Vitéz
Encyclopedia
Vitéz, or Order of Vitéz (Vitézi Rend in Hungarian
) (frequently spelled in English as 'Vitez') was a Hungarian
order of merit which was founded in 1678. It was awarded as a state honour during two periods of Hungarian history
. The Order of Vitéz extant today as an order of chivalry under protection of royal family of Hungary.
(1657-1705). He was a Hungarian nobleman who led a rebellion against
Leopold I of Austria
when he 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 to 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.
to serve as an award in the Regency of Hungary
. Admittance into the Order was in the gift of the Regent, and 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 received a badge and were entitled to use the designation Vitéz as a prefix to their names. Admission into the Order also carried with it a land grant of 40 cadastral holds to an officer, 8 cadastral holds to other ranks or civilians (1 cadastral hold = c. 1.43 acre
s). The honour of Vitéz become hereditary, and the three grants (title, badge and land grant) were to be passed on by the recipient to his eldest son. Miklós Horthy was the first to be admitted into the revived Order and was also the Order's Commander in Chief (Főkapitány). In 1920 Archduke Joseph August of Austria
became the first knight of the Order of Vitéz. New appointments to the order ceased with the end of the Kingdom of Hungary
in 1946.
, veterans' groups including knights appointed by Horthy began work on re-establishing the Order of Vitéz in exile. These efforts were carried largely by monarchist
and legitimist groups. In 1953 General Hugó Sónyi (vitéz Sónyi) re-established the Vitéz Order as an order of chivalry according to traditional statutes. Since 1983 Vitéz Order has been awarded to individuals who have been defenders of Hungarian national interests and culture. This Order is registered by the International Commission for Orders of Chivalry (ICOC) as legitimate knightly body under the mark:'Successor of chivalric institution originally founded under the Authority: of a State'. The Captains General of the extant order have been:
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
) (frequently spelled in English as 'Vitez') was a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
order of merit which was founded in 1678. It was awarded as a state honour during two periods of Hungarian history
History of Hungary
Hungary is a country in central Europe. Its history under this name dates to the early Middle Ages, when the Pannonian Basin was colonized by the Magyars, a semi-nomadic people from what is now central-northern Russia...
. The Order of Vitéz extant today as an order of chivalry under protection of royal family of Hungary.
The Order of Vitéz under Thököly
The Order of Vitéz (the Hungarian word "Vitéz"' means valiant or brave) was established in 1678 by Imre ThökölyImre Thököly
Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk was a Hungarian statesman, leader of an anti-Habsburg uprising, Prince of Transylvania, and vassal king of Upper Hungary.- Early life :Imre Thököly was born at Késmárk, Royal Hungary Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk (Thököly/Tököly/Tökölli Imre in Hungarian, Mirko...
(1657-1705). He was a Hungarian nobleman who led a rebellion against
Leopold I of Austria
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
when he suspended the Constitution and placed Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
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
Kuruc
The kuruc was a term used to denote the armed anti-Habsburg rebels in Royal Hungary between 1671 and 1711....
' (crusaders), a designation that was also used a century earlier by the followers of another rebel leader, György (George) Dózsa. Appointment to 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.
The Order of Vitéz under Horthy
In August 1920 the Vitéz Order was revived by Miklós HorthyMiklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
to serve as an award in the Regency of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)
The Kingdom of Hungary also known as the Regency, existed from 1920 to 1946 and was a de facto country under Regent Miklós Horthy. Horthy officially represented the abdicated Hungarian monarchy of Charles IV, Apostolic King of Hungary...
. Admittance into the Order was in the gift of the Regent, and initially he restricted membership to men who served with special distinction in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Subsequently admittance was widened to include both military and civilian supporters of his regime. Members received a badge and were entitled to use the designation Vitéz as a prefix to their names. Admission into the Order also carried with it a land grant of 40 cadastral holds to an officer, 8 cadastral holds to other ranks or civilians (1 cadastral hold = c. 1.43 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s). The honour of Vitéz become hereditary, and the three grants (title, badge and land grant) were to be passed on by the recipient to his eldest son. Miklós Horthy was the first to be admitted into the revived Order and was also the Order's Commander in Chief (Főkapitány). In 1920 Archduke Joseph August of Austria
Archduke Joseph August of Austria
Archduke Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia was for a short period head of state of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria and his wife Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
became the first knight of the Order of Vitéz. New appointments to the order ceased with the end of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)
The Kingdom of Hungary also known as the Regency, existed from 1920 to 1946 and was a de facto country under Regent Miklós Horthy. Horthy officially represented the abdicated Hungarian monarchy of Charles IV, Apostolic King of Hungary...
in 1946.
The Order of Vitéz in modern era
After the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, veterans' groups including knights appointed by Horthy began work on re-establishing the Order of Vitéz in exile. These efforts were carried largely by monarchist
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
and legitimist groups. In 1953 General Hugó Sónyi (vitéz Sónyi) re-established the Vitéz Order as an order of chivalry according to traditional statutes. Since 1983 Vitéz Order has been awarded to individuals who have been defenders of Hungarian national interests and culture. This Order is registered by the International Commission for Orders of Chivalry (ICOC) as legitimate knightly body under the mark:'Successor of chivalric institution originally founded under the Authority: of a State'. The Captains General of the extant order have been:
- HRH Field Marshal Archduke vitéz József von HabsburgArchduke Joseph August of AustriaArchduke Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia was for a short period head of state of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria and his wife Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
(1959-62) - Colonel General vitéz Kisbarnaki Ferenc FarkasKisbarnaki Ferenc FarkasFerenc Farkas de Kisbarnak was Chief Scout of the Hungarian Boy Scouts, commanding officer of the Royal Ludovika Akadémia, the country's officer training school, and General of the Hungarian VI Army Corps during World War II...
(resigning at age 85) - HRH Archduke vitéz Joseph Árpád von HabsburgArchduke Joseph Arpad of AustriaJózsef Árpád Habsburg , is a member of the Hungarian Palatine branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine....
(appointed 1977)