II. Ferenc Gimnázium Íróklub

What is one to make of this very complex man? Reactionary feudal chieftain, rebel against Habsburg modernity? Freedom-fighter seeking the independence of his people, and their natural leader? Religious thinker? Political dreamer? Ferenc Rákóczi was all of these at times. Born in 1676, he never knew his mysteriously deceased father, hated his largely absent stepfather, and was brought up by his remark-able mother - only to be taken from her on his twelfth birthday, never to see her again. There followed a Jesuit education, the recovery of his sequestrated estates, and the life of a young aristocrat in Vienna. Sympathy with his peasants in Hungary, however, led to a rift with Emperor Leopold and, in 1701, to ill-omened imprisonment - from which he made a daring escape and fled (with a price of 10,000 forints on his head) to Warsaw, remaining in Poland for about two years. Disappointed of this, in 1713 he went to France at the invitation of Louis XIV - pausing briefly at Hull en route - and lived as a pensioner at Versailles. After some time there he experienced a religious epiphany on a visit to a Carmelite monastery and later went to live as a recluse near a Camaldulian house at Grosbois (now Yerres in south-eastern Paris). Nevertheless, he retained contact with his Hungarian sympathisers, and in 1717 through their agency was invited to Turkey by Sultan Ahmed IV. He hoped that Rákóczi's presence would bring Hungary to the Ottoman side against Austria, while Rákóczi hoped to regain his Principality of Transylvania. The Turks had been defeated by the time that Rákóczi and his small court arrived. Unable to return to either France or Hungary, he found himself politically isolated and penniless - his vast estates had been confiscated - and he spent his remaining eighteen years in Turkey, dependent on Turkish largesse.

The events discussed in Rákóczi's Memoirs took place after those described in book 1 of Confessio Peccatoris, and the work was finished in his retreat at Grosbois in early 1717, not long after Confessio had been started. It was written in French, more accessible than the Latin of Confessio, and was intended for publication in the West. It did not, how-ever, appear until 1739, four years after its author's death, and though the original manuscript is lost lacer copies are known. The text is an account of the war against Austria which lasted from 1703 until 1711. lt is a cascade of narrative, a constant stream of names of people and places, with much description of fighting and troop movements and discussion of strategy. Although the revolt spread steadily, encompassing much of Hungary, with some 75,000 men under arms at its peak, it was not universally supported. Rákóczi saw himself, despite his youth and inexperience, as sent by divine providence to win the country's liberty. He had no illusions about his fellow Hungarian magnates and the clergy, many of whom favoured Austria, and while appreciating the spirit of the common nobility he deplored the ignorance and vulgarity into which many had sunk. He gives detailed accounts of his deliberations with the Estates of Hungary and Transylvania, of his thoughts on being elected prince of chat province, and of his views on the personal qualities of those serving under him. Despite no little early success the revolt ultimately collapsed. Negotiations wid1 Austria failed, financial problems (especially after the withdrawal of French support) sapped the Hungarian war effort, while the complexity of international affairs precluded outside intervention. 

" Öt, gimnazistakorú, fiatal tehetség írásait olvashatják ebben a kötetben. Mind az öten a II. Rákóczi Ferenc Gimnáziumba járnak.A 2011-2012-es tanévben, az iskolai könyvtárban szervezett Íróklubban az ő írásaikat vizsgáltuk meg különböző szempontok szerint, stílusgyakorlatokat, irodalmi ,,helyzetgyakorlatokat" végeztünk. Ez a kötet nagyrészt ezeknek a foglalkozásoknak a gyümölcse. Amikor elkezdtem szervezni az ,,Íróklubot", úgy gondoltam, bájos és gyermekded zsengéket fogok olvasni, és szép lassan, a szerkesztési és egyéb gyakorlatok után, talán lesz pár írás, amit el lehet küldeni különböző lapokba, hátha publikálhatók.Nem így történt. Megjelent ez az öt fiatal, határozott, egyéni stílussal, és a belépőként hozott írásaik elolvasásakor tudtam: kincset találtam. Olyan gyémántokat, amelyeket csak csiszolni kell. Csak ki kell bontani a csodát. Kedves Olvasó! Ritkán tarthat a kezében ilyen kötetet. 15 és 18 évesek a szerzők. Az írások többségénél úgy fogják érezni, érett, sokat megélt emberek, sokat publikált írók novelláit olvassák. De a szerzők gimnazisták, lányok, hatalmas ígéretek. Kívánom, hogy olyan örömmel, szeretettel és a tehetség felfedezésének katartikus élményével olvassák ezeket az írásokat, mint amilyen lelkesedéssel és írásszenvedéllyel készítették a szerzők. Olcsai Évaszerkesztő"