Hungary's king Matthias Corvinus, an advocate of…

Hungary's king Matthias Corvinus, an advocate of royal centralization, has limited the power of the barons by relying on the lesser nobility and the burghers.

He has overcome internal dissension, reorganized the government, strengthened Hungarian defenses against the Turkish threat, fostered manufacturing and commerce, streamlined taxation, and generally improved the political and social conditions of his sovereignty.

Although Corvinus initiates no major offensive war against the Ottoman Turks, he secures Hungary's southern frontiers, becoming the first Hungarian ruler to create a large standing army (the Black Army).

With its help, Matthias hopes to gain the crown of Bohemia and ultimately win election as Holy Roman emperor.

At the beginning of his reign, Matthias had continued the policy of his father John Hunyadi in defending Hungary, the "bulwark of Christendom," against the Turks.

However, as Matthias led campaigns each year, he came to the realization that it is no longer possible to oust the Ottoman Turks from Europe.

Rankling under the heavy costs of bordering the Sultan, and resenting his Christian neighbors, like Frederick III, who has often meddled in Hungary when Matthias was on campaign, Matthias had made the radical decision to come to an entente with the Turks, enabling the Hungarian king to turn westward.

When Matthias's former brother-in-law Victor of Poděbrady invades Austria in early 1468, Emperor Frederick appeals to Matthias for support, hinting at the possibility of Matthias's election as King of the Romans—the first step towards the imperial throne.

Matthias declares war on Victor's father King George of Bohemia on March 31.

He says he also wants to help the Czech Catholic lords against their "heretic monarch" whom the Pope had excommunicated.

The Diet of 1468 authorizes Matthias to levy an extraordinary tax to finance the new war, but only after eight prelates and thirteen secular lords pledged on the King's behalf that he will not demand such charges in the future.

Matthias also exercised royal prerogatives to increase his revenues.

For instance, he orders a Palatine's eyre (circuit court) in a county, the cost of which is to be covered by the local inhabitants, but soon authorizes the county to redeem the cancellation of this irksome duty.