John Hunyadi was first and foremost a nobleman. Since 1446 he had been the regent of Hungary (in the name of King Ladislaus the Posthumous). Bitter rivalry among different noble factions (one of them being led by John Hunyadi) disabled any chance of Hungary leading campaigns against more powerful Ottomans. Being occupied with both pressing the rights of the triple king Ladislaus and establishing power for himself, John Hunyadi had been increasing circle of enemies: at the beginning of 1453, he had fallen from the position of the regent.

After Constantinople fell, a Diet was convoked (beginning of 1454): numbers of levies per Hungarian nobleman was brought, and John Hunyadi was named the supreme commander for a year. And then the biggest issue of medieval Hungary was demonstrated again: highly autonomous nobles did not respect their own decision.