New, exciting theory traces back the origins of the Hungarian-speaking Szeklers to Mongolia

Over the decades, multiple theories have emerged regarding the origins of the Hungarian people. While there is general agreement that their ancestors began their journey from the East, the precise starting point remains a topic of debate. A new theory emerged about the origins of the Hungarian-speaking Szeklers, who live now in Central Romania.

The most widely accepted theory suggests that the Hungarians underwent an extended period of migration before arriving in the Carpathian Basin, splitting into several distinct groups along the way. As early as the Middle Ages, 13th-century traveler Friar Julianus sparked discussions about the ancestral homeland of the Hungarians. Other sources, however, propose that the Hungarian people may have been divided into three major groups, with ancestors not only in the Ural region and the Caucasus, but also in present-day Mongolia, according to a report by Promotions.

Aydemir Hakan, a linguist, Turkologist, and Altaic studies scholar who heads a department at a Turkish university, said in an interview that Hungarian origin research has so far relied primarily on Muslim sources, despite Chinese chronicles also containing valuable information. Among them is the theory that the ancestors of the Szeklers may have originated from the region of the Tola River in northern Mongolia. According to naming customs of the time, their name likely referred to distinctive traits of their horses—hence the so-called “tribe with white-hoofed horses,” known as the sekel, from which the modern name “Szekler” is believed to have evolved, writes Krónika Online.

Hakan claims the Szeklers’ history can be traced back as far as the 4th-century Mongolia. He asserts that the expansion and military campaigns of the once-powerful Rouran Empire in the region forced both the Huns and the Szeklers to migrate. The Szeklers first settled along the Volga River, then continued westward until reaching the Carpathian Basin. However, some moved southward and settled in the Fergana Valley region near today’s borders of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. A mountain pass in the area still bears the name Sekelek, preserving the memory of this ancient group.

The researcher also believes that the sun and moon symbols appearing in the Szekler coat of arms are connected to a sun-moon cult transmitted by the Huns and documented in Chinese historical records.

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Read also:

• The history and traditions of the Hungarian subgroup: the Szeklers
• British monarch Charles III will pay a private visit to Romania and Szeklerland in June – details HERE

Click HERE to read more about the Szeklerland