
#redirectSzékely
The Székely or Szeklers (Hungarian_language: ''Székely''; Romanian_language; ''Secui''; German_language: ''Szekler'') are a Magyars ethnic group living in Transylvania in Romania. Unlike most other ethnic minorities of Romania, Szeklers are tighly concentrated in an area known as ''Sz%E9kelyf%F6ld (Szekler land)''. Based on the latest Romanian statistics, approximately 670,000 Székely live mostly in Harghita, Covasna and parts of Mures counties, accounting for an important part of the Hungarian minority in Romania. There is a Szekely initiative to attain autonomy for a Sz%E9kelyf%F6ld region, on the model of the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia. This group has largely succeeded in preserving its traditions to an extent unusual even in Central and Eastern Europe. The most comprehensive description of the Szekely land and traditions was written between 1859-1868 by Balázs Orbán in his masterpiece, "Székelyföld leírása". The Szeklers are of uncertain origins, subject to much debate among themselves and among scholars. A widespread theory asserts that they descend from the warrior tribes settled by the Hungarians in the border mountains to defend against invasions from Tatars and other menacing people from the east. Székely people adhere proudly to a Hungarian identity. They have a slightly distinct Hungarian dialect, but most of the differences from Hungarian language consist of archaic words and phrase constructions, as well as a particular intonation. In medieval times, the Szeklers were part of the ''Unio Trium Nationum'' ("Union of Three Nations") a coalition of the three Transylvanian Estates of the realm, the other two nations being the (predominantly Hungarian) nobility and the Transylvanian Saxon (ie ethnic Germans) burghers. These three nations ruled Transylvania, usually in harmony though sometimes in conflict with one another. The Romanians inhabitants, who largely belonged to the class of serfs (which also included many Hungarians), were Eastern Orthodoxy and were not allowed to political representation. The Szeklers were considered the best warriors of medieval Transylvania. ==Controversy about origins== Theories have been advanced suggesting Avar, Gepid, Scythian, or Hunish ancestry, and some have dated their presence in the Eastern Carpathians as early as the fifth century. Some have also suggested the Székely, like the Hungarians, are simply descended from the Magyars, and that cultural differences with other Hungarian groups stem from their relative isolation in the mountains. Many scholars believe in a two-fold Hungarian migration of Transylvania and the Pannonian Plain, one prior to the main Magyar conquest of the Pannonian Plain in 896. According to this theory, the Székelys or ''Szekler''s are a Hungarian group that settled in Transylvania during this first migration. Another possible source of the Székely people is Hungary itself: they might be Hungarians who moved to Transylvania to protect the borders of the country. Others believe that Szeklers had different origins, such as Turkic origins. A small number of scholars believe that the Székelys are related to the Scythians who may have joined the Magyars on their trek westward. ==By County== The Szeklers live mainly in Harghita, Covasna and Mureş counties
==See also==
*Bertalan Székely
*Mózes Székely
== External links ==
=== In Hungarian language ===
* [http://www.szekelyhirmondo.ro/ Székely News]
* [http://szekely.lap.hu/ Székely links]
Minorities of Romania
Hungarian people
== Székelys and Székely land == Before removing link to Szekely land, either explain why the two articles are not related, or propose deletion of the Szekely land article as such. Before choosing the second option make sure that: * there are at least a few Szekely (or even Hungarians) who never heard of or contest the existence of Szekely land. * the 6 volume encyclopedia (cited) talks about a fictional territory. * there are no written historical documents certifying its existence since the 12th century (first one dating from 1116 - sources to be retrieved) * or that Szekely land is not the exact translation of Szekelyfold. User:Akiss The first link to Szekely land was from the mention of the autonomy initiative, which is both awkward and unfair. Szekelys have a particularity with respect to other minorities, which is their tight relationship with the land they inhabit. This is a key factor of their success in preserving their cultural heritage. It is therefore important that the reference to Szekely land appear in the first paragraph. (To compare the injustice, just imagine that in the article about Basques removing reference to Basque Country and placing it within a mention of the Basque movement for autonomy..) User:Akiss 11:53, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC) == Numbers == There is no point in comparing to the total population of the 3 counties since total territory of these counties does not match exactly that of the historical szekely land: most of Mures county and a small part of Harghita does not belong there. User:Akiss *sorry, there is this perception (that i share) that the szeklers that live in Harghita Covasna and Mures are claiming all these three counties as Szekely land (i didn't know that Szekelyfold doesn't mean "exactly" Szekely Land), so listing the total number of the population living in that area should be relevant in this case. -- User:Criztu 06:03, 26 May 2005 (UTC) ** Criztu, please read the whole phrase. In fact, I ''did'' imply that "Szekely Land" is the exact translation of "Szekelyfold". User:Akiss 00:21, 30 May 2005 (UTC) *when one says "1,450,000 Hungarian_minority_in_Romania make up for 20% of the population of Transylvania" it's the same thing as me saying "670,000 skezlers out of 1,140,000 of the total population of Harghita Covasna Mures counties" -- User:Criztu 11:03, 26 May 2005 (UTC) *you could add info and details on the "historic region Szekelyfold" but it is not an oficial administrative region so you can't say "szeklers live in Szekler Land" but "szeklers live in Harghita Covasna and Mures counties of Romania"; one could say "Szeklers live in parts of the historic Habsburg empire", or i could say "Szeklers live in parts of the historic roman province Dacia", see what i mean ? -- User:Criztu 11:03, 26 May 2005 (UTC) == Autonomy Initiative == Indeed there is an ongoing issue about the autonomy initiative of the szekely region, and the debates stir up strong opposition among Romanians. Criztu's edits seem biased by a POV against this initiative: * This article is about Szekelys, not about the autonomy initiative. The link to Szekely land is valid, and not a matter of the autonomy discussion. It must be restored to the first line. The names Szekelyfold and Terra Siculorum appeared in historical documents centuries ago. :Akiss, please look at the map of administrative regions of Kingdom of hungary in 1918, and you'll see there is no such "historical region Szekelyfold". i don't know in what timeframe did the Szekelyfold existed, anyway, you can't say "szekelys live in Szekelyfold" since there is no such official region and there are other official administrative regions in place. when there will be an official region "szekelyfold" i'll be the first to add the info to the szekely article. Before Terra Siculorum, there was a Terra Dacorum, and now there is a Terra Romaniansorum :) , you can't use historic names for a contemporary administrative region, can you see what i mean? i don't say "the Romanian minority in Hungary live in the historic region of Dacia, since Dacia once streched all the way to Transdanubian plains" -- User:Criztu 11:30, 30 May 2005 (UTC) * ''"670,000 out of 1,140,000"'' means nothing except trying to prove that Seclers are barely majoritary in Szekelyland. Remember, most of Mures county is not within historical Szekely land. Criztu's statement that "Szekelys are claiming all these 3 counties" is unfounded. (If it implies the claim within the autonomy debates, it is still not true: to my knowledge, they are not claiming the entire Mures county and they propose referendums for each settlement. But again, autonomy discussions are not in the scope of this article. Nevertheless, anyone expert may start an article about that. With of course, references to such 'claims'.) User:Akiss 00:21, 30 May 2005 (UTC) :since the Szeklers live in three romanian counties, it is of relevance to compare their numbers to that of all people living in those counties. the same kind of comparison is used for the whole hungarian minority in romania, "the hungarian minority numbers 1,450,000 or 6.6% of total population of romania or 20% of the population of transylvania"; see, you compare the minority living in a region with the total population living in that same region, no POV here -- User:Criztu 11:30, 30 May 2005 (UTC) :Please, bring evidence for when was this "historical Szekelyland" employed in any official administration (be it Hungary, Habsburg empire, Transylvania or Romania administrations), cuz i look at the map of Austria-Hungary in 1918 and i see no "historical region Szekelyfold" -- User:Criztu 11:30, 30 May 2005 (UTC) == Writing == "Székelys still use a form of Scythian writing known as cuneiform" - any sources besides the external link in the article confirming it? Sound like an April fool to me User:Vassili Nikolaev 2004-aug-27 :I removed these: :: There are documents showing that around 1200 AD there were important Székely cities in the transylvanian parts of Hungary and it is believed to be correct that they have been living there for more than 1000 years. "it is believed" ! by whom ? :: Sculptures have been found depicting Scythian scenes in Transylvania, and in addition Székelys still use a form of Scythian writing known as cuneiform. if it's about Old Hungarian script, that is not a cuneiform. And, to the best of my knowledge, the Scythians never had an alphabet. User:Bogdangiusca | User talk:Bogdangiusca 08:30, 28 Aug 2004 (UTC) The second extrenal link contains data that disputed data. It is not true that szeklers were persecuted after 1989 in Romania. Somebody should remove that link. All that site contains only nationalistic junk about Great Hungaria. :i've removed the two external links on the following grounds: ''Even under a new "free" Romania extremists continue to attack Hungarians, Hungarian culture, and democratic values. Hungarian language schools and centuries-old universities have been closed, churches burned, and people beaten for demonstrating for democracy and basic human rights, or simply for speaking Hungarian - (See Helsinki Watch Report "Destroying Ethnic Identity, the Hungarians of Romania," for more information.)'' http://www.webenetics.com/hungary/szekhimn.htm - infamous as it uses a Helsinki report from 1989 relating it to the post 1990 Romania realities. -- User:Criztu 18:26, 11 Apr 2005 (UTC) == Identity == User:Sch. Dávid has, without comment, reversed the sense of a statement that said that not all Székely consider themselves Hungarian. (In any event, the majority clearly do.) Although I think this change is wrong, I am not reverting, because I am not expert and do not have a citation. Does someone have a citation on this matter? -- User:Jmabel | User talk:Jmabel 05:13, Apr 27, 2005 (UTC) Let me ask more clearly: obviously, the Szeklers are Hungarian-speaking; are they considered a subgroup of ethnic Magyars, a distinct group, or is this a matter of controversy? -- User:Jmabel | User talk:Jmabel 17:10, Apr 28, 2005 (UTC) : Due to their language, they usually identify with the Magyars and in official censuses, they are considered Magyars (unlike the Csango, who declared themselves either "Ceangău" or "Maghiar"). Their legends tell a different origin from the Magyars, but there is no proof they were not simply Magyars who were colonized near the eastern border of the Hungarian Kingdom. User:Bogdangiusca | User talk:Bogdangiusca 17:26, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC) ::Bogdangiusca is correct when he states that the Szeklers consider themselves to be Magyars, but that their legends suggest they are descended from the Huns (and thus consider themselves different from the other Magyars). Hungarian historians generally believe that the Szeklers were scattered throughout the Carpathian baisn (including many in south of Transylvania) following the Magyar conquest of the Pannonian plain but were resettled towards the east to act of border guards. There is no consenus on whether the Szeklers were originally part of the Magyar peoples or another tribe (possibly Turkic, but this seems to be no evidence for this theory) which had already become assimilated by the 9th century. There is a recent theory postualted by Gyula Laszlo, which seems to be gaining wider acceptance, that the Szeklers are descended from Magyar-speaking Avar tribes which occupied the Pannonian plain in the 6th-7th century. User:Scott Moore 14:52, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC) == Unio Trium Nationum == I've rewritten this section as it was incorrect. It is false to depict medieval Transylvanian society as split between three ruling nations (Hungarians, Szeklers and Germans) and oppressed Romanian serfs. Most Hungarians also belonged to the class of serfs rather than to the nobility (which is why so many Hungarians took part in the Bobalna revolt in 1437). To help avoid confusion I've followed the practise of Pal Engel and used the term estates to describe the nobility, burghers and Szeklers.User:Scott Moore 14:11, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
Words begining with Szekely:
Szekely
Székely
Székely
Szekelyfold
Székelyföld
Székelyföld
Szekelyudvarhely
Székelyudvarhely
Szekely_land
Székely_land
Szekely
#redirectSzékely
Székely
The Székely or Szeklers (Hungarian_language: ''Székely''; Romanian_language; ''Secui''; German_language: ''Szekler'') are a Magyars ethnic group living in Transylvania in Romania. Unlike most other ethnic minorities of Romania, Szeklers are tighly concentrated in an area known as ''Sz%E9kelyf%F6ld (Szekler land)''. Based on the latest Romanian statistics, approximately 670,000 Székely live mostly in Harghita, Covasna and parts of Mures counties, accounting for an important part of the Hungarian minority in Romania. There is a Szekely initiative to attain autonomy for a Sz%E9kelyf%F6ld region, on the model of the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia. This group has largely succeeded in preserving its traditions to an extent unusual even in Central and Eastern Europe. The most comprehensive description of the Szekely land and traditions was written between 1859-1868 by Balázs Orbán in his masterpiece, "Székelyföld leírása". The Szeklers are of uncertain origins, subject to much debate among themselves and among scholars. A widespread theory asserts that they descend from the warrior tribes settled by the Hungarians in the border mountains to defend against invasions from Tatars and other menacing people from the east. Székely people adhere proudly to a Hungarian identity. They have a slightly distinct Hungarian dialect, but most of the differences from Hungarian language consist of archaic words and phrase constructions, as well as a particular intonation. In medieval times, the Szeklers were part of the ''Unio Trium Nationum'' ("Union of Three Nations") a coalition of the three Transylvanian Estates of the realm, the other two nations being the (predominantly Hungarian) nobility and the Transylvanian Saxon (ie ethnic Germans) burghers. These three nations ruled Transylvania, usually in harmony though sometimes in conflict with one another. The Romanians inhabitants, who largely belonged to the class of serfs (which also included many Hungarians), were Eastern Orthodoxy and were not allowed to political representation. The Szeklers were considered the best warriors of medieval Transylvania. ==Controversy about origins== Theories have been advanced suggesting Avar, Gepid, Scythian, or Hunish ancestry, and some have dated their presence in the Eastern Carpathians as early as the fifth century. Some have also suggested the Székely, like the Hungarians, are simply descended from the Magyars, and that cultural differences with other Hungarian groups stem from their relative isolation in the mountains. Many scholars believe in a two-fold Hungarian migration of Transylvania and the Pannonian Plain, one prior to the main Magyar conquest of the Pannonian Plain in 896. According to this theory, the Székelys or ''Szekler''s are a Hungarian group that settled in Transylvania during this first migration. Another possible source of the Székely people is Hungary itself: they might be Hungarians who moved to Transylvania to protect the borders of the country. Others believe that Szeklers had different origins, such as Turkic origins. A small number of scholars believe that the Székelys are related to the Scythians who may have joined the Magyars on their trek westward. ==By County== The Szeklers live mainly in Harghita, Covasna and Mureş counties
| County | Szeklers | Percentage of the population |
|---|---|---|
| Harghita | 275,841 | 84.61% |
| Covasna | 164,055 | 73.81% |
| Mures | 227,673 | 39.26% |
Székely
== Székelys and Székely land == Before removing link to Szekely land, either explain why the two articles are not related, or propose deletion of the Szekely land article as such. Before choosing the second option make sure that: * there are at least a few Szekely (or even Hungarians) who never heard of or contest the existence of Szekely land. * the 6 volume encyclopedia (cited) talks about a fictional territory. * there are no written historical documents certifying its existence since the 12th century (first one dating from 1116 - sources to be retrieved) * or that Szekely land is not the exact translation of Szekelyfold. User:Akiss The first link to Szekely land was from the mention of the autonomy initiative, which is both awkward and unfair. Szekelys have a particularity with respect to other minorities, which is their tight relationship with the land they inhabit. This is a key factor of their success in preserving their cultural heritage. It is therefore important that the reference to Szekely land appear in the first paragraph. (To compare the injustice, just imagine that in the article about Basques removing reference to Basque Country and placing it within a mention of the Basque movement for autonomy..) User:Akiss 11:53, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC) == Numbers == There is no point in comparing to the total population of the 3 counties since total territory of these counties does not match exactly that of the historical szekely land: most of Mures county and a small part of Harghita does not belong there. User:Akiss *sorry, there is this perception (that i share) that the szeklers that live in Harghita Covasna and Mures are claiming all these three counties as Szekely land (i didn't know that Szekelyfold doesn't mean "exactly" Szekely Land), so listing the total number of the population living in that area should be relevant in this case. -- User:Criztu 06:03, 26 May 2005 (UTC) ** Criztu, please read the whole phrase. In fact, I ''did'' imply that "Szekely Land" is the exact translation of "Szekelyfold". User:Akiss 00:21, 30 May 2005 (UTC) *when one says "1,450,000 Hungarian_minority_in_Romania make up for 20% of the population of Transylvania" it's the same thing as me saying "670,000 skezlers out of 1,140,000 of the total population of Harghita Covasna Mures counties" -- User:Criztu 11:03, 26 May 2005 (UTC) *you could add info and details on the "historic region Szekelyfold" but it is not an oficial administrative region so you can't say "szeklers live in Szekler Land" but "szeklers live in Harghita Covasna and Mures counties of Romania"; one could say "Szeklers live in parts of the historic Habsburg empire", or i could say "Szeklers live in parts of the historic roman province Dacia", see what i mean ? -- User:Criztu 11:03, 26 May 2005 (UTC) == Autonomy Initiative == Indeed there is an ongoing issue about the autonomy initiative of the szekely region, and the debates stir up strong opposition among Romanians. Criztu's edits seem biased by a POV against this initiative: * This article is about Szekelys, not about the autonomy initiative. The link to Szekely land is valid, and not a matter of the autonomy discussion. It must be restored to the first line. The names Szekelyfold and Terra Siculorum appeared in historical documents centuries ago. :Akiss, please look at the map of administrative regions of Kingdom of hungary in 1918, and you'll see there is no such "historical region Szekelyfold". i don't know in what timeframe did the Szekelyfold existed, anyway, you can't say "szekelys live in Szekelyfold" since there is no such official region and there are other official administrative regions in place. when there will be an official region "szekelyfold" i'll be the first to add the info to the szekely article. Before Terra Siculorum, there was a Terra Dacorum, and now there is a Terra Romaniansorum :) , you can't use historic names for a contemporary administrative region, can you see what i mean? i don't say "the Romanian minority in Hungary live in the historic region of Dacia, since Dacia once streched all the way to Transdanubian plains" -- User:Criztu 11:30, 30 May 2005 (UTC) * ''"670,000 out of 1,140,000"'' means nothing except trying to prove that Seclers are barely majoritary in Szekelyland. Remember, most of Mures county is not within historical Szekely land. Criztu's statement that "Szekelys are claiming all these 3 counties" is unfounded. (If it implies the claim within the autonomy debates, it is still not true: to my knowledge, they are not claiming the entire Mures county and they propose referendums for each settlement. But again, autonomy discussions are not in the scope of this article. Nevertheless, anyone expert may start an article about that. With of course, references to such 'claims'.) User:Akiss 00:21, 30 May 2005 (UTC) :since the Szeklers live in three romanian counties, it is of relevance to compare their numbers to that of all people living in those counties. the same kind of comparison is used for the whole hungarian minority in romania, "the hungarian minority numbers 1,450,000 or 6.6% of total population of romania or 20% of the population of transylvania"; see, you compare the minority living in a region with the total population living in that same region, no POV here -- User:Criztu 11:30, 30 May 2005 (UTC) :Please, bring evidence for when was this "historical Szekelyland" employed in any official administration (be it Hungary, Habsburg empire, Transylvania or Romania administrations), cuz i look at the map of Austria-Hungary in 1918 and i see no "historical region Szekelyfold" -- User:Criztu 11:30, 30 May 2005 (UTC) == Writing == "Székelys still use a form of Scythian writing known as cuneiform" - any sources besides the external link in the article confirming it? Sound like an April fool to me User:Vassili Nikolaev 2004-aug-27 :I removed these: :: There are documents showing that around 1200 AD there were important Székely cities in the transylvanian parts of Hungary and it is believed to be correct that they have been living there for more than 1000 years. "it is believed" ! by whom ? :: Sculptures have been found depicting Scythian scenes in Transylvania, and in addition Székelys still use a form of Scythian writing known as cuneiform. if it's about Old Hungarian script, that is not a cuneiform. And, to the best of my knowledge, the Scythians never had an alphabet. User:Bogdangiusca | User talk:Bogdangiusca 08:30, 28 Aug 2004 (UTC) The second extrenal link contains data that disputed data. It is not true that szeklers were persecuted after 1989 in Romania. Somebody should remove that link. All that site contains only nationalistic junk about Great Hungaria. :i've removed the two external links on the following grounds: ''Even under a new "free" Romania extremists continue to attack Hungarians, Hungarian culture, and democratic values. Hungarian language schools and centuries-old universities have been closed, churches burned, and people beaten for demonstrating for democracy and basic human rights, or simply for speaking Hungarian - (See Helsinki Watch Report "Destroying Ethnic Identity, the Hungarians of Romania," for more information.)'' http://www.webenetics.com/hungary/szekhimn.htm - infamous as it uses a Helsinki report from 1989 relating it to the post 1990 Romania realities. -- User:Criztu 18:26, 11 Apr 2005 (UTC) == Identity == User:Sch. Dávid has, without comment, reversed the sense of a statement that said that not all Székely consider themselves Hungarian. (In any event, the majority clearly do.) Although I think this change is wrong, I am not reverting, because I am not expert and do not have a citation. Does someone have a citation on this matter? -- User:Jmabel | User talk:Jmabel 05:13, Apr 27, 2005 (UTC) Let me ask more clearly: obviously, the Szeklers are Hungarian-speaking; are they considered a subgroup of ethnic Magyars, a distinct group, or is this a matter of controversy? -- User:Jmabel | User talk:Jmabel 17:10, Apr 28, 2005 (UTC) : Due to their language, they usually identify with the Magyars and in official censuses, they are considered Magyars (unlike the Csango, who declared themselves either "Ceangău" or "Maghiar"). Their legends tell a different origin from the Magyars, but there is no proof they were not simply Magyars who were colonized near the eastern border of the Hungarian Kingdom. User:Bogdangiusca | User talk:Bogdangiusca 17:26, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC) ::Bogdangiusca is correct when he states that the Szeklers consider themselves to be Magyars, but that their legends suggest they are descended from the Huns (and thus consider themselves different from the other Magyars). Hungarian historians generally believe that the Szeklers were scattered throughout the Carpathian baisn (including many in south of Transylvania) following the Magyar conquest of the Pannonian plain but were resettled towards the east to act of border guards. There is no consenus on whether the Szeklers were originally part of the Magyar peoples or another tribe (possibly Turkic, but this seems to be no evidence for this theory) which had already become assimilated by the 9th century. There is a recent theory postualted by Gyula Laszlo, which seems to be gaining wider acceptance, that the Szeklers are descended from Magyar-speaking Avar tribes which occupied the Pannonian plain in the 6th-7th century. User:Scott Moore 14:52, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC) == Unio Trium Nationum == I've rewritten this section as it was incorrect. It is false to depict medieval Transylvanian society as split between three ruling nations (Hungarians, Szeklers and Germans) and oppressed Romanian serfs. Most Hungarians also belonged to the class of serfs rather than to the nobility (which is why so many Hungarians took part in the Bobalna revolt in 1437). To help avoid confusion I've followed the practise of Pal Engel and used the term estates to describe the nobility, burghers and Szeklers.User:Scott Moore 14:11, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
S
SB | SC | SD | SE | SF | SG | SH | SI | SJ | SK | SL | SM | SN | SO | SP | SR | SS | ST | SU | SW | SX | SY | SZ |Words begining with Szekely:
Szekely
Székely
Székely
Szekelyfold
Székelyföld
Székelyföld
Szekelyudvarhely
Székelyudvarhely
Szekely_land
Székely_land
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