How Did Hungary's History Shape Its Role in Europe?

The Hungarians, or Magyars, first appeared in European history as a nomadic people who crossed the Carpathian Mountains from the southern Russian steppes and settled in the land that would later become Hungary. In the 10th century, they posed a serious threat to the German kingdoms, conducting raids deep into Europe. However, they were eventually defeated—first by Henry the Fowler, and more decisively in 955 by Otto I at the Battle of Lechfeld, which ended their raids and marked a turning point in their integration into European society.

Centuries later, Hungary faced another major threat during the Mongol invasions. Despite joining forces with the Teutonic Knights and Polish allies, the Hungarians suffered a crushing defeat. The Mongols even pushed westward into Austria, and Hungary’s king had to flee across Croatia and Albania before the Mongol armies were finally recalled. Maps of the Mongol Empire from this time would show Hungary either within or just beyond the edges of Mongol influence.

Later, Hungary became a frontier state in the fight against the Ottoman Empire, along with Habsburg Austria and the Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom. In 1664, Hungary became the last European kingdom to fall under Ottoman rule. This period of occupation lasted for over 150 years. But after the famous Siege of Vienna in 1683, when King John Sobieski of Poland arrived to help lift the siege, the tide turned. By 1699, Hungary had been liberated and formally became part of the Habsburg domains following a peace treaty in which the Ottomans were clearly defeated. A map of southeastern Europe around 1400 would help illustrate Hungary’s earlier political layout before these dramatic shifts.

Once under Habsburg control, Hungary's fate became closely tied to the wider Habsburg Empire, which was built through dynastic marriages and inheritances. The Habsburgs aimed to unify central Europe, but the Hungarians were not always willing subjects. In the late 18th century, Hungarian nobles resisted the reforms of Emperor Joseph II. Later, during the 1848 revolutions, Budapest became a center of Hungarian uprising.

Although the revolt was crushed, a compromise was eventually reached. In 1867, Hungary gained virtual autonomy within the empire, resulting in the formation of the Dual Monarchy, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This new system united Austria and Hungary under one emperor, with shared foreign and military policies, but allowed each half to manage its own internal affairs. Many saw this as a major victory for Magyar nationalism.

However, not everyone within Hungary was satisfied. By the early 20th century, tensions grew within the empire. The Slavic majority in many regions of Hungary resented Magyar control, and many Slavs looked toward Serbia for support. Magyar leaders, in turn, feared Serbia as the possible center of a future South Slav state, which could threaten Hungary’s power in the region.

This fear influenced Austria-Hungary’s foreign policy, especially its hostility toward Serbia. These rising tensions contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, as Hungary and Austria sought to prevent the collapse of their empire.

After the war ended in 1918, Hungary faced one more major political upheaval. A communist regime briefly took power, creating one of the most striking Bolshevik governments of the post-war period. Though it didn’t last long, this event marked the beginning of a turbulent new chapter in Hungary’s history.