This book is the first English edition of Hungarian dramatist Jozsef Katona's classic tragedy Bank Ban (1815), which has been long regarded as one of the greatest literary achievements of 19th-century Hungarian literature. By using the chronicles of Bonfini and Gaspar Heltai, the author gives not only an overall picture about the medieval Hungarian kingdom but also draws parallels between 13th and 19th-century political conditions. The work is also remarkable for its portrayal of emotional conflict. The tragedy was set to music by Francis Erkel and has become Hungary's most popular opera.