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Bszrmny, also Izmaelita (Hysmaelita / Ishmaelites) or Szerecsen (Saracenus), is a name for the Muslims who lived in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 10-13th centuries. Some of the bszrmny probably joined the federation of the seven Magyar tribes during the 9th century, and later smaller groups of Muslims arrived in the Carpathian Basin. They were engaged in trading but some of them were employed as mercenaries by the kings of Hungary. Their rights were gradually restricted from the 11th century on, and they were persuaded to accept baptism, following the establishment of the Christian Kingdom of Hungary. They disappeared (probably became Christian) by the end of the 13th century.
Contents
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1 Their origins 2 Muslim territories in the Kingdom of Hungary 3 The Muslims' life in the kingdom 4 Muslims in the 13th century 5 See also 6 References 7 Sources 8 External links
Their origins[edit]
Modern authors claim that several groups of Muslims migrated to the Carpathian Basin in the course of the 10th-12th centuries; therefore, the Muslims living in the Kingdom of Hungary were composed of various ethnic groups. Most of them must have arrived from Volga Bulgaria, but toponyms suggest that Muslim (kliz: khalyzians) people arrived also from Khwarezm; these latter (or part of them) may have formed one of the three tribes of the Kabars who joined the federation of the Magyar tribes in the 9th century. The Arab historian and geographer, al-Mas'd recorded in the 10th century that the heads of the tribal confederation had welcomed Muslim merchants and the merchants could even convert some of the Magyars into Islam.[1] Al-Bakr also mentioned that the Magyars ransomed the Muslims who had been captured in the neighboring countries.[1] In the 10th century, Ibrahim ibn Yaqub described the Muslim merchants who arrived in Prague from the territories of the Magyars and traded with slaves and tin.[1] The Gesta Hungarorumrecorded that lots of Muslims arrived in the Carpathian Basin from Volga Bulgaria during the reign of Taksony, Grand Prince of the Magyars (c. 955 - before 972) and they settled down there.[1]
The work of the Muslim traveler, Abu Hamid al-Garnati, who spent three years in the kingdom (1150-1153), proves that the Muslims living in the Kingdom of Hungary were composed of two groups: the Khwarezmians and the Maghrebians (Bszrmny).[1] He was entrusted by King Gza II of Hungary to recruit soldiers among the Maghrebians (Bszrmny) living east of the Carpathian Basin.[1] The Byzantine historian, John Kinnamos mentioned that kliz warriors were captured during the war between the kingdom and the Byzantine Empire in 1165 and the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos removed some of them to Byzantine territories.[1]
Ethnic situation of Kingdom of Hungary in the 11th century according to Istvn Kniezsa and Lajos Glaser. Smaller Turkic groups also lived in the country. Bszrmnys arrived mostly from Turkic lands (Khwarezm and Volga Bulgaria)
The Muslims settled down in several groups in the Carpathian Basin. Their largest communities lived in the southern parts of the Kingdom of Hungary in Syrmia and in region where the Drava joines the Danube. Other significant groups of Muslims lived in and around Pest, in the Nyrsg (around Hajdbszrmny) and around Nyitra (today Nitra in Slovakia).[1] The Arab geographer, Yaqut al-Hamawi mentioned that Muslims from the Kingdom of Hungary were studying in Aleppo in the beginning of the 13th century. The students arrived in Aleppo from a frontier region of the kingdom where the Moslims lived in 30 settlements.[1]
By the period of King Gza II (1141-1162), the kliz people could practise their faith only in secrecy. The "Maghrebian" soldiers followed Islam openly, but it was Abu Hamid al-Garnati who taught them several Islamic traditions. Upon his request, the king even permitted to the "Magrhrebians" to have concubines. [1]
See also[edit]
Besermyan Islam in Hungary Ishmael
References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:
a b c d e f g h i j k
Magyarorszgon (Non-Hungarian Peoples in the Medieval Hungary). Budapest: Lucidus Kiad. p. 42.ISBN 963-9465-15-1. 2. ^ Jump up to:
a b c d e
Historical Chronology of Hungary"). Budapest: Akadmiai Kiad. p. 136. ISBN 963-05-2661-1. 3. Jump up^ "History of Hungary" (Hungarian)
Sources[edit]
Benda, Klmn (editor): Magyarorszg trtneti kronolgija (The Historical Chronology of Hungary); Akadmiai Kiad, 1981, Budapest; ISBN 963-05-2661-1.
Krist, Gyula: Nem magyar npek a kzpkori Magyarorszgon (Non-Hungarian Peoples in the Medieval Hungary); Lucidus Kiad, 2003, Budapest; ISBN 963-9465-15-1.
Krist, Gyula (editor): Korai Magyar Trtneti Lexikon - 9-14. szzad (Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History - 9-14th centuries); Akadmiai Kiad, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963-05-6722-9.
External links[edit]
http://www.magyariszlam.hu/eng/history.html http://www.hajduporta.hu/english/index.php?id=page1300