Bujdosné Pap Györgyi (szerk.): Agria 49. (Az egri Dobó István Vármúzeum Évkönyve - Annales Musei Agriensis, 2016)
Pláner Lajos: Magyarország első választott királya, Aba Sámuel
Lajos Pläner Hungary’s first elected king, Sámuel Aba Sámuel Aba came to the throne of the Kingdom of Hungary at a time when there was great internal political instability. Like his predecessors Prince Géza and his son (Saint) Stephen I. he embarked upon a foreign policy based on maintaining peace, but this proved impossible as German expansion made it impossible for him to consolidate his power. When making a value judgment on his reign it is to Bishop Gellért that one normally turns. The legends written about the bishop, as well as his major work the Deliberatio, paint an image of Sámuel Aba’s reign, which is in many cases not only subjective, but incapable of giving a true reflection of events as they actually happened. Sámuel Aba’s reign was by no means lacking in distinction and was certainly not a total waste of time. His ascension to the throne came at a very troubled time, and this mature statesman, who had previously been a palatine and Stephen’s second in charge, believed not in the power of weapons but in a politics of peace based on the principles of King Stephen. One could say, albeit in an inopportune way, that Aba was unfortunate. But unfortunate he was, because he had to face up to attacks from abroad, before subsequently having to cope with resistance at home. From Aba’s deeds in what was the new situation he found himself in, one finds that he did indeed have a strategy that had been thought through, and one which sought to protect the country at all costs. It was for this reason that he was prepared to cede lands to Henry III at the Peace of Rábca. Albeit a short reign Sámuel Aba’s was by no means unfit for a king. He enjoyed support both in lay and religious matters. It was indeed out of political necessity that he had to eat, ride and enter into a dialogue with the peasantry. At the same time it was necessary for him to turn to the masses, who would give him the military strength he needed. At the Battle of Ménfő Henry III was unable to regain hold of him, and in the end Sámuel Aba was defeated by his own men, who had betrayed him. Despite the fact that at the beginning of his reign he had enjoyed considerable domestic support, the balance of power meant that he was never able to strike the political balance necessary for any kind of stability. His reign also wasn’t helped by the fact that he had to come to a compromise with the “superficial” Christians. Thus he had to cope with a political fragmentation of a kind that had never previously been encountered. 321
