A statue of
Hunyadi in the main square in Pécs
commemorates one of the greatest heroes
in Hungarian history. Hunyadi, who
rose from a humble background to become
the owner of vast estates and a talented
military commander, understood the
danger of Turkish expansion and secured
several important victories against
them. Particularly impressive and
still commemorated by ringing of the
church bells was his rout of the Turks
at Nándorfehérvár
(Belgrade) in 1456, which secured a
70-year peace period for Hungary and
contributed to the cultural achievements
during the reign of Hunyadi's son,
Mátyás Corvinus. |