CORVINUS, JANOS (JoHN) (1473-1504), illegitimate son of Matthias Hunyadi, king of Hungary. He took his name from the raven (corvus) in his father's escutcheon. Matthias, on losing all hope of offspring from his consort, Queen Beatrice, determined, towards the end of his life, to make the youth his successor on the throne. He publicly declared him his successor, created him a prince with vast apanages in Silesia, and made the commandants of all the fortresses of the kingdom take an oath of allegiance to him. His sudden death left the recognition of Janos as prince royal of Hungary by the emperor Frederick still pending, and the young prince suddenly found himself alone in the midst of enemies. After being made to resign his claim to the Crown, he was robbed of the royal treasures, which Matthias had confided to him. He accepted the election of Vladislav of Bohemia as king of Hungary (July 15, 1490), but his enemies poisoned the king's mind against him, and he lost nearly all his estates. In 1496 Corvinus married Beatrice, the daughter of Bernard Frangepan. His prospects now improved, and in 1498 he was created perpetual ban of Croatia and Slavonia. From 1499 to 1502 he successfully defended Bosnia against the Turks, and in the following year aspired to the dignity of palatine, but was defeated by a combination of Queen Beatrice and his other enemies. He died on Oct. 2, 15o4, leaving one son, Prince Christopher, who died on March 17, 15o5. (See HUNGARY : History).
See Gyula Schiinherr, Janos Corvinus Hunyadi (Hung.) (Buda pest, 1894)•