68 Chrissis
For the Hungarian leaders, Sigismund, Ladislas iii, and John Hunyadi, their
participation in the crusades against the Ottomans was coterminous with the
defence of their own land. King Sigismund was the leading force behind the
Crusade of Nicopolis and the resistance to the Turks in the northern Balkans
throughout his long reign. He founded the Order of the Dragon whose main
mission was the defence of Christendom (1408), particularly against the Turks.
John Hunyadi, on the other hand, became the standard-bearer of the anti-
Ottoman struggle in the middle of the 15th century. He made his reputation
through his successful defence of Transylvania and Wallachia in 1441–42. He
was also one of the protagonists of the Crusade of Varna. Following the death
of Ladislas iii, he became the regent of the kingdom of Hungary. He led a
number of campaigns against the Ottomans, most importantly the one which
ended in disaster at the second battle of Kosovo (1448), but also the victorious
relief of Belgrade in 1456. The gains for Hunyadi and his family from the wars
with the Ottomans did not stop at the reputation and the regency: in 1458,
his son, Matthias Corvinus would actually become king of Hungary (1458–90).148
Practical needs, idealism and personal ambitions could all be combined when
it came to involvement in crusading.
Conclusions: Impact and Legacy of the Crusades in Romania
From the 13th to the 15th century, the crusade was an ever-present factor in
the history of the area. However, its form and objectives varied greatly during
this period and so did its impact. First, on the political and military level, it
can be said that these crusades were rather unsuccessful. They failed to defend
Frankish Greece in the 13th century, although they played a role in prolonging
the Latin Empire’s survival. The naval leagues in the early 14th century were
more efficient in curbing the power of the Turkish maritime principalities.
However, the weakening of these beyliks contributed to opening the way for
the Ottomans’ expansion. The campaigns to hold back the latter ended in dev-
astating failures. The lofty and ambitious plans to reclaim Constantinople after
1453 never materialised.
Regardless of the often lacklustre performance on the field, however, cru-
sading in Romania became an integral part of the diplomatic language of the
time. Like the protection of the Holy Land, the defence of Latin presence in
Greece and the Aegean came to be understood as the collective responsibility
148 János M. Bak, “Hungary and Crusading in the Fifteenth Century,” in Crusading in the
Fifteenth Century, pp. 116–27; Imber, Varna, pp. 13–14, 16–17, 28–31, 32–36.