thumb|Turul bird on the [[Buda Castle|Royal Castle, Budapest, Hungary]]

The Turul is a mythological bird of prey, mostly depicted as a falcon, in Hungarian tradition and Turkic tradition, and a national symbol of Hungarians.

Origin

The Turul is probably based on a large falcon. The Hungarian word turul meant one kind of falcon and the origin of the word is currently thought to be most likely Turkic (Clauson 1972: 472.) (Róna-Tas et al. 2011:2: 954-56)), which is the language of origin of over 10% of words in modern Hungarian lexicon and the exonym "Hungarian" and the word "Hun". Toġrïl or toğrul means a medium to large bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, goshawk or red kite. In Hungarian the word sólyom means falcon, and there are three ancient words describing different kinds of falcons: kerecsen [Greek κερχνηίς] (saker falcon), zongor [Turkish sungur = gyrfalcon] (which survives in the male name Csongor) and turul.

In the legend of Emese, recorded in the Gesta Hungarorum and the Chronicon Pictum, the turul is mentioned as occurring in a dream of Emese, when she was already pregnant. The Turul's role is one of a protector spirit that protects the infant Álmos from harm. This is a very similar motif to the role of the Simurgh in the Iranian epic Shahnameh. In a second dream by the leader of the Hungarian tribes, in which eagles (the emblem of the Pechenegs, enemies of the Hungarians) attacked their horses and the Turul came and saved them. The image of the Turul and its role is similar to that of the Norse Vedfolnir, which like it perched on the tree of life. The Huns reportedly also used the image of the eagle, which for them symbolized the leader. The image of a bird of prey was extremely popular in Saka-Scythian culture. More broadly, this image was common among the nomads of Central Asia. The Árpád dynasty was the ruling dynasty of the Principality of Hungary in the 9th and 10th centuries and of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1301. The Árpád dynasty is also referred to as the Turul dynasty.

The Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum mentioned that the Árpád dynasty descended from the gens (clan) Turul, and the Gesta Hungarorum recorded that the Árpád's totemic ancestor was the Turul.

In the legend of Emese, recorded in the Gesta Hungarorum and the Chronicon Pictum, the Turul is mentioned as occurring in a dream of Emese, when she was already pregnant.

thumb|left|[[Emese, mother of Álmos]]

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File:Nagyszentmiklos 26NA.jpg|alt=Illustration on the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós depicting Álmos legend from the Hungarian mythology: Emese's dream with the Turul bird|Illustration on the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós depicting Álmos legend from the Hungarian mythology: Dream of Emese with the Turul bird. Avar gold treasure from the 7-9th century, it was found in 1799 in Nagyszentmiklós, Kingdom of Hungary (now Sânnicolau Mare, Romania). It locates today at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

File:Nagyszentmiklos 4.jpg|Similar Turul depiction on another gold item of the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós

File:Nagyszentmiklos 6.jpg|Similar Turul depiction on another gold item of the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós

File:Anikovskaia-II plate-with-bird-and-woman-Hermitage.jpg|A similar scene on a Sassanid silver plate from the 7th century; decorated with an eagle carrying a woman, the plate was found in Cherdynsky District in the Soviet Union in 1934, now in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

File:Anikovskaia-II plate-with-bird-and-woman.jpg|Close up scene of the Sassanid silver plate

</gallery>According to the Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum, King Attila had the Turul bird on his shield and it was the military badge of the Hungarians until the time of Prince Géza.

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File:Képes krónika - 7.oldal - A hunok bejövetele Pannóniába.jpg|The Huns, considered by the chronicle to be the ancestors of the Hungarians arrive in Pannonia from Scythia at the first time, a Turul flag protruding from the frame of the picture (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Képes krónika - 9.oldal - Attila csatája Zeiselmauernél a rómaiakkal.jpg|Attila's battle with the Romans at Zeiselmauer, a golden flag decorated with a Turul stands out from the picture (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Chronicon Pictum P014 Atilla Aquileiát ostromolja.JPG|The Huns led by Attila are besieging Aquileia, one Hun warrior carries a Turul flag (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Attila-Turul Képes-krónika.jpg|King Attila, the Turul bird in his shield (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Képes krónika - 21.oldal - Előd vezér.jpg|Előd, one of the seven chieftains of the Hungarians relies on a Turul shield (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Képes krónika - 21.oldal - Álmos vezér.jpg|Álmos, Grand Prince of the Hungarians holds a Turul shield in his hand (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:HetVezer-ChroniconPictum.jpg|The seven chieftains of the Hungarians, Árpád, Grand Prince of the Hungarians is in the middle with a Turul shield (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Arpad Kepes Kronika.jpg|Árpád, Grand Prince of the Hungarians stands with a Turul shield (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Képes krónika - 33.oldal - Taksony fejedelem.jpg|Grand Prince Taksony, a Turul bird is on his shield (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Képes krónika - 36.oldal - Apor kapitány.jpg|Captain Apor, the leader of the Hungarian army wears a Turul bird as a crest on his flag, shield and chest (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

File:Thuróczy krónika - Attila király.jpg|King Attila, his flag depicts the Turul bird (Chronica Hungarorum, 1488)

File:Attila Rex Hunnorum.jpg|King Attila of the Huns, his flag depicts the Turul bird (Nádasdy Mausoleum, 1664)

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Modern use

thumb|upright=.7|Kingdom of Hungary first issue (1900) with image of Turul

The Turul is used as in the design of coats of arms of the Hungarian Defence Forces, the Counter Terrorism Centre and the Office of National Security. The central element of the emblem of the Hungarian Defence Forces is the Turul bird with extended wings holding the sword of King Saint Stephen in its claws. There remain at least 195 Turul statues in Hungary, as well as 48 in Romania (32 in Transylvania and 16 in Partium), 8 in Slovakia, 7 in Serbia, 5 in Ukraine, 1 in Austria and 1 in Croatia. One of the most recently erected, , on St Michael the Archangel's Day, is in Hungary's Ópusztaszer National Heritage Park.

Some of the Kingdom of Hungary postage stamps issued after 1900 feature the Turul.

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File:Emblem of the Hungarian Defence Forces.svg|Emblem and flag of the Hungarian Defence Forces

File:Insigne du Terrorelhárítási Központot (TEK).svg|Logo of the Counter Terrorism Centre

File:Emblem of the Constitution Protection Office of Hungary.svg|Logo of the Constitution Protection Office

File:Hungary-50-forint-2001.jpg|Coin of 50 forint in Hungary, depicted with saker falcon, several authors identify the Turul with saker falcon

File:Flag of Banate of Leitha.svg|Flag of Banate of Leitha (1921)

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File:Pillars of Liberty Bridge, Budapest.jpg|Turul birds on the pillars of Liberty Bridge, Budapest, Hungary (1896)

File:Turul - Budai vár - 2.jpg|Turul bird on the northeast corner of the Royal Castle in Budapest, Hungary, the height of the statue is 6 m (made by Gyula Donáth in 1903)

File:The Turul is the most important bird in the origin myth of the Magyars, Buda Castle, 2013 Budapest.jpg|Turul bird on the northeast corner of the Royal Castle in Budapest, Hungary, (made by Gyula Donáth in 1903)

File:Turul emlékmű (6477. számú műemlék) 8.jpg|Crown headed Turul bird, Bánhida (Tatabánya), Hungary, the largest bird statue in Europe (made by Gyula Donáth in 1907)

File:Turul - Bánhida (Tatabánya) - 7.jpg|Crown headed Turul bird, Bánhida (Tatabánya), Hungary, the largest bird statue in Europe (made by Gyula Donáth in 1907)

File:Turul - Bánhida (Tatabánya) - 2.jpg|Crown headed Turul bird, Bánhida (Tatabánya), Hungary, the largest bird statue in Europe (made by Gyula Donáth in 1907)

File:Turul - Bánhida (Tatabánya) - 6.jpg|Crown headed Turul bird, Bánhida (Tatabánya), Hungary, the largest bird statue in Europe (made by Gyula Donáth in 1907)

File:Turul Uzhhorod Castle 2015 G1.jpg|Turul in the Ungvár (now Uzhhorod) Castle, Transcarpathia, Ukraine

File:Turul - Budapest XII. kerület - 1.jpg|Turul statue in the 12th District of Budapest, Hungary (2005)

File:Turul - Budapest XII. kerület - 2.jpg|Turul statue in the 12th District of Budapest, Hungary (2005)

File:Turul szobor - Rakamaz.jpg|Turul statue in Rakamaz, Hungary (2009)

File:Turul - Csíkszentmárton - 1.jpg|Turul statue on war memorial, Csíkszentmárton (now Sânmartin), Transylvania, Romania (1941)

File:Turul - Csíkszentmárton - 4.jpg|Turul statue on war memorial, Csíkszentmárton (now Sânmartin), Transylvania, Romania (1941)

File:Turul - Csíkszentmárton - 2.jpg|Turul statue on war memorial, Csíkszentmárton (now Sânmartin), Transylvania, Romania (1941)

File:Turul - Győr.jpg|Turul bird statue on the Kossuth Bridge in Győr, Hungary (1928)

File:Turul - Budapest XIV.kerület, Zugló.jpg|Turul bird on the Trianon memorial in the 14th District of Budapest, Hungary (2012)

File:Turul - Berekfürdő.jpg|Turul bird, Millennium memorial in Berekfürdő, Hungary (2001)

File:Turul - Budapest XXII. kerület, Nagytétény - 1.jpg|Turul bird in the 22nd District of Budapest, World War 1 memorial, Hungary (1934)

File:Turul - Budapest XXII. kerület, Nagytétény - 3.jpg|Turul bird in the 22nd District of Budapest, World War 1 memorial, Hungary (1934)

File:Turul - Kisújszállás - 4.jpg|Turul bird on the Trianon memorial in Kisújszállás, Hungary (1936)

File:Turul - Kisújszállás - 3.jpg|Turul bird on the Trianon memorial in Kisújszállás, Hungary (1936)

File:Turul - Nagyvárad.jpg|Turul bird on the city hall of Nagyvárad (now Oradea), Romania (1904)

File:Turul - Egyházaskozár.jpg|Turul bird in Egyházaskozár, memorial of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, Hungary (2006)

File:Turul - Nagyszalonta - 1.jpg|Turul bird on the city hall of Nagyszalonta (now Salonta), Romania (1907)

File:Turul - Nagyszalonta - 2.jpg|Turul bird on the city hall of Nagyszalonta (now Salonta), Romania (1907)

File:Turul - Szent Gellért rakpart - 3.jpg|Turul statue at the foot of the Gellért Hill in Budapest, Hungary (1904)

File:Turul - Szent Gellért rakpart - 4.jpg|Turul statue at the foot of the Gellért Hill in Budapest, Hungary (1904)

File:Turul - Madarasi-Hargita - 1.jpg|Turul statue near at the peak of the Madarasi-Hargita (Harghita-Mădăraș), the holy mountain of the Székelys (1801 m) in Transylvania, Romania (2014)

File:Turul - Madarasi-Hargita - 2.jpg|Turul statue near at the peak of the Madarasi-Hargita (Harghita-Mădăraș), the holy mountain of the Székelys (1801 m) in Transylvania, Romania (2014)

File:Turul-Életfa - Szada.jpg|Turul-Tree of Life, Szada, Hungary (2000)

File:Turul - Kanada.jpg|Turul bird in Lethbridge, Canada (2006)

File:Turul - Karcag.jpg|Crown headed Turul bird in Karcag, Hungary (1996)

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See also

  • National symbols of Hungary
  • Flag and coat of arms of Transylvania
  • Simurgh
  • Konrul
  • Triple-headed eagle
  • Classical overture "The Myth of Falcon" inspired by Turul

Notes

References

  • https://www.kozterkep.hu/gyujtemenyek/megtekintes/5cbd630d4314f24909213f73/turulmadarak