Expulsion.2C recall and persecution .281349.E2.80.931526.29 History of the Jews in Hungary

the orthodox synagogue of sopron, hungary, dates 1890s.



medieval pottery artifacts inside sopron synagogue museum.

under foreign kings occupied throne of hungary on extinction of house of arpad, hungarian jews suffered many persecutions. during time of black death (1349), expelled country. although jews readmitted, again persecuted, , once again expelled in 1360 king louis great of anjou (1342–1382). although king louis had shown tolerance jews during years of reign, following conquest of bosnia, during tried force local population convert heretic bogomil christianity catholicism, king louis attempted impose conversion on hungarian jews well. however, failed in attempt convert them catholicism, , expelled them. received alexander of moldavia , dano of wallachia, latter afforded them special commercial privileges.

some years later, when hungary in financial distress, jews recalled. found during absence king had introduced custom of tödtbriefe, i.e., cancelling stroke of pen, on request of subject or city, notes , mortgage-deeds of jews. important office created louis of judge of jews living in hungary, chosen among dignitaries of country, palatines, , treasurers, , had deputy aid him. duty collect taxes of jews, protect privileges, , listen complaints, last-named had become more frequent since reign of sigismund luxembourg (1387–1437).

the successors of sigismund: albert (1437–1439), ladislaus posthumus (1453–1457), , matthias corvinus (1458–1490) likewise confirmed privilegium of béla iv. matthias created office of jewish prefect in hungary. period following death of matthias sad 1 hungarian jews. hardly buried, when people fell upon them, confiscated property, refused pay debts owing them, , persecuted them generally. pretender john corvinus, matthias illegitimate son, expelled them tata, , king ladislaus ii (1490–1516), in need of money, laid heavy taxes upon them. during reign, jews first time burned @ stake, many being executed @ nagyszombat (trnava) in 1494, on suspicion of ritual murder.

the hungarian jews applied german emperor maximilian protection. on occasion of marriage of louis ii , archduchess maria (1512), emperor, consent of ladislaus, took prefect, jacob mendel of buda, family , other hungarian jews, under protection, according them rights enjoyed other subjects. under ladislaus successor, louis ii (1516–1526), persecution of jews common occurrence. bitter feeling against them in part augmented fact baptized emeric szerencsés, deputy treasurer, embezzled public funds.