The Székely people or Szeklers,
are a Hungarian speaking, (roman catholic or protestant) ethnic group mostly living in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mureş in Transylvania, Romania.
Most of the world's Székely population live in Romania in an area informally known as 'Székely Land' in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mureş. The Székelys therefore account for a significant part (60%) of the Hungarian minority in Romania.
The Székely were considered the finest warriors of medieval Transylvania. They were part of the Unio Trium Nationum ("Union of Three Nations") a coalition of the three Transylvanian Estates, the other two nations being the also Hungarian nobility and the Saxon (that is, ethnic German) burghers. These three nations ruled Transylvania, before and partly during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the Habsburg rulership Transylvania was considered as part of Hungary.
The Székely have historically claimed descent from Attila's Huns, and feel that they played a special role in shaping Hungary. When the Magyar tribes came into Pannonia, they believed that they had special rights to that land as an inheritance from Attila, since the Huns and Magyars were related tribes.
Székely people adhere proudly to their Hungarian identity.