Popular Piety and Magic in Hungary in the 17th Century
Popular Piety and Magic in Hungary in the 17th Century

Author(s): Ingrid Kušniráková
Subject(s): Customs / Folklore, Modern Age, Culture and social structure , 17th Century, History of Religion
Published by: Historický ústav SAV
Keywords: Hungary; magic; piety; 17th century; popular piety; religious rituals;
Summary/Abstract: In the 17th century, the Kingdom of Hungary was divided into two parts. The Turkish army occupied the larger part, and the Habsburgs controlled only the approximate area of present day Slovakia and the northwestern part of present day Hungary. The frontier between these territories frequently changed. As a result of the religious and political development, five important confessions existed in the country in this period alongside each other and each of them cultivated its own forms and expressions of piety. The wide range of problems going beyond the possibilities of one paper, the absence of specialized studies and the inadequate level of present knowledge do not enable the production of an account of the formation of popular piety in Hungary in its whole breadth and complexity. The paper will trace only those forms of piety and expressions of magic associated with the Roman Catholic Church and exclusively in the territories where the Habsburgs exercised royal jurisdiction in the 17th century.

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