Among those who are concerned about the gossip of peach blossoms, some people may know that the Romanians, a Central European people, speak a language that belongs to the Latin language family, which is very close to Italian. Romania is seen as a branch of the Latins in a broad sense. However, in the territory of present-day Romania, there are numerous Hungarians, most of whom are classified as Sekey, a branch that has one of the highest identification with the Hungarians in Europe. So, what is the unique history and reality of this mysterious ethnic group?Are they really descendants of the Huns?
The earliest records of the Sekei date back to the 13th century AD, and in the early days they were long regarded as a distinct ethnic group from the Hungarians. According to some Hungarian historians, in the 9th century, when the Hungarians (Magyars) migrated westward into Europe, they were joined by an ethnic group from the Transylvanian region that helped conquer the Pannonian plain, and this group was the Sekei. However, these historians also emphasize that although the Sekei joined only after the Hungarians entered Europe, they considered themselves to be descendants of the Huns and Attila.
According to internal legend of the Sekei, their ancestors accompanied Attila on his expeditions against various Western European regimes. However, when the Hunnic Empire collapsed, the Huns fled eastward, while about 3,000 Huns remained in the Pannonian Plain. Fearing reprisals from the Western ethnic groups, they migrated to the Transylvanian region and changed their name to the Sekey. Although externally they no longer call themselves Huns, internally they have long considered themselves descendants of the Huns and Attila.
However, these legends belong only to the internal views of the Sekaii people, and modern historians do not consider them to be the history of faith. In the late 20th century, some historians proposed two possible Sekaii origins.
One view is that the Sekei were an offshoot of the Hungarians, a group of people sent by the Hungarians to the mountains to guard the border in the Middle Ages. Living in the mountains for a long time, they were relatively isolated from the surrounding Hungarians, and gradually developed a distinct cultural identity from other Hungarians, becoming a distinct ethnic group.
Another view is that the Sekei may have been another nomadic group of Asians that entered Europe after the Huns and before the Hungarians, such as the Avars or a tribe of Khazar Turkic origin, or perhaps even a branch of the Bolgars. However, these views are only hypothetical, and the exact origin of the Sekaii remains a mystery.
After joining the Hungarians in the 9th century, the Sekei formed alliances with the Hungarians. Around the 15th century AD, a "Triple Alliance" emerged in Transylvania, which included the Hungarians, Germanic Saxons, and Sekeys. This shows that the Sekei were still considered a different ethnic group from the Hungarians at that time.
However, by the 16th century AD, the Sekei seem to have been largely assimilated by the Hungarians. Some Hungarian historical records say that the language of the Sekei is the same as Hungarian, but there are some unique words. The Hungarian poet Libetz even stated in a poem that questioning the vocabulary of the Hungarian language should refer to the language of the Sekei, as they are the guardians of the ancient Hungarian language.
After the rise of the Ottoman Empire and the invasion of Europe, the Sekei became the first line of defense against the Ottoman invasion of the Hungarians. Over time, however, the Sekei were gradually completely assimilated by the Hungarians. Although the language still retains its distinctive characteristics, in modern times this group has been seen as a branch of the Hungarians. Transylvania has long been a multi-ethnic region, with the majority of modern inhabitants being Romanians, while Hungarians make up about 19%, most of whom are Sekey.
However, with the end of World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved, and Transylvania was annexed to Romania in 1920. Since then, the Sekei have become a minority in Romania and are considered Romanian-Hungarians. Although the region has long been multi-ethnic, modern Europe is based on nation-states, which has led to a large migration of Hungarians from within Romania to Hungary since the late 1980s. This relocation has led to a significant reduction in the number of Sekaiyi, from more than 1.7 million at its peak to around 1 million today.
The future of the Sekei is uncertain, whether they will remain in Romania or move to Hungary, and whether they will be able to maintain their ethnic identity. In this modern Europe, where the reality of the nation-state complicates ethnic affiliation, how the Sekei as a distinct group will adapt to future social changes remains a mystery.
This article details the origins, history, and cultural characteristics of this mysterious ethnic group, and gave me a deeper understanding of this minority. First of all, the author mentions at the beginning of the article that the Romanians belong to the Latin language family, which is close to Italian, which provides an important cultural background for the subsequent introduction of the relationship between the Sekei and the Hungarians. The article sheds light on the rich history of the Sekaii people by revealing the legends of their origins and the different views of historians on their origins.
On the question of whether the Sekei were descendants of the Huns, the article mentions the different views of internal legends and historians, demonstrating a pluralistic understanding of the issue. This plurality makes the whole article richer and more engaging. Although modern historians have questioned the veracity of these legends, these mysterious origin stories add a layer of mystery and romance to the Sekaii people.
In discussing the culture and history of the Sekei, the author highlights their alliance with the Hungarians and their role in defending against the Ottoman invasion. This emphasis on the role played by the Sekaii in history makes their history more vivid. In addition, through a quote from the Hungarian poet Libetz, the article shows the unique position of the Sekei language in the evolution of the Hungarian language, which provides readers with an opportunity to gain insight into the culture of the Sekei people.
Finally, the article mentions the situation of the Sékei in modern times, especially the annexation to Romania after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the subsequent mass migration of Hungarians. This section highlights the changes that ethnic groups have undergone in the course of historical and political change, and provides clues to understanding the current challenges and future direction of the Sekaii people.
Overall, this article is based on a wealth of historical sources and legends, and vividly depicts the historical trajectory of this mysterious ethnic group, the Seakai people. Through the text, the reader is able to get a sense of the unique place of this ethnic group in European history and the role they played in different periods.
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