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9. Matthias and personal devotion 

Matthias’ ecclesiastical policy gives the impression that, in matters of faith, the King was influenced by the anti-church phenomena current at the time. The King’s personal religious conduct, however, challenges such a superficial observation. The humanists in his court regularly highlighted Matthias’ deep religiosity. The roots of Matthias’ religious conviction may be traced to his upbringing, influenced by the conduct of his mother and father, and particularly by his tutor, János Vitéz, Bishop of Várad (Oradea), who also drew Matthias’ attention to the power of art and its potential significance for promoting the family name. The relative weight of personal and political motives in the deeds of a monarch is not always easy to distinguish. Politics are sufficient to explain Matthias’ wars against the Hussites and his struggle against the Moslem Ottomans, but his interest in the reform of the religious orders must have been rooted in personal faith and reverence for the saints.

He gave particularly generous support to the Observant Franciscans and the Paulines. His efforts in pursuit of the canonisation of Margaret of the House of Árpád, John Capistrano and Leopold of Babenberg are notable manifestations of his reverence for the saints. St Ladislas and the “Patrona Hungariae” (Virgin Mary), appeared on Matthias’ gold florins and silver denars. Neither was he averse to that common feature of medieval religion, the veneration of relics. This is clearly why the Sultan presented the Hungarian King with the earthly remains of St John the Almoner in 1489. Overall, Matthias’ personal religious outlook followed the example of his predecessors, and was distinctively medieval in character.