Andrew of Hungary (historian)

[2] In 1270–1271, bearing the title "master" (magister), he was part of a diplomatic mission led by Sixtus of Esztergom, as historian Jenő Szűcs considered.

Bácsatyai identified Andrew with that Andreas Ungarus, who entered the service of Cardinal Stephen Báncsa prior to 1262.

[3][5] Dániel Bácsatyai considered Andrew compiled his work sometime between August 1270 (Béla IV and Louis IX of France are already referred to as dead) and early 1272 (Stephen V and Bartolomeo Pignatelli, Archbishop of Messina are mentioned as living persons), most likely in 1271, incorporating his records into a coherent work.

This concept originated in Guelph circles in Italy and Andrew may be responsible for its introduction into northern France.

"[8] The Hungarian historian Jenő Szűcs contrasts it with the Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum written by Simon of Kéza, also a diplomat on the mission of 1270–1271: On the one hand, there is Master Simon's fantastic historical construct, in which even his memories of southern Italy serve to enhance the Hun–Magyar glory, and ... On the other hand, there is Master Andres's Descriptio, undoubtedly at a higher level both in organisation and literary merit ... with a biblical tone of universalism and a corresponding partisanship with the Guelph and hatred of the Ghibelline cause.

These works represent the two diverging roads of the medieval spirit: the one seeks primarily ... the particular place of his own nation; the other [Andrew] adopts unreservedly the "supranational" world of ideas.

[11] Chronologically, Andrew's Descriptio covers the period from the deposition of the Emperor Frederick II at the First Council of Lyon (1245) until the aftermath of Charles's victory over Manfred at the Battle of Benevento (1266).

[13] He incorporates into the Descriptio a translation of a letter in French written by a participant in the battle, a knight named Hugh of Bauches, and addressed to the knighthood and nobility of Anjou and Touraine.