By: Bagyura János
*For the purpose of writing the history of falconry I have used Lóránt Bástyai’s (1955) book, entitled Vadmadárból-vadászmadár (From Wild Fowl Into Hunting Bird) (p. 7-14).
*I have written the history of the Hungarian Association of Falconry using data compiled by myself.
Hunting is the most ancient occupation of mankind. By examining written documents and archaeological findings from primaeval times, one can find several representations of falconry. One of the oldest findings is an embossing dating back to 1200 BC which was found when the ancient town of Korshabad was excavated.
It is a trained predatory bird resting on the shoulder of a hunter that the artist carved into stone. Similar archaeological findings have remained from the era of the Chinese Han dynasty. It was recorded already before 400 BC that the dwellers of Asia, India and China hunted with trained predatory birds. Aristotel recorded a hunting scene with falcons taking place by the Bosporus:
“The shores of the lakes are surrounded by reed. This is where the water fowls dwell. The hunters with their trained predatory birds approach very carefully. Having enclosed the reed they clatter with sticks so that the lurking fowls will soar. The disturbed water fowls soar up the sky and this is when the hunters cast off their predatory birds. The inhabitants and the predatory birds share the abundant prey.”
According to the writings of Plinius, for bigger games eagles and falcons, whereas for smaller ones hawks were trained in Asia. Extensive falconry activities were pursued in Russia during the era of tzars as well. The name of the “Szokolnyik” (Falconer) district of the Russian capital pays tribute National Falconry Estate of Moscow, which was established in 1318, while the story of the foundation of the Saint Trifon Church of Moscow is a typical falconry story.
The almighty tzar of Russia was given a polar falcon which was as white as snow. He immediately summoned his renowned falconer called Trifon Patrikejev and left the bird in his charge. As the days went by the tzar was more and more fond of his white-feathered fowl. His dreary mood was only exhilarated by the joy he found in hunting. No wonder Trifon looked after the bird as if it was irreplaceable treasure.
Once, when they were hunting, thick clouds appeared wreathed the sky. Trifon tried to warn the tzar in vain. “We should not continue hunting, my Excellency, a storm is approaching.” However, the tzar did not listen to him. He contemplated the snow-white fowl catching its prey midst the thick gloomy clouds with fascination. Suddenly a dreadful storm broke out. Trifon’s calls to summon the falcon were absorbed by the whirling wind wuthering amidst the trees. It started to drizzle.
The tzar took his cart back to his palace and contemplated the returning falconers. On seeing Trifon arriving without his favourite fowl, he flew into a terrible rage. He summoned him and commanded him to find the bird within three days, otherwise he would be burnt at the stake. After the storm the sky cleared up. It was only in Trifon’s soul where ominous and gloomy thoughts were storming. Day and night did he search all the forests and climb all the hills, he suffered from the hardships of sun burnt and alleviated his pains with dew, but all in vain, he could not find the apple of the tzar’s eye.
On the third day the stake was to be set up. Dry sticks were summoned. Trifon was doomed to die. The stake was lit. The fire was crackling and the flames spread rapidly as if they were dancing. Trifon glanced at the sky once again, called his unfaithful bird loudly, then closed his fatigued eyes hopelessly and waited for death to come. Shivery silence fell upon the square. Then he heard soft whispering first, followed by murmuring whispering, and finally roaring and relieved shouting. His sweltering cheeks were cooled by fast wing-beats. On seeing the miracle happen all spectators burst out cheering.
This is how falconer Trifon Patrikejev escaped death at the stake. The Saint Trifon Church pays tribute to him even today, its mural is one of the most beautiful falconry representations.
The oldest representation with reference to Hungarian falconry can be found in the Vienna chronicle. Prince Álmos, the younger brother of Kálmán the Learned, is casting off his falcon so that it catches a crow.
Therefore, it is obvious that falconry was not unknown in Hungary around 1100. There is plenty of data to prove how extensive falconry activity was pursued during the reign of the Árpád dynasty. Complying with the demands of the aristocracy, Endre II. was obliged to forbid that the royal falconers should go hunting on territories owned by noblemen, since the falconry activities pursued from horseback caused great damages. This was the time when it became common that the royal falconers settled down in various regions of the country. These estates were initially referred to as the land of the falconers. Later on, however, when the falconers gained ownership over the territories, they were named Sólymos, Kerecsend, Kelecsény, Szokolya, Draucz, Dravecz, Darócz, Madaras, thus preserving the memory of the occupation the dwellers had once.
The significant spread of falconry is proved by several charters with a growing number of references to territories abundant in the nests of predatory birds, for instance Sólymos, Sólyomkő, Sólyomszikla. All these territories were regarded as highly valuable, since the newly-born falcons that were to be trained were obtained in these areas. Inheritors often filed lawsuits so that they could possess the popular nesting places of falcons.
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The fact that Béla IV. issued coins with images of falconry proves that he was an enthusiastic falconer himself. On one of the coins a falcon is represented with a killed hare.
Falconry was not only pursued by the royalties, but also by noblemen. The fact that aristocrats competed for territories with falcon nests proves this supposition indirectly. What is more, ecclesiastical men were keen on falconry as well. The following resolution was made at the Synod of Buda, which was held in 1279: “If any monk is caught hunting with falcons, anyone is allowed to deprive him of his falcons”.
László Magyar, the chief falconer of Lajos the Great, wrote a book on the art of falconry. Some excerpts of this work have been preserved in the works of Hicfelt Eberhardus. It is unknown, however, what happened to László Magyar´s manuscript. It is assumed, that training at the falconry school ceased to continue after the obscure times following the reign of Lajos the Great and consequently the manuscript was not regarded as significant any longer. The book on falconry got lost. Fortunately, though, the chief falconer of the adjacent principality court was a literate man and he preserved not only its memory, but also some excerpts from the book, which is the only professional work on falconry so far.
György Pray, the renowned Jesuit researcher, wrote his first work on falconry. The small sized two-volume book consisted of 54 pages and was published in Nagyszombat in 1749. According to the writing practices of the era, it was written in Latin in the form of a scientific poem and in hexameters. An interesting feature of the book is the fact that it was published in limited copies and without indicating the name of the author. (This work is just being translated.)
A miniature masterpiece dating back to the era of Sigmund has been preserved from the calender of 1434 displayed in the Hungarian National Museum. It shows a falconer wearing breeches and a huge hat fixed to his head. A falcon with its wings outstretched is sitting on his left fist, while he is leading a dog with his right hand. In the era of Sigmund falconry was not restricted to the royal court, but bacame widespread everywhere else. This is assumed on the basis of the following data: between 1426 and the 1440’s the prices of newly-born and well grown buzzards were set in the town of Bártfa. The cheapest newly-born buzzard cost 5 denari, while the most expensive one was 300 denari. The price of the well-grown ones ranged between 100 pennies and five and a half pounds. The price of the trained fowls, however, was much higher. It was recorded that a trained falcon that was bought for Rozgonyi György in 1434 cost 9 forints.
The three falconry poems from the era of King Mathias were written by the renowned Janus Pannonius himself. His poems reveal what games were hunted with the help of falcons that time. All three poems mention hares, therefore it must have been the most common prey. Among fowls only pigeons and wild ducks are mentioned, although probably other species were hunted as well.
Apart from the royal court falconry was popular also in the manor houses. Otherwise, the Transylvanians could not have greeted Queen Beatrix with falcons on her wedding. It still remains unrevealed, however, how widespread falconry was among Hungarians apart from the royalties and the aristocracy. Still, it should be pointed out, that the 18th article of the Act of 1504 stipulates that hunting and wildfowling are forbidden for peasants.
The word “falconry” is more and more often substituted by “wildfowling”, therefore amidst historical data the term “wildfowling” almost always refers to falconry.
It is understood that Lajos II. relieved the trustee of the Eger bishopric lands of his debt of taxes amounting to 40,000 gold denari in return for one single trained falcon. After the lost battle of Mohács the Hungarian royal court, and thus court falconry ceased to exist.
The monarchs from the Habsburg dynasty were also enthusiastic falconers. Their falconry centre was located in the famous castle of Laxenburg near Vienna. The castle was built around 1390, as a result Hicfelt Eberhardus, Magister Aucupatorium Herodiorum (the master of training grey herons) is likely to have worked here. Several highly ranked officers and noblemen from Western Hungary stayed constantly at the Vienna court, and they intended to participate successfully at the falconry festivities at the Castle of Laxenburg. Consequently, a recovery can be observed in the falconry activities in the Hungarian areas ruled by the Vienna court. Mr Takács, who thoroughly examined the family correspondences of the era, makes the following comments on Hungarian falconry in the 16th century:
“Hungarian falconry reached its heyday in the 16th century. It was a popular pastime activity both among noblemen and noble ladies. There was no significant manor house without trained falcons, sakerfalcons or sparrow-hawks.”
Each noble household had its own paid fowler. The Hungarian falcons soon gained great reputation in all Europe. In the 16th century the Hungarian sakerfalcons, falcons and sparrow-hawks were known across the continent, from Belgien to the Turkish Emire. Monarchs, princes and Turkish noblemen kept looking for the opportunity to obtain a Hungarian hunting bird. The members of the Hungarian aristocracy exchanged the predatory birds between one another. The sakerfalcons were obtained from noble families in the Highlands, whereas the Transdanubian aristocracy provided the sparrow-hawks and the buzzards.
Balassi Bálint´s below quoted poem features how appreciated falcons were in the contemporaneous era:
"Thence thy little falcon,
Thy dear fowl,
Thou have carried on thy hands and
Thou have kept on a fowl tool
Embellished with beads and
Embroidered with golden threads."
The noble ladies were even considering that not only they should wear their finest garments suitable to their rank at the falconry festivities, but the outfit of their falcons should be equally embellished as well.
During the tripartite division of Hungary Transylvania played a special role in the history of Hungarian falconry.
Transylvania was obliged to gain support from the Turkish court by different ways of flattering. Such a way of coaxing was presenting trained falcons, which later became a regular tax, called falcomagium. However, complete exemption from this tax was guaranteed to falconers obtaining and training the falcons to be given away. The Transylvanian princes pursued falconry not only to meet this demand, but they were enthusiastic about it themselves as well. It is known that Gábor Báthory found great pleasure in falconry. In 1610 he awarded a coat of arms to Péter Madarász, who trained his birds in Felsőoroszi, which belonged to the town of Görgény.
The warrant for the coat of arms depicts the falconer wearing his uniform. A predatory bird is resting on his right fist, while he is holding two killed partridges with his left hand. In 1612 István Sziget Poncz was awarded a coat of arms. The receiver of the coat of arms was painted in his Hungarian military officer uniform with his left arm on his hip, while holding a wildfowling whistle in his right hand.
The Rákóczis were also keen on falconry. It was reported to György Rákóczi I. that a couple of sakerfalcons had been sent to the voivode of Cracow. Ferenc Rákóczi II. also found great pleasure in falconry. It is proved by a picture dating back to the beginning of the 17th century depicting a falconry hunting that took place in Sárvár, near Eperjes. Ádám Szathmáry Király, the personal scribe of Ferenc Rákóczi II., mentioned in his memorandum, which he commenced to write in 1711, that once when Rákóczi was staying in France he had lunch with Louis XIV. in Cluny. Having finished the lunch Rákóczi was accompanied by the French king to a nearby field, “where the royal monarch had his sakerfalcons, falcons, Altai Sakers, buzzards and hounds capture hares, pheasants and other fowls”. This recording is significant also because this is the only source where the Altai Saker is mentioned as a hunting bird. It is remarkable, that the sparrow-hawk, which was one of the most typical hunting bird of the time, was not included in the list. As firearms got more and more widespread, falconry gradually lost its significance.
Falconry activities were recommenced in Hungary after a pause of a hundred and fifty years. In 1901 Zoárd Odescalchí brought eight trained falcons from Prince Radclyffe to his property in Tuzsér, in Szabolcs County. They mainly hunted grey partridges, and in 1902 they captured more than three hundred of the aforementioned fowls. Nevertheless, the falconry estate of Tuzsér was closed down during the first world war.
Károly Lakatos mentions that in 1910 a falconry estate was running in Szeged, where mostly sakerfalcons were trained. However, a much more important initiative was launched in the Hunting Headquarters of Gödöllő. Mrs. A. MacLean brought ten trained migrating falcons to the Hunting Headquarters of Gödöllő in 1930. The birds were accompanied by falconers from India. This was the foundation of the falconry estate of Gödöllő. There were times when the estate had 27 trained falcons. Falconry displays were held several times as well.
The pictures in the article are adopted from Dr. Pál Csőre´s book, A solymászat története (The History of Falconry).
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