For the first time, the Department of Legal History of the Deák Ferenc Faculty of Law and Political Sciences at Széchenyi István University hosted an international conference titled “The Age of Empires”. During the three-day programme, researchers from prestigious institutions across six countries discussed the legal, political, and administrative challenges of the century leading up to the First World War in English, German, and French.

By the decades preceding the First World War, European powers had become rulers of vast territories, and the expansion and globalisation of their empires brought significant challenges. The governance, legal, economic, and cultural aspects of managing these 19th-century empires formed the central theme of the conference, held from November 20–22 and organised by Department of Legal History by Széchenyi University’s Deák Ferenc Faculty of Law and Political Sciences.

The event brought together 35 researchers, including PhD students from Hungarian institutions and experts from renowned universities in Austria, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States. Speakers included distinguished professors from the University of Salento, the University of Vienna, the University of Paris, Humboldt University of Berlin, and the University of Michigan.

The first "Age of Empires" international legal history conference was attended by scholars from Germany, France, Austria, the United States and Italy, among others (Photo: András Adorján)

“The conference spans a turbulent period marked by historic changes over a century. The modern, civilising, industrialising, and colonising empires of the time were global actors engaged in constant struggles for power, culture, and politics. The Age of Empires examines these state, social, economic, and legal transformations in the context of the great European powers,” said Dr. Attila Barna, Head of the Department of Legal History and one of the event’s main organisers. He expressed gratitude to the university administration and his co-organisers, Associate Professor Balázs Pálvölgyi and Deputy Dean Gábor Hulkó, for their invaluable support. Highlighting the success of the conference, Dr. Barna revealed plans to make it a recurring event.

Dr. Balázs Pálvölgyi, the event’s visionary, noted that the opening day focused on research by PhD students. “For PhD students, presenting their scientific findings in a foreign language at an international conference is crucial for their professional growth. The programme also offered young researchers a platform to engage with prominent figures in the field from both Hungary and abroad,” he said. He emphasised that the event not only fostered long-term professional connections but also aimed to boost international publication efforts.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Eszter Lukács, Vice-President for International Affairs and Strategic Relations, highlighted the academic impact of the research shared at the conference. “The findings presented during this programme will be published in prestigious journals such as Legal History Review and the Journal on European History of Law, enhancing the university’s scholarly contributions. We are proud to welcome eight distinguished international speakers alongside a strong representation of national scholars. Congratulations to the ten doctoral students who impressed the professional panel with their presentations,” she remarked.

Dr Péter Smuk, Dean of the Deák Ferenc Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, described the conference as a landmark event that deepens international connections among legal history scholars and creates opportunities for collaborative research. Drawing a thought-provoking parallel between the 19th century’s challenges of colonisation and today’s era of digitisation, he noted, "While our task at this conference is to explore the experience of the pre-World War I period, recognising the patterns behind power struggles can also help us understand the present and the future."