Contents

Introduction

Because of her central situation in the Carpathian Basin, Hungary shared both in thick and thin through her history of eleven hundred years. The germs of development got here from North and South, from East and Vest. Renaissance ideas of the near-by Italy struck root in Hungary very early, as well as socialist ideas from the neighbouring Soviet Union in 1917. As a result of her central situation, too, the country was over and over through his history a scene of wars and devastations. The just established state was ransacked by the Tartars in 1242. The turks, having a mind to occupy Europe, ravaged and ruled for 150 years in Hungary, atopping the splendid development of the Renaissance in the country. The Habsburgs as "liberators" from the Turks, exploited the country for a period, no shorter. Then Hungary took part both in the first and second world wars. This country had to fight for each and every step of her progress: at the time of the conquest of Hungary - for the strong feudal state, against the imperialistic holy Roman Empire; in the 19-th century against church and secular feudalism and the Austrian Monarchy - for industrialization and capitalization; and in the recent past against imperialism and nazism - for socialism. In the troubles through our history the historical relics of the country got considerably damaged and depleted.

On the evidence of historical and cultural characteristics Hungary may be divided into four main regions.

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