The Saxons of Transylvania-- The Beginnings
By Rebecca E, 7th Feb 2011 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutGuidesHistory
a Short History of the beginnings of the Transylvanian Saxons, a Germanic people of Transylvania.
It Has to Start Somewhere
History begins when people begin to record it in some fashion. This is true with all cultures and in all times. The Siebenburgen Saxons story starts with an invitation. Geza II of Hungary needed people and issued an invitation to the German population to come and settle in his land. They did so over the next few centuries.
Geza had good reason to ask them to come. His land in the South was sparely populated and he needed more people to protect his borders. He came to the Hungarian throne as an eleven year old boy. His reputation as just king grew over the years. When he gave out the invitation, he was older and wiser and understood that the Tartars, Mongols, and Turks presented a threat to his country. He also needed money. Hoping to gain more taxes he invited people to populate the area “beyond the woods.” ( this is the meaning of the name Transylvania)
The Saxons would end up calling this land "Siebenburgen"-- or the land of seven castles/fortresses.
Teutonic Knights and The Saxons and Invasions
The Saxon settlers who came to live in Transylvanian first cleared the land and founded villages and cities. They kept their culture and language, which Geza allowed them to do, they were from what would become Germany, and spoke a German dialect called "Saxon".
Over time the land which the people lived became the ground on which many would fight for. They would do so often in the next seven hundred years. They would fight first against the Mongols and then against the Turks. Each time, the invading armies destroyed Saxons settlements. Each time the people would rebuild. After awhile the area would develop seven defensive cities.
The Saxons found help in the form of the Teutonic Knights. The Knights came in 1211 under the invitation of King Andrew II of Hungary. With the Knights help the city of Kronstadt was built. In this area the Saxons would help to build many other villages. Once the knights grew too powerful, Andrew expelled them and they relocated in Prussia in 1225. The Saxons once again held more land, and more power.
In 1241, The Mongol Army invaded Siebenbürgen. They destroyed much of the land, including Hermannstadt, the heart of the Saxon culture (now known as Sibiu) and the regions around the cities of Klausenburg and Bistritz. Due to this invasion many Saxons lost their lives, they stayed and fought.
Due to the devastation that the invaders created, the Hungarian Crown rebuilt many cities as fortified towns and centers of commerce. Five Saxon cities became a center of commerce: Hermannstadt, Bistritz, Kronstadt, Mühlbach, and Klausenburg. In 1285 the Mongols invaded a second time, but because of the fortifications that the Saxons and Hungarians built less damage occurred.
The Turks and Saxons
By the 14th Century, a new invader came, the Turks. It is documented that between 1420 and 1493 the Turks attacked Transylvania (known in the Saxon Language as "Seibenburgen") at least fifteen times. During these attacks, the Saxon cities held out longer and prevented larger forces from entering the area. One of the invasions by the Turks saw the destruction of the city of Mühlbach.
John Hunyadi, a Hungarian born in Transylvania, with the help of Saxons, would drive the Turks out of Transylvania. The Turks still continued to cause damage. They would come in small raids and would kill the people before they reached the fortified cities. At the same time a man by the name of Vald Tepes had many smaller battles with the Saxons merchants and minor nobles of the area. Yet, in teh end he also fought against the Turks.
The most decisive battle between the Turks and the Saxons and Hungarians came at the battle of Mohács in which the King of Hungary died. His death lead to the rise of the Austrian Hapsburgs.
Comments
7th Feb 2011 (#)
Very interesting. One qualification for readers: "history" is related to written records only, not "when people begin to record it in some fashion." Although anthropologists more and more are taking oral tradition into account, most historians do not, and do not consider it reliable history until written.
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7th Feb 2011 (#)
James-- I am of old school like, you but I had to qualify this because it is more wirtten history, with some of the culture mixed in. And as soon as I'd say written hisotry, I'd have a long debate upon my hands =)
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10th Feb 2011 (#)
Interesting read...I love to read history.
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10th Feb 2011 (#)
I had no idea that Saxons had settled in Transylvania. You've really tweaked my interest. Thanks for that :D
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10th Feb 2011 (#)
thanks, I'll have something else up soon.
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