The real date of the Szeged manifesto
The real date of the Szeged manifesto

Summary/Abstract: The Szeged manifesto had not been issued on August 4, 1444 as is generally accepted based on the date of the document given by Długosz. It was produced a few days later and antedated in an effort to conceal the issuance of another document on August 4, namely the letter of confirmation by the king of the peace treaty with Turkey. The above conclusion is supported by the explanation of an error in the date of the letter of John VIII Palaiologos to the king of Hungary made during its translation from Greek into Latin. Because of its date July 30, 1444 quoted by Długosz it has been assumed that the letter must have arrived in Hungary after the decision to resume the crusade was already made. In fact, the emperor’s letter played a crucial role in the decision of the king and the Hungarians to break the peace and go to war against Turkey in September 1444.

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