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The publication Andreae II regis Hungariae decretum anni 1222 bulla aurea roboratum ‒ Studies to mark the 800th anniversary of the issue of the Golden Bull of 1222 was presented

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The publication Andreae II regis Hungariae decretum anni 1222 bulla aurea roboratum – Studies to mark the 800th anniversary of the issue of the Golden Bull of 1222 was presented at the Central Library of the Hungarian National Museum on December 15, 2022. The volume placed in a special gift box was published with the support of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), in cooperation between the Gyula Moravcsik Institute of the ELKH Research Centre for the Humanities (BTK) and the National Archives of Hungary. Gyula Mayer, Kornél Szovák (BTK Gyula Moravcsik Institute) and György Rácz (National Archives of Hungary) were the editors of the publication.

The Golden Bull was an edict issued by King Andrew II of Hungary (1205-1235) in 1222, at a time when the ruler's reform policy had caused much displeasure and the king was forced to reach agreement with elevated groups in society. The royal decree included in the letter of privilege is, among other things, proof that at the beginning of the 13th century, Hungary was an integral part of the community of Western Christian peoples, and that its political relations uniquely combined the ancient Hungarian customary law and the spiritual heritage of Western Europe through the millennia.

Similarly to many other European countries, significant freedom rights were recorded in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1222, following on from the influence of Western ideas. The Golden Bull provided fundamental privileges to the dominant groups in society at the time, and also recorded their obligations related to national defense, among other things. The privileges included in the document are an eloquent demonstration of how in Hungary, even in the conditions of the Middle Ages, respect for the legal order and property – “the freedom commanded by St. Stephen” – was a commonly accepted value that over time forged the country's inhabitants into a community.

The publication Andreae II regis Hungariae decretum anni 1222 bulla aurea roboratum – Studies to mark the 800th anniversary of the issue of the Golden Bull of 1222 was prepared to close the commemorative year with the support of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network Secretariat, in close cooperation between the BTK Gyula Moravcsik Institute and the custodian of the copies of the Golden Bull, the National Archives of Hungary that will celebrate its 300th anniversary in 2023. The book was printed at the Pytheas Könyvmanufaktúra (Pytheas Book Manufactory).

Miklós Maróth, President of ELKH in his recommendation wrote: “This book is the work of excellent researchers of the Hungarian Middle Ages. To mark the Golden Bull’s 800th anniversary, a research institute and a public archive – the oldest in Hungary – that preserves most of the copies of the text editions of the Golden Bull have come together to present both the text of the Golden Bull and the gold seals of Andrew II of Hungary (as well as the previous and later Hungarian kings) at the highest level of Hungarian scientific knowledge. The work seeks to shed light on the religious, political theoretical and social background and significance of the Golden Bull from both a philological and historical point of view, placing it in the process of Hungarian history and the international context of the era. In this way, the volume not only summarizes new findings, but it also lays down a path for the next 150 years of research.”

Csaba Szabó, General Director of the National Archives of Hungary, said: “The Hungarian National Archives is not the owner, but only the custodian of documents representing the memory of the nation. Therefore, we consider it essential to support the current edition, as we seek to ensure that all the public treasures found in our archives reach the widest possible social strata.”

The gift box contains replicas of the medieval texts of the Golden Bull, as well as authentic copies of their seals. The latter, except for the brass metal bull, were produced from natural beeswax. In addition to these, the lower compartment of the box contains a study volume featuring the critical edition of the famous edict, the accompanying documents in Latin and their modern Hungarian translations, as well as scientific studies. The studies, written by contemporary Hungarian experts of the Árpád era, analyze the historical issues related to the royal decree of 1222, based on a broad system of criteria. At the end of the book a set of pictures provide an insight into the imagery of the period.

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In his study, Tibor Almási summarizes the social changes in Hungary in the first half of the 13th century, while Dániel Bácsatyai makes the Western-related documents of the Golden Bull the subject of investigation. Attila Bárány clarifies the circumstances of the creation of the most famous freedom charter, the Magna Carta, while Gábor Dreska presents the historical circumstances of the renovations of the Golden Bull. Mihály Kurecskó describes in detail the use of gold seals by the Hungarian kings, while László Pósán examines the gold-sealed certificates of the Hohenstaufen emperors. György Rácz traces the extant copies of the Golden Bull's textual memoirs, while Kornél Szovák places the ideas about public life formed in the Golden Bull in the history of Hungarian political thought. Tibor Szőcs scrutinizes the “legislative days of Székesfehérvár”, while István Tringli looks at the later fate of the privileges contained in the Golden Bull, which would be seen as pivotal in terms of the rights of the nobility. This rich content sheds light on many scientifically interpretable questions that could set the direction for further research, while simultaneously recording in a modern form knowledge that has proven to be solid and reliable. The study volume offers all this to its readers in a clear form, complemented by well-edited illustrations placed in independent image blocks.

Hungary celebrated the 800th anniversary of the release of the Golden Bull in 2022. Over the course of the year numerous scientific conferences, commemorations and press appearances have shown that there is broad public interest in the Hungarian society in this celebrated document: we see it as a factor of our common past and a key element in our ideas about national unity.

The collection and the book can be ordered from the Pytheas Book Manufactory from January 2023.