It was on December 22, 1671, when Emperor Leopold, King of Hungary, issued his decree dismissing the majority of Hungarian soldiers, members of the Valiant Order, who were serving in the Borderland castles. The time of “bujdosás” or exile had come. I had written in my previous post that after the shameful peace of Vasvár in 1664, the Emperor did his best to alienate his Hungarian subjects and we also read about the Wesselényi Conspiracy.

The Habsburg ruler decided to break with the traditional way of governing Hungary. Leopold did not convene the Diet and ruled by issuing decrees. He also broke the agreement of the Peace of Vienna of 1606, which obliged him to rule the Kingdom of Hungary by convening the Diet. This document declared that he should give the highest offices to Hungarians and allow freedom of religion. He abruptly abrogated all this, and in addition, he dismissed two-thirds of the Hungarian soldiers on December 22, 1671.

We have many sources from the 17th century that tell us about the continuous deterioration of the Frontier. For example, a document from 1668 states that the soldiers of the captain of Keszthely Castle had not been paid for four years, and they desperately threatened him to abandon the castle. We know another fortress along the important defensive line on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, Zalavár Castle, where only 4 Hajdú soldiers remained out of 90 soldiers due to the same problem.

Now these men must have joined the bands of roving warriors that roam the countryside. Their numbers have been estimated at 8-15,000. It does not matter which number is more accurate because they were experienced warriors with a firm ideology. The Valiant Order’s main enemy was the Ottomans, but they also disliked the Habsburgs. Here is more about the Valiant Order:

https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/essays/members-of-the-valiant-order/

According to some Hungarian historians like Bencédi László or Czigány István, it was rather those soldiers who had participated in the Wesselényi Conspiracy who were dismissed. (Please note that I am using the Oriental name order for Hungarians, where surnames come first).

There is a contemporary “exile song” that seems to confirm this. Its anonymous author tells us that he was the soldier of Zrínyi Miklós (Nikola Zrinski) in Csáktornya (Cakovec). It is assumed that after the tragic death of the brave lord in 1664, the soldier went to serve Zrínyi Péter (Petar Zrinski), Miklós’s younger brother, who was also a renowned warrior. The Peace of Vasvár was shameful not only for the nobility but also for the commoners. The members of the Valiant Order who served on the Borderland were the main base for the conspirators, namely Wesselényi, Zrínyi Péter, and Nádasdy.

It is obvious that these crowds of dismissed soldiers, feeling insulted and without bread, were not only a threat to public safety, but they consciously turned against the Habsburgs, calling them oppressors. The absolutist policies of the Habsburg dynasty alienated the entire Hungarian society and provided a broad base for the conspiring aristocracy. In the eyes of the Hungarians, the Court’s new, harsh style of rule was a breach of trust, a punishment of the Valiant Order, which had carried the burden of defending Western Europe for many generations.

The anonymous soldier praised the life of the Frontier like this:

“(…)

For the nice weather of spring,

I see that all folks were glad for,

Forests and fields are getting green,

Those birds were singing…

The tears are rolling from my eyes,

Crying I look around at them,

`Cause my Homeland has turned into mourning,

Its nice Coat of Arms was weeping…

(…)

Valiant soldiers, you well-wishers,

Where are you, you Frontier-lads,

May God be with you from now on,

Let you be remembered…

Many lucky battles,

I do wish you,

May God grant you in the future

Valiant victories.

May God be your leader

In all you do, you brave;

When you fight the pagans,

You are hacking for our Nation.

Oh, my dear land where I lived,

Who kept me alive,

Who brought me up and put me on my wings,

May God bless you plentifully!”

It is the Hungarian text: