| SEMI-POSTAL
ISSUES 1913-1940
(THE REGENCY)
No.
B117-121
TYPE: SP52-56
ISSUED: July 1, 1940
PROCESS: Photogravure
PAPER: Watermarked double cross on pyramid.
PERF.: 12
DESIGNER: Gyula Toth
PURPOSE: In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of
the birth of King Matthias at Kolozsvar, Transylvania.
PICTURES: (SP52) Raven Coat of Arms and "Hollos Cimer"
(meaning Raven Coat of Arms)
(SP 53) Castle of Hunyadi and "Hunyadvara" meaning
Castle of Hunyadi.
(SP54) King Matthias or Matyas I, or Matthias Corvinus
and "Matyas."
(SP55) Equestrian statue of King Matthias and "A
Hadvezer" (The Army Leader).
(SP56) Rare manuscript and "A Konyvkedvelo"
(The book lover).
HISTORY: Matthias was born February 22, 1440, second son
of Janos Hunyadi, the national hero of Hungary. In 1458
Matthias was elected King of Hungary although only 18
years of age. King Matthias was known as the "Raven"
hence the raven holding a ring in its beak on the coat
of arms, said to denote a story that King Sigismond gave
a ring to Matthias' mother, who was a peasant; the crescent
and star in the coat of arms refer to his defeat of the
Turks. He also defeated Bohemia and took Vienna and a
large part of Jugoslavia as the leader of the Hungarian
Army. King Matthias ruled from the Hunyadvara shown on
a hill overlooking Buda. The crown of Laurel (SP54) alludes
to his literary accomplishments, while the rare manuscript
(SP56) tells us that King Matthias was a book lover, having
had a library of more than 50,000 books and 3,000 manuscripts
as early as the 15th century. The word 'Buda" 1473
on the left hand page refers to the city of Budapest and
the date on which the first Magyar Codex or parchment
book was published. The words "Corvin" and "Codex"
on the right hand page of the book refer to his surname
Corvinus and again to the Codex or parchment book. Matthias
died in 1490 and is shown in his prime on the equestrian
statue in full armor. The statue stands before the old
gothic church of St. Michael's in Kolozsvar, former capital
of Transylvania and near his birthplace. The statue is
the work of the sculptor John Fadrusz.
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