History
The Wikipedia, through various “qualified academic sources – internet trolls” and various interest groups, would like the public to believe that the Hungarian Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz is a sort of Habsburg dynastic knightly Order headed by Captain General vitéz József Károly von Habsburg, who apparently is recognized by the “International Commission on Orders of Chivalry” as a sort of Habsburg “Institution of Chivalric Character”. For those who knows the difference it is not hard to recognize Habsburg deception. You may ask: Who cares. Well, outside of Hungary, probably very few people. However, to Hungarians Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz -it is part of our history, especially our several hundred years old resistance against Habsburg draconian occupation and exploitation of Hungary.
HE WHO CONTROLS THE PAST CONTROLS THE FUTURE.
HE WHO CONTROLS THE PRESENT CONTROLS THE PAST.
– George Orwell ”1984” –
This is what Habsburg proponents say and claim:“The Hungarian word Vitéz is of medieval Slavic origin and means “valiant”, “gallant soldier” or “knight”. The Vitézi Rend (Order of the Valiant) should not be confused with the 17th-century Vitézlő Rend (Fighting Estate), which refers to a rebellion of former peasants and craftsmen whose homes had been destroyed by the Ottoman Empire. These men took up arms and formed an Estate within society that received charters, rights and privileges over the centuries, mainly from the princes of Transylvania, but which were eventually “recognized” by the Habsburg kings of the Kingdom of Hungary”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Vitéz
Response: Unfortunately this claim is as accurate as claiming that we can pay for our Austrian Airline tickets with frog skins. The fact is that the origin of the Hungarian Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz is completely and totally related to the “17th-century, and earlier, Vitézlő Rend (Fighting Estate)” which were fighting against Habsburg occupation of Hungary. These were long and bloody wars for independence of Hungary from Habsburg oppression. One of the opposition insurgence against Habsburgs was headed by Emeric Thököly de Késmárk, the ruling prince of Upper Hungary (Today a large portion of Eastern Slovakia), with a support of the majority of the Hungarian, Slovak, Polish and Rusyn aristocracy, burgher class and commoners -alike.. The wars and the opposition against the Habsburgs lasted until the Austro-Hungarian monarchy ended on October 31st, 1918. However, on March 1st, 1920, the National Assembly of Hungary re-established the Kingdom of Hungary, but chose not to recall the deposed King Charles IV (IV. Károly) of Hungary from exile. The return of the Habsburg Emperor on the Hungarian throne was unacceptable to the Triple Entente powers and to the majority of the Hungarian people. The National Assembly of Hungary voted to install Admiral Miklos Horthy de Nagybanya as the head of state. Horthy defeated Count Albert Apponyi by a vote of 131 to 7. The Regent’s prerogatives included the power to appoint and dismiss prime ministers, to convene and dissolve parliament, to command the armed forces, and to create a new, or restore a previous honor system, including the Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz. With those sweeping powers guaranteed, Horthy took the oath of office.
The Habsburgs made two attempts to regain the Hungarian throne: see Charles I (IV) of Austria’s attempts to retake the throne of Hungary. For more details.
The Kingdom of Hungary ended on October 16th, 1944.
The Kingdom of Romania (including Transylvania) ended on December 30th, 1947.
To this day the Habsburgs are styling themselves as Princes and Kings of Hungary.
This is why there was, and is, an opposition to the Habsburgs in Hungary:
Habsburg nobility
The Habsburgs, in forcing their centralization and occupational policy in Hungary and Transylvania, often confiscated properties of Protestant and Orthodox Christians, and together with nobility titles, gave them to their followers until they managed to get a significant amount of these new nobles on their side.
During this period a number of unimportant families came into prominence as a new Habsburg aristocracy in Hungary. Families, like the Nádasdy, Ilesházy, Révay, Pálffy, Esterházy and others came into the limelight. Some of the members of these families were created by Habsburgs Princes, Prelates and Bishops of the Catholic Church. A good example is Bishop Károly Esterházy de Galántha. During the history of the Habsburg empire, the Esterházys were consistently loyal to the Habsburg rulers. They received the title of Counts in 1626 and the Forchtenstein line received the title of Fürst (Prince) in 1712.
Anti-Habsburg Revolt
To acquire dominance in Hungary and Transylvania, the Habsburgs also used religious intolerance, as a weapon against the aristocracy, burghers (merchants), and the rest of the Protestant, Jewish and Eastern Orthodox population. For these reasons the majority of the population refused to “collaborate” with the Habsburgs, especially because of their religious intolerance, the violent suppression of the reformation, strong centralization and the curtailment of protestant nobles and merchants privileges. A long series of anti-Habsburg uprisings began. Most had their base in Transylvania and Upper Hungary (Today: Slovakia). On many occasions leaders of the rebellions coordinated and created coalitions with other European anti-Hapsburg entities, including the Ottomans.
The first of a many series of uprisings was led by Transylvanian Prince Stephan Bocskay (1604-1606), followed by Prince Gabriel Bethlen (1619 – 1629), Prince George I. Rákóczi (1643 – 1645) and Prince George Rákóczi II. (1648 – 1660). The next uprising against the Habsburgs was the Magnate upraising, which the Habsburg proponents call “the Zrinski-Frankopan Conspiracy in Croatia”, and “Wesselényi conspiracy in Hungary”. In fact, it was a 17th-century attempt to throw the Habsburg, and other foreign influence over Hungary and Croatia, out of the country. Also, Habsburg proponents say that the attempted coup was triggered by the unpopular Peace of Vasvár, struck in 1664 between Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and the Ottoman Empire. The fact is that during the second half of the 17th century, Vienna was focused on achieving an absolute monarchy in each occupied territory. Unfortunately, the poorly organized revolt gave the Habsburgs an even bigger reason to harshly clamp down on their opponents.
After the death of Count Francis Wesselényi de Hadad et Murány ( 23 March 1667), a Hungarian military commander and the Palatine of Royal Hungary, the opposition continued through the leadership of Count Emeric Thököly de Késmárk – Prince of Upper Hungary (Today: Slovakia), and followed by Prince Francis II. Rákóczi of Transylvania (1703 – 1711). The Habsburg retaliation was cruel. For example, in the city of Eperies (Slovak: Prešov), for supporting Thököly’s uprising in 1687 General Antonio von Caraffa, a General Commissary (Generalkriegskommissär) of the Imperial-Habsburg Army, executed twenty (20) Protestant nobles and two prominent Protestant merchants (burghers). On the positive note, the uprisings did prevent the Habsburgs from forcing an absolutist government on Hungary and Transylvania, as they did in Bohemia (Today: Czech Republic). After the defeat of the Bohemian aristocrats during the Battle of White Mountain (Czech: Bitva na Bílé hoře) in 1620, Upper Hungary (Today: Slovakia) become a sanctuary for Czech and Moravian Protestant exiles.
The Habsburg henchman:
Antonio von Caraffa (1646 – 6 March 1693) – Biography
He was born in the Neapolitan House of Carafa. He was introduced at the Kaiserhof in Vienna in 1655 by his cousin Cardinal Carlo Carafa della Spina. Later he entered the Imperial Army, and became a Colonel in 1672, when he participated in the War against the Turks in Hungary.
During the Siege of Vienna (1683), he was sent by Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor to Warsaw, to urge Polish King John III Sobieski to come to the help of the city. In 1685, he took Eperies (Slovak: Prešov) from the Turks.
After the conquest of Upper Hungary, he was appointed its military governor. He set up the Executive Court of Eperies, by which he ruthlessly persecuted followers of Imre Thököly; the Court, whose proceedings remained secret, made widespread use of torture and executed seventeen supposed conspirators. For this event, Caraffa developed a reputation for cruelty among Hungarians. The Hungarian nobility complained to the Emperor and Caraffa was given another position as General Commissary of the army.
He remained in Imperial service and conquered Palanok Castle in Munkács, defended by Princes Ilona Zrínyi after a siege of three years. In this way, he was appointed royal commissioner of Transylvania, and managed to persuade Prince Michael Teleky and an important part of the nobility to switch to the Austrian side.
His administration of Transylvania was also remembered as heavy-handed, because he extracted more taxes than the Ottomans had collected as tribute.
He played a very important role in the conquest of Belgrade in 1688, and was for this rewarded with the Habsburg Order of the Golden Fleece and lands in Voćin, Slavonia.
In 1691, he commanded the Austrian troops in the Nine Years’ War in Italy.
His deeds were chronicled by Giambattista Vico in De rebus gestis Antonj Caraphaei, first published in 1716 at the commission of Adriano Antonio Carafa (1696–1765).
Julius Jakob Freiherr von Haynau (14 October 1786 – 14 March 1853) – Biography
He was an Austrian general who suppressed insurrections in Italy and Hungary in 1848 and later. While a hugely effective military leader, he also gained renown as an aggressive and ruthless commander. His soldiers called him the “Habsburg Tiger”; those opponents who suffered from his brutality called him the “Hyena of Brescia” and the “Hangman of Arad”.
Julius Jacob von Haynau (born in the city of Kassel, Hesse, Germany) was the illegitimate son of Rosa Dorothea Ritter, and William I (1743-1821), the landgrave (later elector) of Hesse-Kassel. He was born after his father’s return with his wife and family to Hesse-Kassel after 20 years in Denmark. His father acknowledged this natural son, providing for his education and entry into the military officer corps as a cadet. In 1800, Julius Jacob and his siblings were granted the title of Freiherren / Freiinnen von Haynau.
His reputation for brutality had spread throughout western Europe. In Brussels, Haynau narrowly escaped mob violence. In London, he was attacked by some draymen from the Barclay & Perkins brewery who threw mud and dung at him and chased him down the Borough High Street, shouting “Down with the Austrian butcher!”. When the Italian revolutionary, Giuseppe Garibaldi, visited England in 1864, he insisted on visiting the brewery to thank the draymen.
Haynau is buried in St. Leonhard Cemetery in Graz, Austria.
Charles IV of Hungary attempts to retake the throne.
After Miklós Horthy was chosen Regent of Hungary on 1 March 1920, Charles I of Austria, who reigned in Hungary as Charles IV, made two unsuccessful attempts to retake the throne. His attempts are also called the “First” and “Second Royal coups d’état” (első és második királypuccs in Hungarian) respectively.
At the time, the Hungarian Diet was dominated by two right-wing monarchist parties, the Christian Union and the Smallholders. The difference was that most Christian Union members were legitimists, seeing Charles IV as Hungary’s legitimate king and favoring his restoration to power. Most Smallholders were free-electors and held that Hungarians were now free to choose as king anyone they wished.
Conclusion.
The Austro-Hungarian monarchy ended on October 31st, 1918. However, on March 1st, 1920, the National Assembly of Hungary re-established the Kingdom of Hungary, but chose not to recall the deposed King Charles IV (Karoly IV) of Hungary from exile. The return of the Habsburg Emperor on the Hungarian throne was unacceptable to the Triple Entente powers. The National Assembly of Hungary voted to install Admiral Miklos Horthy de Nagybanya as head of state. Horthy defeated Count Albert Apponyi by a vote of 131 to 7. The Regent’s prerogatives included the power to appoint and dismiss prime ministers, to convene and dissolve parliament, to command the armed forces, and to create a new honor system, including the Order of Vitez (Vitezi Rend). With those sweeping powers guaranteed, Horthy took the oath of office.
1. Charles I of Austria, the last Habsburg to rule in Austria-Hungary, who reigned in Hungary as Charles IV, renounced the right to participate in Austrian affairs of government on 11 November 1918, in Hungarian affairs on 13 November 1918.
2. Admiral Miklos Horthy de Nagybanya was chosen Regent of Hungary on 1 March 1920 – as the head of State of the Kingdom of Hungary.
3. Order of Vitéz (Vitézi Rend) is a Hungarian order created by Prime Ministerial Decree number 6650 of 20 August 1920 (6650/1920 M.E.) and was included as paragraph no. 77 in the Land Reform Act (Law XXXVI of 1920).
4. STOLEN HONOR – Order of Vitéz (Vitézi Rend) has nothing to do with Habsburg – Lorain, Austria, or by Habsburg controlled ICOC.
5. The Habsburgs made two attempts to regain the Hungarian throne: see Charles I (IV) of Austria’s attempts to retake the throne of Hungary. For more details.
6. The Kingdom of Hungary ended on 16 October 1944.
7. The Kingdom of Romania (including Transylvania) ended on 30 December 1947.
International Commission on Orders of Chivalry
The International Commission for Orders of Chivalry (ICOC) is a privately run, privately funded organization composed of “scholars” on matters of Chivalric titles, Orders of knighthood and honor systems. Founded in 1964, its stated purpose was to examine orders of chivalry in an effort to determine their legitimacy. Eventually the organization was swindled out from its founders by some of the preset day participants by use of loudmouth tactics and publishing distorted facts and events against the founders.
Following is a selected list of past and present Habsburg Patrons:
H.I. & R.H. Archduke Dr. Otto of Austria (Habsburg)
H.I. & R.H. Archduke Andreas Salvator of Austria (Habsburg)
Countess Dr Walburga Maria Douglas, née H.I. & R.H. Archduchess Walburga Maria of Austria (Habsburg)
H.I. & R.H. Archduke József Árpád of Austria (Habsburg)
Members
Josef of Austria (Orders, Decorations, Medals and other Awards of the Republic of Hungary) (Habsburg)
Fellow – The most significant personalities of the organization, not necessarily in the following order.
Vicente de Cadenas y Vicent (29 April 1915 – 21 December 2005) was a Cronista Rey de Armas (“Chronicler King of Arms”) of the Kingdom of Spain.
Cecil Humphery-Smith (born 29 October 1928) is a British genealogist and heraldist.
Szabolcs de Vajay (born 9 October 1921 in Budapest; died 6 July 2010 in Vevey, Switzerland) was a Hungarian historian and genealogist. In 1943 he left Hungary to live abroad, in Argentina, France and Switzerland.
Guy Stair Sainty (born 7 December 1950) is an art dealer and author on royal genealogy and heraldry.
These are the people who are telling the wold which royals are worthy more and which are not, or not as much. Of course for their academic expertise and knowledge, and of course their independent choices, are rewarded by their puppet-masters with medals and knightly orders. Unfortunately, some of these individuals destroyed the reputations of many great people, a few monarchs and many great institutions. They used loudmouth tactics, manipulation and cherry-piking selection of facts and events, political correctness, while hiding behind their “puppet-master’s virtues”, or even the Papacy. They use the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, internet, and anonymity, as their choice of weapon. They are true 21 century character assassins. They try to be a combination of Niccolo Machiavelli and Cardinal Richelieu. Fortunately, there are neither. However, after examining their lives, we learn that they are, and always will be, just little people who are trying to achieve their importance by badmouthing great individuals, tearing down historical institutions and twisting historical events for their own agenda. They claim that they are independent researchers and that they report only facts. I believe that this is what “sniper journalists” claim as well. Unfortunately cousin the pain and sorrow to others.
The International Commission on Orders of Chivalry doesn’t have a moral or legal right, even on behalf of their Habsburg masters, to manipulate the Hungarian history in an effort to propagate the Habsburg agenda. It is time for the International Commission on Orders of Chivalry to cease its shameful activities. Perhaps a class action lawsuit against the principals of the organization, and some of the key executives and their expert internet trolls, on the behalf of their victims, should be explored.
Since most of the public don’t really know who or what “International Commission on Orders of Chivalry” is, well, to increase their chances to be seen “by somebody”, the group published themselves with full control hosting over the web-page content, their grandiose presence on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Commission_on_Orders_of_Chivalry
Assumption is the mother of all mistakes!
Recently I came across a Website ARRSEPedia. This is how the Administrators of the domain describes the platform:
“The ARRSEPedia is a Wiki, just like wikipedia, but for the British Army / ARRSE and not quite 100% serious. The ARRSEPedia is a mass of articles that anyone can create or Edit. The idea is that if everyone contributes a little of his knowledge, opinions, sense of humour and experience then something really impressive… the ARRSEPedia.. is created.
The most important thing is that you or anyone else can contribute immediately with no interference. You can start new pages or edit existing ones. If you’d like to share your knowledge of Rations, feel free. We would all just love to know about Satellites for example. What about your experience of operations or knowledge of Places and Postings? Anything in fact – in short, get writing, although do please have a look at the site policy before posting though.”
In short, the website’s objective is to expose some of the military life’s “anomalies, slip ups, inappropriate conduct, and embarrassing social blunders and indiscretions.” Great concept, great website, I like it. Unfortunately, we are living in a real world where some freaks cannot resist exploring every opportunity they run into – good or bad. Most of the time for their own dubious reasons. These Internet Trolls have no boundaries and usually get stuck to such opportunities the same way as the dung get stuck to the rubber boot in a horse stables
As a part of my accidental discovery of ARRSEPedia, specifically the Page posted under the heading: “James Shortt’s Dodgy Uniforms and Medals” I also learned something else.
Now, I don’t know who James Shortt is, or what he does, or why he is doing what he is doing, but apparently it is very important to Mr. Guy Stair Sainty. I think that the rest of the world doesn’t give a dunk what James Shortt is doing. So, why write about it? Nevertheless, what I find interesting is a specific section on that page referring to the Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz.
It is common knowledge (posted on the Wikipedia) that Mr. Guy Stair Sainty is a great and respectable collector of medals and Orders, especially the “Knightly Orders” (Appointments, awards, and decorations), and known for his great work for the International Commission or Orders of Chivalry (ICOC). However, none of my military associates, nor I, are familiar with Mr. Guy Stair Sainty’s military past, but according to his internet postings he is an expert on military “things”. Or, perhaps -he just likes the soldiers, medals and uniforms. Well, whatever his reasons are, we don’t doubt his expertise in one of these subject matters. Our interest is in pointing out his bias regarding the Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz, especially and how it relates to Habsburg agenda. In the event that Mr. Guy Stair Sainty did not write the following line himself, well we’d just like to be fair and state that he did not make any efforts to correct it.
“Hungary: hereditary Vitez Rend – How can you be Hungarian hereditary, when you’re Anglo/Irish? Anyway, the Official Order doesn’t seem to have a Captain General called Laslo Vitez Hunyadi”
ARRSEPedia Statement No. 1.: “How can you be Hungarian hereditary, when you’re Anglo/Irish?”
Our answer is in the following examples: How can a “Brit” have (and why?) his British Coat of Arms certified by the Cronista de Armas in Spain, or to receive the (Spanish) Order of St. Januarius, or be “updated” by the USA Priory of The Venerable Order of Saint John, or the Order of St. Gregory the Great (The Pontifical Equestrian Order), the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (Though the order is alleged to have been founded in its original form by Constantine the Great in Antiquity and then restored under later Byzantine emperors, the actual origin of the order can be traced to the 16th century, when it was founded by an Albanian family by the name Angelo Flavio Comneno), the Order pro merito Melitensi of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (another Vatican order), and the Order of Saint Joseph of Tuscany (Italian). Sainty has also served as a senior county staff officer (sounds military) to H.R.H. Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia. He was formerly a member of the Savoy Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus but resigned in 2006 [citation needed,] (yep that is interesting – WHY?) and is the Vice-Grand Chancellor of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (Hispano-Neapolitan branch), of which he is a Bailiff Grand Cross.
On 15 January 2014, Sainty was awarded the rank of Commander (Encomienda) of the Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Juan Carlos I and received unrestricted permission to wear the decorations on 27 July 2017.
How does the above relates to Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz?
Over centuries, especially during anti-Habsburg resistance by people of Hungary the ethnic Hungarian monarchs and ethnic Transylvanian Princes for meritorious service in war against Habsburgs rewarded their soldiers with Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz. The recipients became hereditary military nobles and received portions of land. The size of the land depended on the recipient’s military status and rank. This practice was observed by many monarchies around the world, including and during Horthy period within the Kingdom of Hungary. This “Order” has nothing to do with Habsburgs, except that they are making an attempt to steal this Honor from the people of Hungary.
ARRSEPedia Statement No. 2.: “Anyway, the Official Order doesn’t seem to have a Captain General called Laslo Vitez Hunyadi“
Our answer: On, contrary, meine lieben Freund. I have no idea why Captain General Vitéz László Hunyadi bestowed, or even if he did bestow, Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz on Irishman James Shortt this anti-Habsburg honor, but, we are all certain of one thing: If Captain General Vitéz László Hunyadi, bestowed this honor on James Shortt, he had all the rights and prerogatives to do so. You see, he is the legitimate Head of the legitimate Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz.
We are looking for assistance to unpuzzle the following:
Over the centuries, before the Habsburg era – and even after, the Hungarian ethic monarchs and nobility had a long and ongoing relationship with Scottish and English monarch, their people and their countries. These historical links prevail to this day through many direct line, including the line of Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde of the House of Aba and the House of Árpád not only to Queen Elizabeth II, but to everyone of Claudine’s and Duke Alexander’s of Württemberg British Royal descendants.
Lords of Croÿ and the Counts of Porcien.
The House of Croÿ is a family of European mediatized nobility, which held a seat in the Imperial Diet from 1486, and was elevated to the rank of Princes of the Holy Roman Empire in 1594. In 1913, the family had branches in Belgium, France, Austria and Prussia.
This dynastic house, which originally adopted its name from the Château de Crouy-Saint-Pierre in French Picardy, claimed descent from the Hungarian Prince Marc, (great-grandson of King Géza II of Hungary) who allegedly settled in France in 1147, where he married an heiress to the barony of Croÿ. The Croÿ family rose to prominence under the Dukes of Burgundy. Later, they became actively involved in the complex politics of France, Spain, Austria, and the Low Countries.
Scottish connection:
The Bartolf also known as Bartholomew was a Scottish and Hungarian nobleman and the founder of the Leslie family, who currently serve as Earls of Leven and Earls of Rothes and Lord Newark, all of which are situated in the historic kingdom and county of Fife, Scotland. He came over from Hungary in 1067 with Margaret later St Margaret of Scotland.
Bartolf is known for being the first governor of Edinburgh Castle in the 11th century, he moved to Scotland in 1067 and married king Malcolm III’s sister Beatrix, of whom he founded the Leslie family with.
Clan Drummond is a Highland Scottish clan.
West of Stirling is the parish of Drymen and its name appears to have been derived from the Scottish Gaelic, dromainn which means a ridge or high ground. There is a traditional legend that states that the first nobleman to settle in Drymen was a Hungarian Prince called George who accompanied Edgar Ætheling, an Anglo-Saxon Prince, on his escape from William the Conqueror and the Norman conquest of England. These royal fugitives were warmly welcomed by Malcolm III of Scotland, who married one of the royal sisters, Margaret, later Saint Margaret of Scotland. The first chief of Clan Drummond to appear in written records was Malcolm Beg, Chamberlain of Lennox, who married a daughter of the Earl of Lennox, named Ada, before 1260. Gilbert de Drumund of Dumbarton appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296 swearing fealty to Edward I of England. Today, John Eric Drummond is the 9th Earl of Perth de jure 18th Earl and 15th titular (Jacobite Peerage) Duke of Perth.
Is this a cultural appropriation, or it is something-else.
In respect to the above, and more, we cannot find out the reason for the following. We appeal to anyone who may shed some light on this Jigsaw Puzzle.
None of the above have to do anything with Habsburgs. They don’t have any inherited right to Scotland, United Kingdom or to Hungary. They were ousted from Hungary by the will of the people and act of the Hungarian Parliament.
We would like to know who is behind this and why.
At the same time we wish all the best to Captain General Vitéz László Hunyadi, to all legitimate members of the legitimate Hungarian Vitézi Rend / Order of Vitéz, and to the people of Hungary on the 100 year anniversary of the Order (Revised).
In memory of the Glorious Resurrection of Christ we wish you Happy Easter and lets hope that we all get safely through this evil pandemic.