(Dominicans from the Province of Hungaria in the Service of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 13th Century)

Abstract: The Dominicans played a significant role in Hungary in the first half of the 13th century, which was reflected in their diverse activities. Some of them can be considered as activities in the service of the Kingdom of Hungary. One of them could be the missionary and Christianization expeditions aimed at locating the homeland of the ancient Hungarians (Hungaria Magna) and converting them to the Catholic faith. Another area was working among the pagan Kumans. However, all indications are that both the papal curia and the Hungarian crown were jointly involved in this engagement. A similar scenario took the work of the Order of Preachers in the schismatic and heretical environment of Bosnia. Here the Dominicans, at the instigation of the papal curia and with the support of the court as well as the Hungarian church hierarchy, found themselves in the position of bishops (John of Wildeshausen and Ponsa). The last activity performed by members of the Order of Preachers that meets the given characteristics was the negotium crucis. All these activities, except for the initial expeditions to the mythical homeland of the ancient Hungarians, should therefore be considered in conjunction with the requirements of the papal curia, the ruling dynasty, the regional church authorities, and the possibilities available to the Order in the territory of Hungary at the time. The question then becomes which “mandate” was of higher value. The interests of the papal curia, the court, and the local church hierarchy were in many ways overlapping. Therefore, even if individuals or groups of Dominicans were involved in some of these, they served several at the same time.

Author: Hunčaga OP, Gabriel-Peter

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2025.18.2.68-80

Publication order reference: PhDr. Mgr. Gabriel Peter Hunčaga OP, PhD.; Trnava Univesrity in Trnava, Faculty of Theology
Department of Biblical and Historical Sciences, Kostolná 1, 814 99 Bratislava, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7803-5727

Source: Konštantínove listy, 2025, vol.: 18, issue: 2, pages: 68-80 (PDF file)

Keywords: DOMINICANS, KINGDOM OF HUNGARY, SERVICE TO THE CROWN, RELIGIOUS LIFE, MIDDLE AGES

Language: SLOVAK

Recommended Citation:
Hunčaga OP, Gabriel-Peter. 2025. Dominikáni z provincie Hungaria v službách Uhorského kráľovstva v 13. storočí (Dominicans from the Province of Hungaria in the Service of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 13th Century). In Konštantínove listy [Constantine’s Letters] 18/2, 68-80.