Matthias Corvinus (jan 24, 1458 – apr 6, 1490)

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son of John Hunyadi. Was elected king on the death of Ladislaus.
Matthias had the ambitious plan of uniting Bohemia, Hungary and the Austrian lands, a plan that was initially very successful.
He started ‘crusades’ against the Bohemian king and the Turks, who were advancing ever deeper into Central Europe in the fifteenth century. In 1469 he had himself elected anti-king of Bohemia. He negotiated a treaty with Emperor Frederick III, but this failed to preserve peace for any extended period. He then concluded alliances with the Austrian Estates who were dissatisfied with the emperor. In 1477 he declared war on Frederick and started an attack on the Habsburg patrimonial lands.
The emperor fled westwards and at first was ready to make concessions. But the war continued: Matthias Corvinus brought numerous Austrian cities onto his side; the emperor was unable to field any substantial forces to oppose him. Finally the Hungarians besieged Vienna, which was forced to capitulate. Matthias entered the Austrian capital in triumph on 1 June 1485; from this time on he mainly resided in Vienna, styling himself ‘Duke of Austria’.
Matthias died in 1490 at the age of 47 without a legitimate heir. The ageing emperor Frederick had thus outlived his final adversary. Hungarian power in Austria collapsed, Frederick’s son Maximilian I re-took Vienna and moved onto the offensive. He secured his claim on Hungary, which was to be made good several decades later, thus considerably enlarging Habsburg territories.

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