EX PRETERITUS

The Medieval Period

After the end of the Roman period, the Pannonian region was conquered and settled by various tribes, begining with the Visigoths in 378. The Huns ruled the area until the mid 5th century. They were followed by Gepids, Ostrogoths, Franks, Avars, then Croats. The northern area of Pannonia was settled by Hungarians, with Croats to the south. The Hungarians finally conquered the Croat kingdom in 1097, and then the countries were united under the Hungarian crown.

The period covered by finds presented here is from the 6th century onwards.

The 14th and 15th centuries were known for great unrest and feudal squabbles amongst the various rulers under the Hungarian crown. Hungarian rule in the region came to an end with the invasion of the Turks, who harried the region until most people fled, making conquest easier. After the battle of Mohacs in 1528, the Ottoman Empire became absolute rulers.

The Ottomans ruled for 150 years, but have left little mark of their presence in the region. What has been left are many hundreds of abandoned medieval settlements, many still lost or unknown. These often tiny settlements are scattered across the region by the dozen.