Who Are Hungarians?
Is Hungary a nation of mixed peoples?
Are Hungarians “peoples of mixed race”? We ask this question, and dig into the history of it, because of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s recent speech (see image above). His nationalism and populism have won him many friends, including CPAC in the U.S.
In this episode, our guest takes us from the “forgotten barbarians” to the year 896; to Mongols, Ottomans and Austrians; and now!
The “now” of our conversation is quite important, because as Dr. Robert Nemes explains, for most Hungarians now, their nation may seem rather homogenous. And as far as living memory goes, this perception may be correct. But once we dig a little deeper into history, most Hungarians, including our guest’s own ancestors, are indeed “peoples of mixed race”.
For reasons that Dr. Nemes explains, Hungarians date their history back to 896, after which, despite some military defeats, Hungary becomes a kingdom around 1,000 CE and thrives, experiencing wealth (gold and silver mines) and health (population growth). This success continues despite the utter devastation wrought by the Mongol invasion. As Hungary recovers and even repels the second Mongol invasion, its borders reach the Adriatic.
The Ottoman period is another “negative” and devastating period in Hungary’s history. One…
