4 The Renaissance King

Going back to even earlier times, John Hunyadi, who was the father of Matthias, appointed
John Vitéz to educate his son, as he was able to receive a much better education than his
brother, due to his father's high position. Matthias's teacher was often called “the founder
father of humanism” although he had never visited Italy, but as an educated man he was a
great follower of humanism, and it was he who led the young Matthias to a love of art. He
wrote Latin letters and collected books. He had great connections with other Italian artists,
who had a great influence on his view on humanism. John Vitéz's buildings in Esztergom
often indicated that he was a fan of the architectural work of Pliny the younger. At least that is
how Bonfini describes the buildings there, which may mean that he had read them. These
buildings were simply not designed for simple living, but for work and relaxation. The
Esztergom castle had the classic feature of a Renaissance style, it had multiple living rooms,
double gardens and many different colored windows with a beautiful look on the garden.1

Another important person in Matthias' interest in art was Janus Pannonius, who was sent to
Italy by John Vitéz to acquire his love of art. After his return, he played an important role in
the development of art in Hungary. Janus Pannonius also often motivated the king to take a
greater interest in the arts, and he may have inspired in him the idea and desire to create the
Corvinus Library. Furthermore, as Vitéz had sent him to Ferrera to study the arts, he tried to
pass this on to the King. During his stay in Italy, he did not spare any money to spend on
books to take home.2 He was put to a high position by Matthias and was mainly involved in
political affairs, but after the Vitéz-Pannonius rebellion their relationship did not continue and
he fled abroad, but his work for the development of art cannot be overlooked.3

However, to say that these people had the greatest influence on him would be an
understatement, perhaps the greatest influence on art and so he was also influenced by his last
wife, Beatrice of Naples. Italian artists arrived in the country with the Queen, inspiring the
arrival of further artists or the invitation of further artists. A letter from Bonfini further
strengthens the influence that she had on the Hungarian king.

1
Feuer-Tóth Rózsa. (1990). Art and humanism in Hungary in the age of Matthias Corvinus. Budapest:
Akadémiai Kiadó. pp. 101-102.
2
Berkovits, I. (n.d.). Ilona Berkovits, illuminated manuscripts from the Library of Matthias Corvinus (1964):
Extract. pp. 9-53. Tertullian. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from
https://www.tertullian.org/articles/berkovits_corvina.htm
3
Engel, The Realm of St. Stephen, p. 318.
“Beatrice had already brought with her a large group of Italians, but it was only now that the
multitude of artisans from abroad really gathered in Buda. Bonfini writes: 'He received
painters, sculptors, sculptors, relief-makers, wood-carvers, metalworkers, stone-carvers from
Italy for enormous fees. The worship of the gods increased; singers were gathered from all
over France and Germany for the royal chapel. He even invited vegetable and fruit gardeners
and learned farmers from Italy, who made cheese in the Italian and French way. These were
accompanied by clowns and actors, especially the queen, and flutes, trumpeters, violinists,
harpists. He also brought in poets, orators, grammarians... He strove to make Hungary a
second Italy. He sought out and hired the best men, whatever their craft. He favoured
astronomers, doctors, mathematicians, lawyers. He was not averse to magicians and
sorcerers." 4

Matthias had so many disadvantages with these arts that he could only read about them, he
could not see them himself. Moreover, his wife was not herself well versed in Renaissance
culture, as she visited cities such as Ferrara and Venice, where the Renaissance was still very
rudimentary, so she had to rely mainly on the artists who came with her.5

Of the many Italian artists, one of the most important was Bonfini, who was the last to arrive,
and who wrote the life and events of Matthias after his death. Bonfini arrived as a reader of
Beatrice in 1446 but later worked as a humanist. He wrote not only the history of the king, but
also the history of Hungary in Renaissance style from the works he found in Hungary. He
himself brought many books to Hungary as gifts to the king and queen. He was the originator
of the theory that Matthias was a descendant of the "Corvinus" ancient roman heritage and
how his ideologies have surpassed every emperor during his lifetime.6

However, Bonfini was not the only one to write the history of Hungary. Matthias felt that it
was important and expected his reputation to be spread. He wanted to maintain the image of
himself as a lover of science, an artist and a great builder. Hungarian scholars of the time
often debated the history and past of Hungary. A notary named John Thuroczy wrote a richly
Hungarian history. Since then, this book has become the main source of Hungarian noble
history. He describes events, names, dates and details of letters in the book. The book was a
huge success and was printed abroad. Although he was not considered a humanist writer, it
can be said that he was influenced by the humanist writers of the time. 7 It is important to
4
Varga, Magyarország virágzása, p. 115.
5
Feuer, Art and humanism in Hungary, pp. 105-106.
6
Feuer, Art and humanism in Hungary, p. 75.
7
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, pp. 132-136.
mention that the book is heavily Hungarian biased and the outcome of some battles are not
correctly shown, for example the campaign against Moldova. Also, the chronology is
confusing in some cases.

This period was the golden age of astronomy, and John Vitéz was also associated with it. He
brought astronomers from Poland and the Netherlands to Hungary, as the education in natural
sciences in Central Europe was more advanced than in Italy. As mentioned above, the king
often invited foreign artists. He also wrote 2 letters in Vienna to a sculptor, Johannes
Duknovich, to whom he donated a castle in Hungary in order to work in the country and
support the arts. He also donated a plot of land in Hungary to Cotta Martin, who was active in
Spain, to invite him to the land of Hungary. It is clear that the King of Hungary himself felt it
important to invite foreign artists and to appreciate their art as an ideal.8

He also employed excellent sculptors such as Giovanni Dalmata. Sculptures such as the three
Hunyadi statues and the Hercules bronze statue were found in the country, but they have not
survived the passing of years. Even before his wife arrived, he was a great lover of painting.
The courtyard was also rich in pottery, often displaying their ornate vessels. The decoration of
floors was also important, with the emblems of Matthias appearing on them. The musical
culture was also noteworthy, with high quality musicians and conductors, mainly from
abroad.9

His main artistic interest was probably building. It is here that modern Italian Renaissance art
first appears in Central Europe and from here that it later began to spread. He employed many
Italian architects, the most famous being Chimenti Camicia of Florence. Chimenti was also
involved in the construction of the Urbino Palace, a Renaissance building with some details
resembling the Buda Castle. The castle of Buda and Visegrád can also be considered
Renaissance architecture, but it is worth mentioning that they did not survive the passing of
time, only fragments of them. The Renaissance influence can be found mainly in the gardens
of the Buda Palace, where there were elements such as beautifully trimmed trees and garden
houses, and a glass tower that could host various events. The Visegrád castle garden is a good
example as well, the Renaissance influence is clearly visible, just by looking at the carefully
picked plants that were placed to that exact position for a reason. And also, the racecourse by

8
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, pp. 136-138.
9
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, pp. 137-140.
the Danube, which was also a well-planned garden, with pruned trees and carefully selected
plants, and perhaps the plants were planted in a way that they are representing some letters. 10

The Gothic style was dominant in the building of churches, and the king had to participate in
the construction planning of the churches in Cluj-Napoca and Szeged. However, it is said that
he only did use the Gothic style because simply he just liked the Gothic style more for the
churches. But the Visegrád church often contains late Renaissance elements. The church in
Buda also contained similar elements. Existing buildings, on the other hand, were rebuilt or
they elements of the Renaissance style.11

In 1465, the Pope also authorised Matthias Hunyadi to estabilish a university. This served to
lure knowledgeable people to Hungary, as prestigious universities already existed in the
surrounding countries. John Vitéz also encouraged the king to pass on Italian art to the people
of Hungary. The decision gave Matthias the authority to estabilish a designated university in
Bratislava, which was to employ teachers and professors of his choice. The main organizer
was John Vitéz, who was also the head of the institution. Many internationally renowned
lecturers arrived, including Johannes Gattus, Taddeo Ugoleto, Regiomantnus and the famous
Polish astrologer Marcin Bylica. The university did not function for long, as the Vitéz-
Pannonius conspiracy spoiled relations with the king and the university, which was
questionable from the ground up, failed to achieve its intended mission of attracting students
from Vienna. Thus, after Matthias, the university here ceased.12

But his most significant work is definitely the Bibliotheca Corvina in the Buda Castle. It
perfectly illustrates Matthias' interest in art and science. His books consisted mainly of those
of John Vitéz and Pannonius and those brought by his wife and followers, but he also
exchanged books frequently with Lorenzo Medici. He commissioned many book-copiers to
work here, and there were also book-copiers in Buda and Vienna, and they made books for
him even in Florence. He produced 2,000 copies of his Latin and Greek works, the second
largest in Europe at the time. These books were about astronomy, medicine, theology, poetry,
military science, architecture, geography, philosophy, and history. 13 They were mainly written
books, rarely printed. Unfortunately, most of them have been lost. 216 Corvinas exist in the
world today, only a fraction of which can be found in Hungary today.14 The term “corvinas” is
10
Feuer, Art and humanism in Hungary, pp. 98-100.
11
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, pp. 137-139.
12
Tarján, T. (n.d.). 1465. május 19.: A Pozsonyi Egyetem Születése. Rubicon. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from
https://rubicon.hu/kalendarium/1465-majus-19-a-pozsonyi-egyetem-szuletese
13
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, p. 140.
14
Engel, The Realm of St. Stephen, pp. 318-320.
used for the books where it can be proven that this codex came from the library of that time.
The most characteristic symbol that proves that we are really talking about such a codex is the
coat of arms appearing on the codex and the velvet gold leather cover on the book. There are
Corvinas that do not have these marks, but it can be proven that they are considered as
corvinas, mainly by the content of the book.15

The king also collected the works of Janus Pannonius after his death, even though their
relationship had soured. He was also happy to join in scholarly discussions at the royal court,
often listening to these discussions but also taking part in them with a couple of good
arguments.16 The poem by Janus Pannonius also expresses the great artistic development that
Hungary was undergoing,

So far, books have only grown in the land of Italy,

And now Pannonia sheds its beautiful songs.

I've been honoured, my country can be proud of me,

My spirit is more and more glorious, and by it this land is famous! 17

although it is worth mentioning that at that time the Renaissance of Matthias was like a "small
island" surrounded by foreign culture,18 the spread of this art only began later. Also, it is
worth mentioning that the King's love for Renaissance was mainly represented in the “little
things”, nevertheless it was an important way to represent the Renaissance culture. Despite
this, Matthias was often criticised, along with his wife, for excessive spending and for
imposing style. He was heavily criticised by Hungarians for levying too much tax that could
have been used for more useful things. However, Bonfini argues that Matthias's spending was
not superfluous, and that if he had spent less, it might have been a shameful display of style.
He argues that Matthias continued to develop the style, let go of the barbaric Gothic style, and
gave money to support the flourishing Renaissance by inviting artists to the country.19

In conclusion, Matthias Corvinus was a notable Renaissance ruler whose reign marked a
golden era of cultural and intellectual advancement in Hungary. His patronage of arts,
establishment of educational institutions, centralization of government, and social and
15
A corvina-fogalom. Bibliotheca Corvina Virtualis. (2019, February 4). Retrieved April 17, 2023, from
https://corvina.hu/hu/a-corvinakrol/tortenet/a-corvina-fogalom/
16
Varga, Magyarország virágzása, p. 117.
17
Pannnónia Dicsérete. Eternus. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.eternus.hu/vers/759
18
Engel, The Realm of St. Stephen, pp. 320.
19
Feuer, Art and humanism in Hungary, pp. 67-69.
economic reforms had a lasting impact on Hungarian society and helped Hungary become a
prominent center of Renaissance learning and culture in Central Europe. Despite facing
challenges, Matthias Corvinus' legacy as a progressive and enlightened ruler is remembered
as a significant chapter in the Hungarian history.

5 Appearance and representation in modern culture

In the final chapter of my thesis, I would like to write about the portrayal of Matthias in the
modern world and the significance of his person. To this day, he still has a powerful influence
on people living today through some phenomenon.

After his death and up to the present day, he is still remembered as the "just king". If you ask
anyone living in Hungary to describe him, they will probably describe him as the image of the
just king. There are countless books, mostly written for children, in the world today that
describe him as essentially a "superhero" from the past. He dispenses justice, punishes the
wicked, rewards the good, punishes the greedy. There is more evidence of where this
adjective "just" might have come from. In a 16th century letter written shortly after the death
of Matthias, it is said that "King Matthias is dead and the Just has passed away." This saying
is still in use today.20

Bonfini wrote that the previous barons who had disliked Matthias wanted him to return from
the dead, because immediately after his death Hungary was threatened from many sides.
Though the “just king” title is often used to describe Matthias, but originally came from the
last Angevin king, Louis I of Hungary. The reason for this is because after a country has had a
good king and a crisis has followed, people may talk, for nostalgia's sake, about how good
times they were, so this rumour could have been passed on to King Matthias after the country
faced a huge crisis. The spreading of this rumour was also helped by the fact that in the last
years of Matthias's life he found it important to be propagated as a good man. A writer from
Italy, Galeotto Marzio published a book about the pranks, hilarious and wise doings in
Matthias's life, which also confirmed this.21 These ideas that he was fair were supplemented
by various legends. It is said that during the siege of a castle in Bohemia, he would look
around the castle dressed as a soldier to see the defences. He also looked around dressed as a
soldier during the siege of the Turkish castle of Sabač. These legends were the basis for
20
Meghalt Mátyás Király, Oda az igazság. Arcanum. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from
https://www.arcanum.com/hu/online-kiadvanyok/Szolasok-regi-magyar-szolasok-es-kozmondasok-1/erdelyi-
janos-magyar-kozmondasok-konyve-2E62/m-42D8/5443-meghalt-matyas-kiraly-oda-az-igazsag-43B8/
21
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, p. 131.
various proverbs and other stories. In any case, Matthias does not only appear in Hungarian
culture as just ruler, but he is also part of Romanian, Serbian and Slovenian culture. The
legends have a similar message, but their whole setting is reoriented towards the nation's
atrocities. In Romania, his father is a popular figure because of his origins, and in Serbian
legends also his father is considered a more important person because of his personal relations
with the Serbians on the front. In Slovenian culture, however, he is often criticised for his bad
relationship with the Cillei family and is not necessarily portrayed as a good man.22

These legends were based on a classic animated film series in Hungary, which is probably one
of the most ambitious animated series in Hungary. It was made in 1981 by Ladislaus Újvári.
Ladislaus Helyey is the voice of Matthias and the narrator of the film. The title of the series is
"Tales of King Matthias", a 13-episode series in which various legends are told. They are
about his good deeds and his mercy and justice. Several historical figures of the time also
appear in the series, such as Beatrice and Galeotto Marzio. These tales also include the image
of the vigilante in disguise. These tales are often used to teach young children the importance
of justice and how it is a cornerstone of becoming a good person.23

Matthias also appears on a thousand Forint banknote in Hungary. Designed by graphic

designer György Pálinkás, the forints feature various people important to Hungary with a
symbol and a place associated with them. These new series of forints were introduced in
1997.24 On the obverse of the coin is a portrait of Matthias, with a raven symbol next to it,
which can be traced back to Bonfini, who considered him a descendant of the Roman
emperor. And on the reverse is the Renaissance fountain of Hercules in Visegrád, a reference
to the development of Renaissance art by his person. The letter "C" next to the Hercules
fountain is from a corvina - Georgius Trapezuntius' Rhetorica, where this ornate letter is
found.25

Because of his strong and unique character, Matthias also appears in a very famous video
game, one of the most famous strategy games in modern times. In the strategy game Sid
Meiers Civilization 6, published by the game studio "Firaxis games", he appears as a
controllable country alongside heroes of other nations. Matthias was not included in the base

22
Kubinyi, Mátyás Király, pp. 142-144.
23
Mesék Mátyás Királyról. PORT.hu. (2018, April 22). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from
https://port.hu/adatlap/film/tv/mesek-matyas-kiralyrol-mesek-matyas-kiralyrol/movie-7526
24
Information taken from the official National bank site of Hungary: Magyar Nemzeti Bank. (n.d.). Retrieved
April 13, 2023, from https://www.mnb.hu/bankjegy-es-erme/bankjegyeink
25
Corvinarészlet az 1000 ft-os bankjegyen. Bibliotheca Corvina Virtualis. (2019, February 4). Retrieved April
13, 2023, from https://corvina.hu/hu/a-corvinakrol/erdekessegek/ezer-forintos-bankjegy/
game released in 2016, only three years later it was added to the list of selectable nations.
Matthias was given similar attributes to those for which he is known in real life. He is
described in the game for the first time as the first non-Italian person to be a lover of
Renaissance art, and often appears in the game as just the "Raven King". His character is
unique in that not only can he recruit a classical army, but he has special access to two special
units, the "Knight" and the "Black Army". These units were also familiar in the time of
Matthias. Interestingly, the Black Army is described as a light cavalry unit, but the Black
Army also used heavy cavalry, which was important in winning some wars.26

In the south of Slovakia, a monument to him was recently erected in the town of Šamorín, a
small town 25km from the capital, Bratislava. The statue was unveiled by the mayor of the
town on 13 November 2016. It was created by Ferenc Lebó, sculptor from Győr, Hungary.
The bust is located on a column depicting the King in his youth. Matthias used to go hunting
in the forests near Šamorín and stayed in the building next to the town hall. The statue also
bears the inscription "Mathias Rex" and a medal with the old name of Šamorín, Samaria. 27

As you can see in summary, he has left a huge mark not only in art, as sculptures of him are
still being made, but he is also a major figure in modern art, appearing in video games, in
animated tales, where he is portrayed in the same exemplary and just ruler image as he was in
the past. He has been dead for over 500 years, but through fairy tales he continues to teach the
younger generation about honesty and fair play through various modern techniques.

26
Matthias Corvinus (CIV6). Civilization Wiki. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from
https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Matthias_Corvinus_(Civ6)#cite_note-2
27
Mátyás király somorjai mellszobra. Csemadok. (2019, August 5). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from
https://emlekhelyek.csemadok.sk/emlekhelyek/matyas-kiraly-somorjai-mellszobra/