The Hungarians (Magyar) are part of the greater family of Finish-Hungarian tribes. During the eighth and the ninth centuries, they move from Ural Mountains through the steppes north of the Black Sea. During 896-900, Hungarians settle in Pannonia under the leadership of Arpad, forming a strong feudal state. They invaded repeatedly the neighboring territories (Bavaria, Saxonia, Italy, France, the Byzantine Empire), but were stopped in 955 by the German emperor Otto I the Great, in the defeat at Sechfed. The king Stephen I the Saint played an important role in organizing the Hungarian state, and adopted Christianism as the state religion. After Stephen I, the following kings extend, in the eleventh and twelfth century, the Hungarian territories in Transylvania through the occupation of the three kingdoms lead by Menumorut, Glad, and Gelu. With the occupation of Transylvania, the Szekler -whose origin is unknown- also settled in this area. During the following period, Transylvania becomed part of Hungary -economically, socially, and culturally. Transylvania continued to be ruled by its own king.
The Hungarians and the Szekler that settled on Romanian territory lived peacefully with the local Romanian population, and more than once rose together against the feudal oppressors, like in 1437 at Bobalna, or in 1514 when Dozsa Gyorgy led the peasant war. Another important moment in the history of Transylvanian Hungarians was the reign of Hunyadi Janos, whose army was formed by soldiers from almost all the Danube populations (Hungarians, Germans, Romanians, Szeklers, Slovenians, Austrians, etc.)
Hungary lost its independence in 1514, when it was divided in three, Transylvania becoming an autonomous principality under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. This situation lasted until 1699, when Transylvania and Hungary were occupied by Austria, until the beginning of the First World War.
After the fall of the Communism, the Democratic Union of the Hungarians from Romania (UDMR) that aimed at defending and representing the interests of the Hungarian community in Romania.
The Hungarian community from Romania publishes many newspapers and weeklies (Romaniai Magyar Szo, Haromszek, Kronika, Korunk, Nyugati Jelen, Nepjusag), operates Hungarian theaters (in Timisoara, Cluj Napoca, Tg. Mures, Sf. Gheorghe, Oradea, Satu Mare), has daily radio shows in Cluj and Tg. Mures and also TV shows.
At the 2002 census, the Hungarian polpulation in Romania numbered over 1 400 000 people.
The Hungarians (Magyar) are part of the greater family of Finish-Hungarian tribes. During the eighth and the ninth centuries, they move from Ural Mountains through the steppes north of the Black Sea. During 896-900, Hungarians settle in Pannonia under the leadership of Arpad, forming a strong feudal state. They invaded repeatedly the neighboring territories (Bavaria, Saxonia, Italy, France, the Byzantine Empire), but were stopped in 955 by the German emperor Otto I the Great, in the defeat at Sechfed. The king Stephen I the Saint played an important role in organizing the Hungarian state, and adopted Christianism as the state religion. After Stephen I, the following kings extend, in the eleventh and twelfth century, the Hungarian territories in Transylvania through the occupation of the three kingdoms lead by Menumorut, Glad, and Gelu. With the occupation of Transylvania, the Szekler -whose origin is unknown- also settled in this area. During the following period, Transylvania becomed part of Hungary -economically, socially, and culturally. Transylvania continued to be ruled by its own king.
The Hungarians and the Szekler that settled on Romanian territory lived peacefully with the local Romanian population, and more than once rose together against the feudal oppressors, like in 1437 at Bobalna, or in 1514 when Dozsa Gyorgy led the peasant war. Another important moment in the history of Transylvanian Hungarians was the reign of Hunyadi Janos, whose army was formed by soldiers from almost all the Danube populations (Hungarians, Germans, Romanians, Szeklers, Slovenians, Austrians, etc.)
Hungary lost its independence in 1514, when it was divided in three, Transylvania becoming an autonomous principality under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. This situation lasted until 1699, when Transylvania and Hungary were occupied by Austria, until the beginning of the First World War.
After the fall of the Communism, the Democratic Union of the Hungarians from Romania (UDMR) that aimed at defending and representing the interests of the Hungarian community in Romania.
The Hungarian community from Romania publishes many newspapers and weeklies (Romaniai Magyar Szo, Haromszek, Kronika, Korunk, Nyugati Jelen, Nepjusag), operates Hungarian theaters (in Timisoara, Cluj Napoca, Tg. Mures, Sf. Gheorghe, Oradea, Satu Mare), has daily radio shows in Cluj and Tg. Mures and also TV shows.
At the 2002 census, the Hungarian polpulation in Romania numbered over 1 400 000 people.