Sicules of Transylvania

See also: Sicules

not to be confused with the Sicules of Sicily

The Sicules ( Székelyek in Hungarian or Rumanian Secui in ) form the main component of the minority magyarophone of Romania, primarily gathered in Transylvania and whose historical base is the town of Odorheiu Secuiesc ( Székelyudvarhely / Hofmarkt ). The essence of their population is found in the mountainous counties of Harghita ( Hargita megye ) and of Covasna ( Kovászna megye ).

Constituting slightly more half of the Magyar of Romania, is nearly 850.000 people out of 1.434.377 (2002), their proportion could be even more important: inside the minority known as " hongroise" , of tens of thousands of Gipsy S (Gypsies) magyarophones declares " hongrois" at the time of the censuses. The Rumanian citizens of Hungarian origin on the whole constitute 6,6% of the population of the country (census of 2002).

Sicules succeeded in preserving to them Langue, a particular Alphabet, their Tradition S specific and them ethnic Identité during the centuries (sometimes at the price of the violent Révolte S against the Hungarian authorities - 1514, 1562, 1600) and that under various canes (Hungarian E, Autrichien, Rumanian E) with a particularly notable success, this same for the standards centers and Eastern-European. However, of new tensions appeared after the fall of the Communism, as well as the search for better living conditions, several Rumanian thousands of sicules would have led to going to settle in Hungary (200.000 Hungarian left, over 15 years). With the accession of Hungary to the European Union, one estimates that each year 20.000 Rumanian citizens of Magyar origin leave to settle in Hungary.

A disputed origin

The precise origins of Sicules are still vague and prone to debate:

a first Théorie considers them downward Huns magyarized. Huns, populates wandering Turco-Mongolian, were however unsuited for a life isolated in the mountains. Their presence in the area precedes the arrival by the Magyars of more than four centuries.

Some bind them to the people proto-Mongolian of the Avars. It is possible that the little of Avars remained in life after the defeat in front of the Francs in 805 takes refuge quite simply in the mountains of the Carpates. There is however at present no archaeological proof of their presence in the mountainous habitat of Sicules.

Another theory regards them as Khazars magyarized. Populate Turkish central Asia, convert with the Judaïsme, powerful at the 7th century in the area of the Caspian Sea where they stopped the projection of the Islam, one supposes that certain survivors emigrated towards current Hungary and Romania after their defeat of 965 in front of the Slaves. That supposes the late christianization of these Khazars, in contact with the Magyars, themselves Christian after the beginning of the 11th century.

Another Hypothèse still binds them directly to the Magyars of Hungary, allotting their dialect and the differences cultural to their relative insulation in the mountains where they would have lived since the 9th century: the Colonisation sicule (they were " servientes regi" , Mercenary S paid by cities and Hungarian villages of Pannonia) would be then related to the function of frontier guard whom they held with the doors of the kingdom of Hungary.

a last assumption was launched by the Hungarian historian Paul Lendvai, who beside the Austrian and Rumanian researchers, support that " sicules" are descendants Tribu S Montagnarde S Autochtone S of the Dace S. These tribes, isolated compared to the imperial province Dacie, where the population was romanisée, ended up being linguistically comparable within the framework of the Magyar Conquête of Transylvania and used like a source of mercenaries and Guerrier S appreciated with the Moyen-âge.

Even if the debate remains open, the historians lean in general for a Migration former or at least favoured by the conquest of the Pannonia at the end of the 9th century, by the Magyar wandering tribes. Sicules would then have constituted a first migratory wave, out of the original Magyar territory of Etelköz (between the Don and the Carpates, that is to say the current Ukraine).

History

It seems that description most precise made manners, history and territories sicules date of the 19th century: has Székelyföld leírása ( Description of the country of Sicules ), written between 1859 and 1868 by Balázs Orbán.

Sicules formed a population already quite distinct from the Hungarians starting from the Moyen-âge, and obtained certain privileges (exemption of Impôt S) of the Hungarian kings in exchange of the role of frontier guards whom they assumed with the doors of the new Magyar kingdom (in particular against the invasions Mongolian S and tatares at the 13th century).

In fact, the reputation of Sicules to the Middle Ages was that of savage warriors.

In 1438, they formed the Union of the Three Nations ( Unio Trium Nationum ), a coalition of three Transylvanian tribes, the two other nations being directed by the Hungarian nobility and the Saxons (German-speaking).

In 1538, the Parlement of Transylvania restores the imposition of the people in exchange of an exemption of Taxe S for the town of Székelyudvarhely, Siège of the Diète sicule. A revolt followed in 1562, but this one was crushed.

Transylvania, autonomous after the division of Hungary between the Austrians and the Turks at the beginning of the 16th century, lost its autonomy in 1876 to become again integral part of Hungary until in 1918.

Sicules converted during the Réforme with the unitarianism, while the Hungarians adhered to the Calvinisme, the German-speaking ones with the Luthérianisme and the roumanophones remained attached to the orthodoxe Église national.

Sicules were represented at the Rumanian Parliament by the democratic Union of the Magyars of Romania (UDMR), which also represents the other Magyars of Romania. This political organization in ethnic matter, which attracts between 5% and 7% of the voices, played the part of hinge in various government coalitions since the beginning of the Années 1990. Since October 2003, the minority has a clean political organization, the National council of Sicules (Szekely Nemzeti Tanacs).

Traditions and Folklore

Székelykapuk : the traditional out of wooden carved of houses and firm main doors
Kopjafa : wood beam carved of a series of quite particular geometrical forms
Kürtőskalács : caramelized cookies of cylindrical form.

See too

Magyar
History of Hungary

External bonds

New Székelys

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