Miklós Kásler - Zoltán Szentirmay (szerk.): Identifying the Árpád Dynasty Skeletons Interred in the Matthias Church. Applying data from historical, archaeological, anthropological, radiological, morphological, radiocarbon dating and genetic research (Budapest, 2021)
CHAPTER TWO – Historical background
the first Hungarian King (1000-1038), having received his crown from the Pope in Rome, earning his power widespread legitimacy abroad. This meant that the country was now an official member of the Western European community of states politically and culturally. At the same time, István also maintained good relations with the Byzantine Empire (Makk 1996; Szabados 2011). The change in statehood was more than just a formal act: it resulted in deep, systemic changes in society. New titles and new institutions were created. It was István who created the system of counties, a form of territorial, secular public administration. István was the author of the first work concerning Hungarian state theory, the “ Intelmek” [Admonitions] to his son. It is an important factor that when Saint István created the Hungarian Kingdom, he followed Roman traditions of governance, but in his own way. One of the biggest differences was in the hierarchy or lack thereof among the vassals. While western lords were first granted lands, for which they owed service, in the Hungarian Kingdom nobles first performed services and were granted estates based on their merit, which they could be found unworthy of and lose, along with their titles and rank. In Western Europe, the authority of lords over their vassals had priority over loyalty to the state, while in the Hungarian Kingdom, state power prevented feudal relations from forming. So great was the power of the dynastic central authority that the sharing of power between the members of the ruling family (ducatus) could not function continuously, since the secular administrative bodies (the counties) could not become hereditary earldoms, as the heads of the counties could be deposed or transferred to different counties at the kings discretion (Hóman 1931, Szabados 2011). 39
