Bohemian–Hungarian War (1468–1478)

At the beginning of his reign, Matthias 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 by the late 15th century it was 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 often meddled in Hungary when Matthias was on campaign, Matthias made the radical decision to come to an entente with the Turks, enabling the Hungarian king to turn westward.

In 1468, Matthias began a war in Bohemia on the pretext of restoring that land to the Papacy. George of Poděbrady, the Bohemian king who had once protected Matthias, had made himself too tempting a target when he made enemies out of two Popes and became alienated from most of his Catholic neighbors. Matthias seized Moravia and Silesia from George and proclaimed himself the Czech king; yet Matthias was never able to seize Prague from the Hussites. The war would continue with George's successor Vladislaus II, until the latter signed the Treaty of Brno with Matthias in 1478, recognizing the Hungarian king's conquests. The Peace of Olomouc would confirm the Treaty of Brno.

With Matthias' death in 1490, Vladislaus would succeed Matthias as king of both Hungary and Bohemia.

• Tanner, Marcus. The Raven King: Matthias Corvinus, and the Fate of his Library. Yale University Press, 2008.

• Hussite Wars
• Austrian–Hungarian War (1477–1488)