Rise Of The Raven: Hunyadi’s Legend On Screen

Introduction

The Rise of the Raven (Hungarian title Hunyadi, German Hunyadi – Aufstieg zur Macht) is a ten-part Hungarian–Austrian historical drama that premiered on Hungarian TV in early 2025. Based on Mór Bán’s popular novels and written by Balázs Lengyel, it was produced by Robert Lantos with lavish international funding. Set in the mid-15th century, its premise is the epic career of John Hunyadi (Gellért L. Kádár), the Hungarian military leader who fought the Ottoman Turks. The series immediately drew attention for its scale (over 600 extras, multiple languages spoken on screen) and has been described as a “Hungarian Game of Thrones”. It was a major hit in Hungary and is being sold worldwide (it debuted at the 2024 Cannes global series festival and was slated to air in Canada, Germany, Italy, etc.). (The story deliberately blends real history with romantic drama, so it has attracted both popular interest and scrutiny for its historical choices.)

Overview / Plot Summary

The story follows János “John” Hunyadi from young knight to national hero. In Episode 1, we see his family massacred by a Turkish raiding party, which fuels his lifelong fight against the Ottomans. He begins as a mercenary in Serbia under Despot Đurađ Branković, where his first love, Mara Branković (Franciska Törőcsik), is Đurađ’s daughter. The arrival of Murad II’s army forces Mara into Murad’s harem (as a political exchange) and sets Hunyadi on a path to earn fame: he rides south to assist King Sigismund of Hungary at the Battle of Golubac (1428), winning a strategic victory (fictionally) that impresses Sigismund.

Over the next episodes, Hunyadi is drawn into Central European politics. In Buda (the royal court), he reluctantly joins King Sigismund’s banderium (military retinue) and becomes his top commander. He marries Elizabeth Szilágyi (Vivien Rujder), and amidst King Sigismund’s death in 1437, the power struggle that follows (Albert Habsburg’s short reign and the disputed election of Vladislaus of Poland as king) unfolds. Meanwhile, Murad II launches several campaigns in the Balkans, and Hunyadi must defend against the Turks at Smederevo and beyond. The series also shows Hunyadi serving as a mercenary in Italy (under Duke Visconti) while Elizabeth manages their lands at home.

Later episodes depict the Crusade of Varna (1444): after a contested double coronation in Hungary, a pan-European crusade is called (Pope Eugene IV appoints Hunyadi to lead), and Hunyadi faces Murad II’s forces. This culminates in a pitched battle (fictionally called the “Iron Gates”) where Hunyadi’s outnumbered troops, bolstered by peasant levies, confront the Ottomans. Finally, the series reaches the Siege of Belgrade, 1456: Hunyadi defends the city (then called Nándorfehérvár) with artillery and local militia against Mehmed II’s army, achieving a last-ditch victory (ending Ottoman advance). (The very end alludes to Hunyadi’s death from plague weeks later.)

No major future events are spoiled beyond mentioning the fall of 1456 relief of Belgrade, but the series carefully interweaves character subplots: Ulrich of Celje’s intrigues against Hunyadi, Elizabeth’s efforts on the home front, Mara’s conflict between love and duty, and the rise of Mehmet II in the Ottoman court. Onscreen, heroes use Hungarian, Serbian, Latin, German and Turkish to speak in their own tongues, grounding the drama in its multilingual medieval setting.

Fact vs. Fiction Analysis

People & Characters

• John Hunyadi. The show correctly depicts Hunyadi as a heroic defender of Christendom. Historically, Hunyadi devoted his life to fighting the Ottomans. He rose to become Regent (governor) of Hungary and voivode of Transylvania. However, the series amplifies his role in some early battles: for example, it portrays the 1428 Golubac siege as a triumph for John (earning Sigismund’s favour). In reality, Golubac was an Ottoman victory, not a heroic Hungarian win. Hunyadi certainly fought there, but Sigismund ultimately retreated under attack. Similarly, Hunyadi’s portrayal as quick to rally peasants and call for a crusade is somewhat idealised, though it is true he cooperated in the failed 1444 Crusade of Varna.

• Mara Branković. In the series, Mara is Hunyadi’s unrequited childhood love who later becomes Sultan Murad’s consort. This is fictional. Mara was indeed Despot Đurađ’s daughter and married Murad II in 1435 as part of a diplomatic alliance, but there is no historical evidence that she ever loved or met Hunyadi. The show itself acknowledges it is dramatising this: producers say Mara was “bartered away by her father … for Serbia’s protection”. Her being portrayed as Hunyadi’s former betrothed is purely a creative liberty. (Historian Mihailo Popović and others note Mara’s true role as Murad’s bride without such romance.)

• Elizabeth Szilágyi. Elizabeth (John’s wife and future Queen Mother of Hungary) is shown as a strong figure, even fighting on the home front and joining battles. In fact, she did hold power after Hunyadi’s death (founding the Szilágyi–Hunyadi league). However, there is no record of her personally wielding a sword in combat or storming a castle; that is artistic license. Her depiction as scheming with nobles (e.g. tricking King Albert) has some basis (she did manoeuvre to protect her son’s inheritance), but the “feminist” portrayal here exaggerates her agency relative to 15th-century norms.

• Ulrich (Ulrik) of Celje. Ulrich II, Count of Celje, is accurately shown as a cunning power-player and antagonist. Historically, Ulrich was indeed Sigismund’s confidant and later clashed with Hunyadi over regency matters. The series foreshadows his murder by Hunyadi’s family (eventually carried out by John’s son Ladislaus, not pictured yet).

• Wallachian princes Vlad II Dracul and Vlad III. Vlad II Dracul appears in the series as a ruler who impales enemies and shifts allegiance, which reflects his precarious position between Hungary and the Ottomans. His son, Vlad III (the Impaler), is shown as a young boy and budding warrior — plausible given his 1431 birth during Hunyadi’s wars. Historically, Vlad spent years as an Ottoman hostage and briefly gained the Wallachian throne with their support before turning savagely against them. The dramatisation of their relationship with Hunyadi (Vlad II as vassal, Vlad III influenced by him) is thus a reasonable, if simplified, portrayal.

• John Vitéz. The bishop John Vitéz de Zredna is shown as a loyal friend and adviser to Hunyadi. In reality, Vitéz (chancellor to King Albert) was a key Hunyadi ally and later helped bring King Władysław to Hungary. His supportive role is historically accurate, though any mystical “white knight vision” from the scripts is invented.

• Murad II and Mehmed II. Sultan Murad II’s personality (ambitious, martial, with a soft spot for Mara) is partly depicted through fiction. Historically, Mara did influence Murad and even acted politically from within his court. Mehmed II (Murad’s son) is shown as destined for greatness (and indeed he became the “Conqueror”). The series depicts him as ruthlessly killing his half-brothers to secure the throne — a dramatised but not entirely unfounded motif, since Mehmed II legally sanctioned fratricide under Ottoman law and is sometimes credited with ordering a brother’s death.

• Other historical figures. Characters like Emperor Sigismund, Queen Elizabeth of Luxembourg, Pope Eugene IV, Frederick III of Habsburg, etc., appear with their real titles and roles. The marriages (Sigismund’s daughter to Albert, then Vladislaus), the double coronation of 1440, and so on, are mostly grounded in fact. No major real personality is misnamed or placed in the wrong era. Minor figures (like Nicholas Újlaki) are used loosely as composites, but nothing drastically false about their existence.

Politics & Warfare

• Chronology and major events. Overall, the series hits the key events: it starts in 1428 (Golubac), runs through the 1430s–40s dynastic wars, and climaxes at the 1456 siege. In general, the timeline is correct, though some episodes compress or slightly reorder things for drama. For example, Sigismund’s death (1437) and Albert’s short reign (died 1439) happened as in history. The series then shows Queen Elizabeth’s intrigue to crown an heir, followed by inviting Poland’s king (Władysław) – this mirrors the real 1440 political split.

• Battle accuracy. The Siege of Belgrade (1456) is depicted quite accurately in its broad strokes. In the show, Hunyadi’s surprised defence includes using artillery and cunning tactics. This matches historical accounts: defenders did have cannons and even set fire to timber bundles in the moat to turn back assaults. Cavendish’s History Today article describes Hunyadi hiding men and then ambushing the Ottomans, even burning wooden faggots in the fortress ditch – a scene the series recreates convincingly. Hunyadi’s final victory and Mehmed’s retreat are true; the show also correctly has Hunyadi die of plague shortly after. Earlier battles are more fictionalised. Golubac (1428), for instance, is shown as a heroic encounter (the script says John’s bravery “earns the favour of King Sigismund”). In reality, the Golubac campaign was an Ottoman victory, and the Hungarian-Christian forces (led by Sigismund) suffered defeat. The show exaggerates Hunyadi’s personal triumph there. Similarly, the Battle of Varna (1444) is given a dramatic twist. Historically, Varna was a crushing defeat for the Crusaders, with King Władysław slain. The series instead has a fictionalised “Iron Gates” fight in which Hunyadi, aided by angry peasants and an odd “flamethrower” device, nearly turns the tide (Ep5). This is pure invention: medieval sources say nothing of modern-style incendiaries at Varna. It appears the writers have conflated Varna with the later 1456 street-fighting (and with Friar John of Capistrano’s peasant crusade) to heighten drama.

• Political dynamics. The complex feudal politics are handled with mixed accuracy. The power struggle after Albert’s death, including the kidnapping of the Holy Crown and crowning of Vladislaus, is broadly factual. John Vitéz’s role in anointing Vladislaus (with Elizabeth Szilágyi’s support) is historically recorded, and the show shows it. Likewise, it correctly shows Hunyadi becoming Voivode of Transylvania and later Governor of Hungary under King Ladislaus. Some cause-and-effect is glossed over (for example, why Sigismund retreats from Golubac), but the portrayal of shifting alliances (Hungary, Poland, Bosnia, Wallachia, Venice, etc.) is plausible.

• Religion. The Crusading motive is incorporated: Pope Eugene IV does call for Christian defence against the Turks. Capistrano (a Franciscan priest) preaches holy war, consistent with history (he did lead a peasant crusade, though that was in 1456, not at Varna). The famous “noon-bell” prayer after Belgrade is alluded to by the story’s ending (the Pope orders bells worldwide). Overall, the show acknowledges the religious context correctly, though it downplays Orthodox Christianity (Mara and the Serbian court are shown mainly as political pawns rather than as agents of the Orthodox Church).

Material Culture & Technology

• Costumes & Armour. Production designers created hundreds of custom costumes. They aimed for a “sweeping medieval” look, but admitted many colours and fabrics are more modern (richer and more varied than 15th-century dyes would allow). The armour and weapons look generally plausible: knights wear plate and mail, Turks wear early lamellar mail. This matches what a medieval army might have. There are no fantasy weapons (no swords, uncharacteristic of the era). However, the series sometimes exaggerates scale: e.g. showing thousands of fully armoured knights charging en masse. In truth, medieval battles were smaller. On the Ottoman side, the Janissaries and cannons shown in Belgrade are correct (Mehmed’s army did have elite Janissaries and used gunpowder artillery).

• Sets & Architecture. All major sets (castle halls, the Ottoman harem, even a faux-marble Vatican room) were built from scratch. This gives grandeur, but it means the castle in Belgrade is a modern reconstruction, not historically precise. As the designers note, no one knows exactly what 1456 Belgrade looked like (only one tower and some walls remain today). So the fortress in the show is a best guess, using generic Gothic elements. This is fine for atmosphere, but not “documentary realism.” Likewise, the Ottoman court (Edirne) and Serbian towns are fabricated. Attention to detail is high (throne rooms, jails, siege engines) but often theatrical.

• Technology & Props. We see siege weaponry like trebuchets, cannons and handguns at Belgrade, which is historically reasonable. Hunyadi’s use of heavy bombards to break walls is accurate. The only clear anachronism is the on-screen “flamethrower”-style machine seen in a battle scene (discussed on online forums). Nothing like that was used in the 15th century – it appears to be a fictional device. (Burning bundles of wood were used at Belgrade, but not fire-spewing guns.) The series also takes liberties with everyday life: nobles speak to servants and soldiers in personal ways that seem modern. Religion and superstition are present (prayers, visions), but with a contemporary cinematic twist.

Production & Aesthetics

The production quality is exceptionally high for a Central European TV series. Filming took place partly on location around Budapest and partly on massive studio sets. The “Castle of Belgrade” set was one of the biggest challenges, built with multiple walls and towers. Interiors (Ottoman harem, papal office, knights’ halls) are richly decorated (sometimes using printed wallpaper to simulate marble). In interviews, the costume designer admits every item (from shoes to chainmail) was hand-made, even thousands of Turkish army uniforms. The producers emphasise authenticity: foreign-language dialogue (Hungarian, Latin, Ottoman Turkish, etc.) was used instead of dubbing, which is unusual but adds realism.

Visually, the series compares itself to Game of Thrones: it has sweeping landscape shots and epic battle scenes. There is an intentional “feminist” twist in the visuals: women are costumed in strong, commanding attire and often placed in the centre of a power scene. In terms of anachronisms, besides colour dyes and the fake flamethrower noted above, the show does not insert anything truly out of its period (no computers, trains, etc). The architecture and art are stylised but plausible Gothic/Renaissance hybrid. Overall, the aesthetics are impressive – even if not textbook-accurate, they effectively evoke the 1400s atmosphere.

Cultural Reception & Impact

Rise of the Raven has been hailed as Hungary’s first major historical epic for TV. Critics have praised its scale and entertainment value. For example, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists noted “no dragons, real people” and compared it to Game of Thrones in intrigue and production design. It has been very popular in Hungary (often topping ratings) and has gained viewers in Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and even North America. Early festival screenings (TIFF 2025) reported strong audience interest.

Historians and enthusiasts have debated its accuracy. Some observers enjoy the series as a fun “costume flick” with largely believable sets (apart from a few liberties). Others point out its anachronisms and fictional insertions (e.g. Mara’s romance, female combatants, the “flamethrowers”). On internet forums and AskHistorians discussions, viewers have asked whether certain scenes (like the incendiary weapons) are historically plausible (the consensus is they are dramatic inventions). Overall, Rise of the Raven seems to have stimulated public interest in 15th-century history, even if scholars would caution audiences not to take every plot point as fact.