|
The Székely people or Szeklers, are a Hungarian speaking, (roman catholic or protestant) ethnic group mostly living in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mureş in Transylvania, Romania. Most of the world's Székely population live in Romania in an area informally known as 'Székely Land' in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mureş. The Székelys therefore account for a significant part (60%) of the Hungarian minority in Romania. |
map
The Székely were considered the finest warriors of medieval Transylvania. They were part of the Unio Trium Nationum ("Union of Three Nations") a coalition of the three Transylvanian Estates, the other two nations being the also Hungarian nobility and the Saxon (that is, ethnic German) burghers. These three nations ruled Transylvania, before and partly during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the Habsburg rulership Transylvania was considered as part of Hungary.
The Székely have historically claimed descent from Attila's Huns, and feel that they played a special role in shaping Hungary. When the Magyar tribes came into Pannonia, they believed that they had special rights to that land as an inheritance from Attila, since the Huns and Magyars were related tribes.
Székely people adhere proudly to their Hungarian identity.
While the idea of Székely descent from the Huns remains an important part of Székely tradition and folk culture, the theory has lost scholarly currency in the twentieth century. Theories have been advanced suggesting Avar, Gepid, or Turkic ancestry, and some have dated their presence in the Eastern Carpathians as early as the fifth century. A small number of scholars believe that they are related to Scythians who joined the Magyars on their trek westward and assimilated into the proto-Hungarian culture. Some have also suggested the Székely are simply Magyars, like other Hungarians; according to this theory, their strongly distinguishable cultural differences stem from centuries of relative isolation in the mountains. Many scholars believe in a two-fold Hungarian migration of Transylvania and the Pannonian Plain, one prior to the main Magyar conquest of the Pannonian Plain in 896. According to this theory, the Székely are a Hungarian group that settled in Transylvania during this first migration.
The Székely have historically claimed descent from Attila's Huns, and feel that they played a special role in shaping Hungary. When the Magyar tribes came into Pannonia, they believed that they had special rights to that land as an inheritance from Attila, since the Huns and Magyars were related tribes.
Székely people adhere proudly to their Hungarian identity.
While the idea of Székely descent from the Huns remains an important part of Székely tradition and folk culture, the theory has lost scholarly currency in the twentieth century. Theories have been advanced suggesting Avar, Gepid, or Turkic ancestry, and some have dated their presence in the Eastern Carpathians as early as the fifth century. A small number of scholars believe that they are related to Scythians who joined the Magyars on their trek westward and assimilated into the proto-Hungarian culture. Some have also suggested the Székely are simply Magyars, like other Hungarians; according to this theory, their strongly distinguishable cultural differences stem from centuries of relative isolation in the mountains. Many scholars believe in a two-fold Hungarian migration of Transylvania and the Pannonian Plain, one prior to the main Magyar conquest of the Pannonian Plain in 896. According to this theory, the Székely are a Hungarian group that settled in Transylvania during this first migration.