Hunyady
JÁNOS (hön'yä-di), a great Hungarian soldier; born in Hunyad, Transylvania, in 1387. His life may be succinctly described as one unbroken crusade against the Turks. He became voivode of Transylvania in 1442, and regent of Hungary on the death of Ladislaus I. of Poland in 1444. The principal moments in his celebrated contest with the foes of Christendom are his expulsion of them from Transylvania in 1442; his brilliant campaign S. of the Danube in 1443; his defeat in the bloody battle of Varna, 1444; and that of Kossovo in 1448; but his most glorious achievement was the storming of Belgrade (1456) During the minority of Ladislaus V. he acted as governor of the kingdom (1445-1453). Hunyady left two sons, Ladislaus and Matthias the former of whom was beheaded at Buda on a charge of conspiracy; the latter succeeded to the crown of Hungary. He died in Semlin, Croatia-Slavonia, Aug. 11, 1456.