History of Hungary

Tribes from the east, mainly Magyars, overran the earliest settlers in the 9th century AD. These were unified under Saint Stephen, the first Hungarian king, at the start of the 11th century. Invading Turks were defeated with the aid of Austria, who dominated the country from the end of the 17th century until autonomy was gained in 1867 with the establishment of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. After defeat in 1918, Hungary lost territory to Romania, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia, and became a republic. It passed under communist control in 1949. A popular uprising in 1956 was suppressed by Soviet troops. Since 1968 there has been a move away from a central planning system to a market-based economy. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily moved toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary has developed close political and economic relations with western Europe. It joined NATO in 1999 and is a frontrunner in a future expansion of the EU.