Why did memoirs become an important form of Hungarian prose between 1700 and 1770?

Between 1700 and 1770, Hungarian literature experienced a period of decline and slow consolidation, during which memoirs emerged as the most significant form of prose literature.1

This genre became prominent as writers documented their personal experiences during a turbulent era of political upheaval and exile. Notable examples include:

• The autobiography of the statesman Miklós Bethlen.1
• The confessions and memoirs of Ferenc Rákóczi II, the leader of the anti-Habsburg insurrection, which were written in Latin and French.1
• The Törökországi levelek ("Letters from Turkey") by Kelemen Mikes, which utilized the epistolary genre inspired by French models.1
• The Metamorphosis Transylvaniae by Péter Apor, which served as a nostalgic reminiscence of Transylvania.1

While the poetry of this epoch was considered less distinguished, the memoirs stood out for their absorbing quality, style, and historical value, effectively defining the best of the prose produced during this time of literary decadence.1