Vitéz
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Vitéz or Order of Vitéz (Vitézi Rend in Hungarian) was a Hungarian Order founded in 1678 by Imre Thököly, (1657-1705), a Hungarian nobleman, who was leading a rebellion against Leopold I of Austria, who suspended the Constitution and placed Hungary under a Directorate headed by the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Thököly gathered behind him a force of disaffected Hungarians composed mainly of disbanded soldiers and peasantry. His followers were known as 'kuruc' (crusaders), a designation that was also used a century earlier by the followers of another rebel leader, György (George) Dózsa. Appointment into the Vitéz Order was Thököly's way to designate and promote some of his lowly-born followers who distinguished themselves in the struggle and around whom other newer rebels could gather with confidence. [1] (The word "Vitéz" means Valiant or Brave.)
The Vitéz Order was revived in 1921, by Miklós Horthy, the Regent of Hungary. Initially he restricted membership to men who served with special distinction in World War I. Subsequently admittance was widened to include both military and civilian supporters of his regime. Members were entitled to use the designation Vitéz as a prefix to their names. The title was hereditary, passing to the eldest son. Admittance into the Order was in the gift of the regent. Horthy, who was the first to be admitted into the revived Order, was also the Order's Commander in Chief (Főkapitány). Admission into the Order carried with it a land grant of 40 cadastral holds to an officer, 8 cadastral holds to other ranks or civilians.[2]
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[edit] Knightly Order of Vitéz
The concept of the Knightly Order of Vitéz is based on the thousand-year-old Hungarian historical past. Its roots go back into the earliest periods of our national evolution. Since the Reign of our first Christian King Saint Stephen, Hungary’s kings rewarded acts of valour with grants of nobility and land. During the reign of the Anjou kings the spirit of chivalry gained much ground. The Middle Ages regarded chivalrous conduct of a knight the highest form of secular honour. The true knight was a protector of widows and orphans, a champion of the realm, king and truth, as well as being a God fearing man. The principle of land ownership tied to military achievements and acts of valour evolved in the course of history.
[edit] Foundation
The Vitézi Rend, or 'Order of Valiants', is a relatively young order of chivalry. It was founded due to the need to honour thousands of war heroes and to help rebuild a shattered country, because in the years 1918-20, Hungary experienced both revolutions and invasions, thorough looting of Hungarian infrastructure and a starvation-blockade initiated by the Western Powers.
The Regent of Hungary, vitéz Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya (1920-1944), called for an organisation to be set up to reward those who had given outstanding service to the Hungarian Kingdom in war, and who were prepared to work for it in peace. He revived the traditions by founding the Knightly Order of Vitéz as a reminder of knightly orders of past ages and of the virtue of valorous conduct. This was promulgated as a Prime Ministerial Edict (no. 6650/1920) and was ratified by Parliament in Law XXXVI, paragraph 77 of 1920 (XXXVI t.c. § 77). As a result, various ministries and landowners were called on to organise a central administrative body, the National Council of Heroes ('Országos Vitézi Szék') and began organising the granting of land to those who applied to what became known as the 'Vitézi Rend'. This long overdue land reform was suggested in 1916 by the Bishop of Székesfehérvár Ottokár Prohászka. (Following his nation-wide appeal, the land grants were made available from land voluntarily contributed by the country’s landowners).
[edit] Meaning of the word vitéz
The word 'vitéz' in late 19th and early 20th century usage, meant 'knight', but also 'hero'. As a result, the 'Vitézi Rend' has been translated variously as 'Order of Knights', 'Order of Heroes', 'Order of Valiants or Valiant Ones'. The best modern translation would be 'Order of Valiants'. The foundation of the Order was also a step towards land reform, for which there was a great need at the time. The title was officially recorded, for instance in Birth, Marriage or Death Certificates, and was usually written as 'v.' in front of the surname. Note, in Hungarian, the surname precedes the Christian name.
[edit] Admission
Those admitted to membership of the Knightly Order of Vitéz included men who on the battlefields and subsequently in the national uprising to overthrow the communist dictatorship (1919) who had performed their duty with exemplary personal courage, who were the recipients of high awards for bravery, or those who otherwise distinguished themselves by the performance of acts of self-sacrificing personal courage combined with exceptional service to the nation, were eligible for the Land grants. Although Admiral Horthy was a very traditional man, he was also a progressive thinker. The Order of Vitéz would not be only for the officer class and the social elite like the orders of many other countries – it was to be irrespective of rank, or status or branch-of-service.
These three things (title, badge and land grant) were to be passed on by the recipient to the eldest son if he was psychological and physical suitable and was at least 17 years of age. If the vitéz had only female children, then the title and land would go to the eldest daughter on the condition that she retain her maiden name in conjunction with her new name when she married. The guidelines in regard to the inheriting of the title and land were put in place to ensure that the land remained intact, and not divided into small, unusable pieces among large families. The Order of Vitéz was truly ‘ahead of its time’. Hungary rewarded her soldiers based on their accomplishments rather than social status, and the people were able to take part in this worthy cause by donating land.
Since its foundation, the Knightly Order of Vitéz has maintained a honourable sense of democratic character, in that its members could be all those who qualified under the prescribed requirements, with no regards to origin, religion or social position, their rights and obligations were equal, they wore the same badge. The framework of the Knightly Order of Vitéz, the title of vitéz, the ceremony of knighting and the Land Grant of the Order of Vitéz, as well as the succession right of candidature, also served to revive the traditions of the old orders of chivalry.
The first investiture of the Order of Vitéz took place on August 21st, 1921 in the garden of the Royal Palace of Buda. In the years leading up to WWII, the Order continued its growth, and as certain territories were returned to Hungary, even more members were accepted, even after land for land grants ran out. By 1941 the number of 'vitéz' members was over 20,000. During the Second World War, many of Hungary's bravest soldiers came from 'vitéz' families, such as the top-scoring fighter pilot, Dezso v. Szentgyörgyi.
[edit] Soviet influence
On the basis of treaties concluded after World War II, the Western Powers allowed Hungary to become part of the Soviet sphere of influence. Under this alien regime, which tramples on all national ideas, the nationally minded, countries patriots, and the European orientated Knightly Order of Vitéz could no longer function in Hungary. The armistice, signed between the USSR and Interim National Government in Moscow on January 20th, 1945, stated that no "fascist" organisation could be re-formed once Hungary was "liberated". This list included the National Council of Vitéz, which, being the administrative body of the Order, effectively meant that the Order could not be resurrected in Hungary while under Soviet rule. This was according to the Prime Ministerial Edict no. 1945/529. It should be noted that similar orders were issued disbanding the Boy Scouts, as well as various Catholic Orders. The banning of the Order was strengthened by the contents of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1947 and was reinforced by the Hungarian Parliamentary Law of 1947/18.
[edit] Post WWII
At first, Veterans' Groups, including groups of Vitéz veterans, were formed, but in 1953, General Hugó vitéz Sónyi began work on re-organising the Order in exile. On July 18th, 1956, the Captain General, Admiral Horthy, at the time in exile in Portugal, named him Vice Captain General, but he became ill soon after and died.
Vitéz Miklós Horthy, life time Captain General of the Order of Vitéz, was prohibited by the Allied Powers from engaging in any political activity, this he observed even during his exile in Portugal. Nevertheless, according to the evidence of his many writings he did not fail to urge the preservation of the Knightly Order of Vitéz. In accordance with this spiritual and moral legacy, after his death early in 1957, members of the Knightly Order of Vitéz in exile in the West took appropriate steps to ensure the preservation of the Order and also for its continued activity abroad. They called on His Royal Highness Field Marshal Archduke József, who was created first vitéz on 21 August 1921, and who resided in West Germany after the war, to chair a general election, and to assemble the legislative body of the Knightly Order of Vitéz, known as the Council of the Order of Vitéz. After its preparatory work during 1958-59, the Council of the Order of Vitéz was formed, and the council elected HRH Field Marshal Archduke vitéz József, the 2nd Captain General of the Order. It was his achievement that in 1962 the Knightly Order of Vitéz was admitted to the list of internationally recognised orders of chivalry.
[edit] Recognition
Internationally, the Order gained recognition in 1962 from the International Congress of Genealogy and Heraldry and the International Commission for Orders of Chivalry functioning under the former authority in Edinburgh, which proclaimed it in the 1964 issue of its official publication, the “Register of Orders of Chivalry”. It also notified all orders of chivalry and the member states of UNESCO of this decision. Here is a link to the current registration. With this the Knightly Order of Vitéz has entered in a new and significant stage of development, not only in its Hungarian, but also in an international meaning.
Also deserving of particular attention, are the increasing number of those who have been admitted to membership of the Order, having given proof of outstanding courage in the face of mortal danger, during the 1956 uprising, for the Fight of Freedom.
[edit] Head of the Order today
After the death of the 2nd Captain General of the Order, Field Marshal Archduke vitéz József, the Council of the Order elected as his successor Captain General vitéz Ferenc Farkas Kisbarnaki, the heroic defender of the Tatár pass during World War II, Chief Scout and organiser of the 1938 World Eucharistic Congress. Vitéz Ferenc Farkas de Kisbarnaki resigned his office at the age of 85, then the Council of the Order of Vitéz elected as his successor and 4th Captain General of the Order of Vitéz, the grandson of Field Marshal Archduke vitéz Joseph, His Royal Highness Archduke vitéz Joseph Árpád in 1977, and is still the head of the Order today.
Since 1983, the Order of Vitéz is also awarded to Hungarians for peacetime achievements. Their insignia does not include the wartime sword device, and they are known as ‘Vitézi Rend Nemzetvédelmi Tagok’ (post-nominals VRNT). In Hungarian ‘Nemzetvédelmi’ literally means ‘defence of the nation’. The translation to English seems quite martial - the meaning would be described better in English as ‘defender of national culture’.
[edit] Bibliography
A number of books have been published either directly about the “vitéz”, or referring to their activities in a more general way. A list has been prepared, but is by no means definitive, but intended as a guide to some of the titles which the reader may find the most useful to gain further knowledge on this subject.
- A Vitézek Albuma, issued 1939. + other years.
- Vitézi Tájékoztató, (1920 - ) the Orders official publication quarterly.
- Vitéz Közlöny, (1920 - ) the Orders official publication as required.
- A m. kir. Fegyveres erők képeskrónikája, (1919-45). München. 1977.
- A csonka ország, (1914 – 1945) Budapest 1998.
- A magyarok krónikája, Budapest 2000.
- A Hadak Utján – Bajtársi Híradó, (1948 - ) Canada, quarterly.
- Magyarország Képes Története, 1999.
Note: (1 cadastral hold = c. 1.43 acres).
[edit] References:
- ^ Várkonyi Ágnes, et al.,, Magyarország Története, Gondolat Könyvkiado, Budapest, 1967 (1971), vol.1, pp 227-228.
- ^ Macartney, C.A. October Fifteenth, a history of modern Hungary, Edinburgh University Press, (1956) vol.1, pp. 30-31
