n.
or Matthias Corvinus Hungarian Mátyás Corvin orig. Mátyás Hunyadi
born Feb. 24, 1443, Kolozsvár, Transylvania
died April 6, 1490, Vienna
King of Hungary (145890).
He spent much of his reign combating the claims of the Habsburg dynasty and attempting to reconstruct the Hungarian state after decades of feudal anarchy. He raised taxes, modernized the army, and codified Hungarian law. After fighting off Turks on Hungary's southern border, Matthias organized a defensive system against them. He gained control of Bosnia (1463) but lost a struggle with Poland for Bohemia. Long a rival of Emperor Frederick III , he occupied Vienna and other Habsburg lands, but after his death his conquests were lost.