens he was a page to Filippo Scolari (Ozorai Pipó for Hungarians), Sigismund’s faithful commander who was famous for his military prowess. He led at least 17 military campaigns in the service of his king and was never defeated in battle.
From 1446 to 1453 he served as the first governor of Hungary until the son of Sigismund, Ladislaus V came of age. At the time, he was the country’s second wealthiest man and spent the better part of his fortune on battling the Ottoman Empire’s advancement in Europe. His most famous victory was at the Battle of Belgrade in 1456, when his growing crusader army defeated the army of Sultan Mehmed II, earning Hungary a 60-year respite from the Ottomans.
Although he died shortly after the battle to a plague going through his army, the Belgrade victory and his overall fame were a major reason why his son, Matthias was elected King of Hungary two years later.
Pope Pius II conferred him the title of Christ’s Champion (Athleta Christi) and he is a national hero to Hungarians, Romanians and even the Serbs, in whose history he is remembered as Janko Sibinjanin.
His statue will be unveiled on Monday, July 22, the day of his Belgrade victory by the Presidents of Hungary and Serbia, János Áder and Aleksandar Vučić.
Title image: 17th century oil painting of János Hunyadi (Wikimedia Commons)
