History and Power: Can the Past Ever Be Objective?

Today I have a very special guest: Dr. Péter Illik, one of the leading experts on early modern Hungarian history. He is the author of more than 15 books and 200 scholarly articles, many of which have reshaped our understanding of the 16th century, the Ottoman–Habsburg conflicts, and even the international reception of the Treaty of Trianon.

🔎 In this episode, we explore:

1. Can there really be such a thing as “objective history,” or is every account shaped by politics and culture?
2. How do the perspectives of 16th-century chroniclers like Szerémi György compare with 20th-century historians like Nemeskürty István?
3. Why is Hungarian historical discourse still divided today between a “Habsburg-friendly” and a “Habsburg-critical” narrative?

This is a powerful conversation about how history is written — and how it continues to shape the way we think about the past and the present.

The Hungarian History Podcast is still the only English-language podcast dedicated entirely to Hungarian history. Since launching this show in April 2025, it has already reached more listeners than the Central European University’s “Vienna” podcast did in its entire first year, at least based on the publicly available information.

Thank you for your interest and support! If you enjoy my work, please share it with your friends and consider supporting it — I don’t have billionaires backing me, only listeners like you.

👉 Listen now, and share it with your friends so more people can discover Hungary’s fascinating history!

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