The political history of Europe was mostly shaped by two phenomena: large, consolidated kingdoms and empires on the one hand and migratory movements from the north and east on the other. While the former is well-known to the public, the many migrations, especially from Asia, are rarely talked about if we leave out the Huns of Attila. Seemingly, after the disintegration of the Hunnic Empire, the migrations by steppe peoples lost importance. But as a matter of fact, the dissolution of the Huns paved the way for even more migrations. Beginning in the 550s, many steppe peoples like the Avars, Göktürks, Bulgars, Pechenegs, and Kipchaks entered the European continent. In between, a particular group called “Magyars” also entered the European continent. They would go on to form the core of Hungarian identity.

The Magyar’s early history was marked by interactions with Turkic empires, shaping their cultural and political development and even writing system. But the most important state was the Göktürk Empire, under which the Magyars lived for nearly a century before moving further west. Passing through modern-day Ukraine, they arrived in the Carpathian Basin – the former home of the Huns. There, the Magyar developed their language, customs, and governance with noticeable Turkic influences. This era saw the rise of important Magyar leaders and the establishment of a distinct political entity. One of the most important leaders was Árpád, who successfully conducted this conquest and founded the eponymous Árpád dynasty. Later, Stephen’s conversion to Christianity and establishment of the Kingdom of Hungary were monumental in solidifying the Magyar presence in Europe.

The subsequent history of the Hungarians is well known. But the era of the ancient Magyars is often overlooked – and complicated. It is time to shed light on these nomadic stepp warriors and establish some facts. First, we’ll explain the geographical origins of the first Magyar tribes and try to understand why they migrated in the first place. Then, we will delve into early Magyar culture and analyze if and how much it had in common with the Finno-Ugric and Turkic cultures. We’ll see how Magyar and Hungarian identity changed over time. And we’ll lastly answer the question if the Hungarians, as their name suggests, really are descendants of Attila and the Huns.

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro: Steppe Invasions and the Magyars
02:45 The Names "Hungary" and "Magyar"
05:48 Origin Theory 1: Finno-Ugric (Uralic)
08:03 Origin Theory 2: Turkic (Central Asian)
11:04 Origin Theory 3: Mixed
15:36 Culture and Religion
18:10 Parallels to Nordic and Turkic Cultures
21:57 A Word from Emre
22:31 Magyar Migration into Europe
32:10 The Magyar Conquests in Europe
35:30 The Huns and Hungarians
44:50 Conclusion

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