Székely

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For the village in northeastern Hungary, see Székely (village)

The Székely people (pronounced [ˈseːkɛj]) or Szeklers, (Hungarian: Székely, Romanian: Secui, German: Szekler, Latin: Sicul), are a Hungarian ethnic group mostly living in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mureş in Romania, with a significant population also living in Vojvodina, Serbia. Most of the world's Székely population live in Romania and they are tightly concentrated in an area informally known as Székelyföld (Szekely's Land or Terra Siculorum). Based on official 2002 Romanian census numbers,^[1] approximately 1,434,000^[2] ethnic-Hungarians live in Romania, mostly in Transylvania. Of these, about 670,000 consider themselves Székely, and mainly live in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and parts of Mureş. The Székely hence account for an important part of the Hungarian minority in Romania.

[edit] Aranyosszék exclave

There are about 10,000–15,000 Székely living in the former territory of Aranyosszék (examples of Hungarian villages include Rimetea (hu: Torockó) and Colţeşti (hu: Torockószentgyörgy), but today the territory as a whole has an ethnic Romanian majority, who live mainly in the region of Unirea (hu: Felvinc).

[edit] History

Székely people in the Kingdom of Hungary

The Székely were considered the finest warriors of medieval Transylvania. They were part of the Unio Trium Nationum ("Union of Three Nations") a coalition of the three Transylvanian Estates, the other two nations being the (also predominantly Hungarian) nobility and the Saxon (that is, ethnic German) burghers. These three nations ruled Transylvania, usually in harmony though sometimes in conflict with one another. Romanians (known then as Vlachs) constituted the fourth major ethnic group in Transylvania, but were generally excluded from political power at the time (as were Magyar serfs, and Saxons living outside the Universitas). The Vlach peasantry nonetheless lived in relative peace with the Székely until the Romantic nationalist movements swept 19th century Europe. In fact, during the Long War, the Székely formed an alliance with Prince Michael the Brave of Wallachia against the armies of Hungarian nobles like Sigismund (Zsigmond) and Andrew Báthory (András Báthory), the Princes of Transylvania.

[edit] Controversy about origins

The Székely are of uncertain origins, subject to much debate among themselves and among scholars. A widespread theory asserts that they descend from the warrior tribe lands, on which the Magyars soon settled, along frontier mountains to defend against invasions from Tatars and other menacing people from the east. Székely people adhere proudly to their Hungarian identity.

The Székely have historically claimed direct descent from Attila's Huns, but this theory has lost currency in the 20th century. Theories have been advanced suggesting Avar (most of the recent theories), Gepid, or Turkic ancestry, and some have dated their presence in the Eastern Carpathians as early as the fifth century. A small number of scholars believe that they are related to Scythians who joined the Magyars on their trek westward and assimilated into the proto-Hungarian culture.

Some have also suggested the Székely are simply Magyars, like other Hungarians; according to this theory, their strongly distinguishable cultural differences stem from centuries of relative isolation in the mountains. Many scholars believe in a two-fold Hungarian migration of Transylvania and the Pannonian Plain, one prior to the main Magyar conquest of the Pannonian Plain in 896. According to this theory, the Székely are a Hungarian group that settled in Transylvania during this first migration.

[edit] Symbols

The Székely Sun and Moon

The Sun and Moon are the symbols of Székelys, as can also be seen in the coat of arms of Transylvania. The Sun and Moon symbols represented proto-Hungarian gods, but after the Hungarians became Christians in the eleventh century, their importance became purely visual and symbolic. Their religious significance was lost. The Székelys have largely succeeded in preserving their traditions to an extent unusual even in Central and Eastern Europe. The most comprehensive description of the Székely Land and traditions was written between 1859-1868 by Balázs Orbán in his Description of Székely land.

[edit] Population by county

The Székely live mainly in Harghita, Covasna and Mureş counties. They form a majority of the population in the counties of Covasna and Harghita.

The relatively small and isolated Székely population on the border of Cluj and Alba counties (former Aranyosszék) assimilated more significantly during the 20th century than inhabitants of the compact Székely areas. They can be estimated to be less than 20,000 today.

The Székelys of Bukovina form a culturally separate group with its own history.

[edit] Autonomy

Ethnic map of Harghita, Covasna, and Mureş based on the 1992 data, showing areas with Hungarian (Székely) majority

Ever since the abolition of the Hungarian Autonomous Province by the Ceauşescu regime, some of the Székely have pressed for their autonomy to be restored. Several proposals have been discussed within the Székely Hungarian community and by the Romanian majority. One of the initiatives is for autonomy for the Székelyföld region on the model of the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia.^[3] A major peaceful demonstration was held in 2006 in favor of autonomy [1].

[edit] Fiction

In Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, the epononymous vampire count regards himself as a Székely, and very explicitly presents them as a separate nation from the Hungarians. He even makes up a long, imaginary history for his people, claiming a descent both from the Huns and also from an "Ugric tribe from Iceland". He even goes so far as to claim that "after the battle of Mohacs, we threw off the Hungarian yoke". All of this is fictional, though, not based on real historical facts.

[edit] See also

• Hungarian minority in Romania
• List of Székely settlements
• Alexander Csoma de Kőrös (Székely origins)
• Bertalan Székely
• Edmund Bordeaux Szekely
• György (Székely) Dózsa
• Louis C.K. (surname Székely)
• Rulers of Transylvania Mózes Székely
• Székelys of Bukovina
• Székelykeve
• Székely land (Terra Siculorum, Tinutul secuiesc)
• Old Hungarian script (Szekely runes)

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• The Székely Anthem with English and German lyrics
• (Hungarian) Székely Anthem
• (Hungarian) Székely News
• (Hungarian) Székely links
• (English) Minority Cultures: The Szeklers Jews
• (English) Minority Cultures: The Szeklers Tortured History