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Magyars are an ethnic group primarily associated with
Hungary. In English they are usually called Hungarians, except in
some historical texts.
The word Hungarian has a wider meaning, because - especially in the past - it referred to all inhabitants of the
Kingdom of Hungary irrespective of their ethnicity (i.e. not only Magyars). Specifically, the Latin term natio hungarica
referred to all nobles of the Kingdom of Hungary irrespective of their ethnicity.
There are around 9,416,000 Magyars in Hungary (2001). Magyars have been the main
inhabitants of the Kingdom of Hungary that existed through most of the second millennium. Following its disappearance with the
Treaty of Trianon, Magyars have become minority inhabitants of
Romania (1,400,000), Slovakia
(520,500), Serbia and Montenegro (293,000), Ukraine (170,000), Croatia (16,500), the Czech Republic (14,600) and Slovenia (7,700).
History
The Magyar leader Árpád is believed to have led the Hungarians into the Carpathian Basin (and the Pannonian plain) in 896; battle of Lechfeld - Hungarian settlement in the area became blessed by the Pope by the crowning of Stephen I the Saint
(Szent István) in 1001 when the leaders accepted Christianity. The centuries between the Magyars arriving from the eastern European plains and the
consolidation of the Hungarian Kingdom in 1001 were dominated by pillaging campaigns across Europe, from Dania (Denmark) to the Hispanic peninsula (Spain).
Since the end of the 13th century (except for the period 1538/1541 - early 18th century) the multiethnic Kingdom of Hungary,
founded by the Magyars in the 10th century, occupied the whole Carpathian Basin. Despite its name, in sum the state was inhabited
by far more other nationalities then Magyars (e.g. in 1780 by 71,1% other nationalities). After WWI the ancient Kingdom was divided through Treaty of
Trianon in many successor states.
Origin of the word "Hungary"
One opinion is that Hungary (similar words are used in most western European languages) received its name from the similar
semi-nomadic tribe: the Huns, who lived some 400 years earlier in the same territory, but
had similarities in they way of life and warfare. In ancient times and in the middle ages such false identifications
(Huns=Hungarians) often occurred in history and literature.
Others believe that the name derives from the Bulgarian: Ungur, Onogur (Slavic:
Vengry; German: Ungarn), meaning "ten tribes".
Magyar is today simply the Hungarian word for Hungarian. In English and many other languages, however, Magyar is used instead
of Hungarian in certain (mainly historical) contexts, usually to distinguish ethnic Hungarians (i.e. the Magyars) from the other
nationalities living in the Hungarian kingdom.
Still, Hun names like Attila, Ildikó are popular among Hungarians, and forms derived from Latin Hungaria are used like
in the racetrack Hungaroring (mostly due to the strong English language
pressure in tourism and international matters).
An equivalent use in English would be using Britannia, Hibernia and Erin besides the Anglo-Saxon words.
Origin of Magyar people
By one of Hungarian legends, the Hungarians were descendants of Magor, the son of Nimrod of the Hebrew Bible.
(Other sources call the father "Menrót" (Persian); and "Nimrod" was a very popular name among ancient kings, so he could have
been any of them.)
Together with his brother Hunor, patriarch of the Hun race, Magor set out on a hunting trip chasing an elusive white stag for
many weeks. They eventually found themselves far from home, and decided to settle down where they were, the Crimean peninsula. There, they blended with the Turkic and proto-Mongolian races.
Around year 400, the Hun tribes decided to leave the sheltered peninsula for more conquest and land, eventually finding
themselves in the Hungarian plain. 400 years later, the Hungarians followed their Hun brethren whom they found living peaceably
in modern-day Transylvania.
See also
External links
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