Latest news with #MatthiasCorvinus
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Skull Discovered in Hungary May Belong to Legendary King Matthias Corvinus
A skull unearthed in a medieval Hungarian church two decades ago may belong to legendary King Matthias Corvinus, who ruled the country for more than 30 years and was known for his support of the sciences and arts, experts claim. The New York Post said that Emese Gábor, a facial reconstruction specialist and portrait sculptor based in Hungary, told Fox News Digital that the potentially royal skull was discovered in the ossuary portion of the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Székesfehérvár. The remains were first discovered in 2002. In an attempt to confirm her hypothesis, Gábor compared the newly discovered skull to that of Corvinus' illegitimate son, Janos. What Gábor found led her to believe that the find is indeed that of King Matthias Corvinus, 'a friend of the muses,' according to Britannica, who was one of the first European leaders to welcome the Renaissance. Gábor told Fox News Digital that she discovered an 'exceptionally high degree of morphological similarity' between the two skulls. She created plastic facial reconstructions of the examined skulls in the hopes of helping to tease out the facial features of the long-lost remains. The skull also conforms to what's known about Corvinus, down to his age and height, she told the outlet. 'This phenomenon, along with other features — such as the estimated age at death (43–48 years; Mátyás died at age 47) and the body height of 172 cm — provide further support and reinforce the possibility of royal origin.' Hungarian officials were quick to point out that the claims about King Matthias 'are not yet confirmed,' with the Institute of Hungarian Research telling Archaeology Mag that 'scientific verification of the hypothesis is ongoing. We will be able to make a final statement after the verification.' Known as Matthias the Just, Corvinus ruled as king of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490 and earned his moniker by creating a standing army, altering tax codes to be fairer and ushering in judicial reforms.
Fox News
06-05-2025
- Science
- Fox News
Skull of legendary medieval king may have been unearthed at ruined church: expert
A skull was recently discovered at a medieval church – and an expert believes it may belong to a legendary European king. Emese Gábor, a facial reconstruction specialist and portrait sculptor based in Hungary, spoke with Fox News Digital about the discovery. The skull was found in the ossuary portion of the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. Gábor believes the skull belongs to Matthias Corvinus, who ruled as king of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490. Called Matthias the Just, the medieval king is known for restructuring the Hungarian army and ushering in judicial reforms. The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, now an archaeological site, had been the burial site of Hungarian kings for centuries. The site was raided by the Ottomans in the 16th century before it was destroyed by a fire in 1601. Gábor told Fox News Digital she found an "exceptionally high degree of morphological similarity" between the unknown skull and the skull of Matthias Corvinus' son, János Corvinus. "The greenish discoloration observed on the bone surface likely indicates the presence of a metal crown once worn, which left traces through oxidation." "[The skull's] external characteristics are also of exceptional importance: the greenish discoloration observed on the bone surface likely indicates the presence of a metal crown once worn, which left traces through oxidation," Gábor said. The physical features of the skull also match what's known about Corvinus, down to his age and height, she also noted. "This phenomenon, along with other features — such as the estimated age at death (43–48 years; Mátyás died at age 47) and the body height of 172 cm — provide further support and reinforce the possibility of royal origin." Gábor also created plastic facial reconstructions of the examined skulls in an effort to help visualize the facial features. "The comparative analyses … [were] based on detailed proportional and morphological evaluations, including the results of the facial reconstruction," she said. Researchers plan to study the skull further, Gábor added, including full genomic and mitochondrial DNA analyses and isotope analyses, to learn more. "This research could shed new light on the appearance and person of Matthias Corvinus, and also on the historical treasures still hidden at Hungarian heritage sites," the expert said.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mysterious skull found decades ago could belong to legendary king, archaeologists say
An unidentified skull uncovered at a Hungarian basilica decades ago may belong to the legendary 15th century king Matthias Corvinus, a new study found. While further DNA tests are needed to confirm the identity of the remains, researchers from the King Stephen Museum in Hungary say the skull bears resemblance to that of Corvinus's illegitimate son. The skull was first found during excavations at the southern aisle of the Basilica of the Virgin Mary in 2002 and has remained marked simply as 'I/10'. Now, archaeologists suspect it belongs to Matthias Corvinus, the legendary king of Hungary and Croatia, who ruled from 1458 to 1490. Known by his nickname – King Corvinus 'The Just' – was renowned for reforming the justice system and for favouring talented individuals, chosen for their abilities, instead of working with people based on their social status. His kingdom was also one of the first to embrace the Renaissance, spreading from Italy, ushering in a new age of art and science. King Cornivus's royal library – Bibliotheca Corviniana – was one of the largest collections of books in Europe at the time. He is also known for establishing one of the earliest professional standing armies in medieval Europe that played a key role in driving out the invading Ottomans. The Basilica of the Virgin Mary, where the skull was found, is known to have been the coronation and burial site for medieval Hungarian kings. However, it too was destroyed in the 19th century following centuries of damage, including by the Ottomans. The latest study comes after researchers reconstructed skulls found at the basilica. They found that the one labelled I/10 particularly bore resemblance to that of Matthias' illegitimate son János Corvinus, whose remains were previously found in Croatia. Given the skull's burial location at the basilica where other kings were also buried, researchers suspect the only likely candidate could be King Matthias himself. Several historical written sources also point to King Corvinus's funeral taking place at the cathedral in 1490. 'The king's body, covered in purple, was lifted into a coffin with a sword, sceptre, crown, orb, golden spurs, and an uncovered face, in a carefully chosen space of the open vestibule of the basilica,' Antonio Bonfini, Matthias' court historian and poet, wrote. However, Hungarian officials urge caution, stating that 'scientific verification of the hypothesis is ongoing'. 'We will be able to make a final statement after the verification,' the Institute of Hungarian Research said, according to Archaeology Mag.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Breakthrough in mystery of 500-year-old skull found in basilica
An unidentified skull found in a Hungarian basilica may belong to King Matthias Corvinus, who ruled in the 15th century. Researchers believe the skull bears a resemblance to that of Corvinus's illegitimate son. The skull was discovered in the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, a historical burial site for Hungarian kings. King Matthias, known as "The Just", was recognised for his judicial reforms, patronage of arts and sciences, and establishing a standing army. He ruled from 1458 to 1490. Further DNA testing is required to confirm the skull's identity.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Mysterious skull found decades ago could belong to legendary Hungarian king, archaeologists say
An unidentified skull uncovered at a Hungarian basilica decades ago may belong to the legendary 15th century king Matthias Corvinus, a new study found. While further DNA tests are needed to confirm the identity of the remains, researchers from the King Stephen Museum in Hungary say the skull bears resemblance to that of Corvinus's illegitimate son. The skull was first found during excavations at the southern aisle of the Basilica of the Virgin Mary in 2002 and has remained marked simply as 'I/10'. Now, archaeologists suspect it belongs to Matthias Corvinus, the legendary king of Hungary and Croatia, who ruled from 1458 to 1490. Known by his nickname – King Corvinus 'The Just' – was renowned for reforming the justice system and for favouring talented individuals, chosen for their abilities, instead of working with people based on their social status. His kingdom was also one of the first to embrace the Renaissance, spreading from Italy, ushering in a new age of art and science. King Cornivus's royal library – Bibliotheca Corviniana – was one of the largest collections of books in Europe at the time. He is also known for establishing one of the earliest professional standing armies in medieval Europe that played a key role in driving out the invading Ottomans. The Basilica of the Virgin Mary, where the skull was found, is known to have been the coronation and burial site for medieval Hungarian kings. However, it too was destroyed in the 19th century following centuries of damage, including by the Ottomans. The latest study comes after researchers reconstructed skulls found at the basilica. They found that the one labelled I/10 particularly bore resemblance to that of Matthias' illegitimate son János Corvinus, whose remains were previously found in Croatia. Given the skull's burial location at the basilica where other kings were also buried, researchers suspect the only likely candidate could be King Matthias himself. Several historical written sources also point to King Corvinus's funeral taking place at the cathedral in 1490. 'The king's body, covered in purple, was lifted into a coffin with a sword, sceptre, crown, orb, golden spurs, and an uncovered face, in a carefully chosen space of the open vestibule of the basilica,' Antonio Bonfini, Matthias' court historian and poet, wrote. However, Hungarian officials urge caution, stating that 'scientific verification of the hypothesis is ongoing'. 'We will be able to make a final statement after the verification,' the Institute of Hungarian Research said, according to Archaeology Mag.
