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
SUMMARY: The Grand Princes and Kings descended from Álmos through a paternal line ruled for over 450 years, and many talented rules came from the Árpád Dynasty. The Hungarian Monarchy’s power stemmed from the religious reverence of the Dynasty. The birth of Álmos was foretold in divine prophecy. Beginning from Saint Istváns reign, this ancient sacral foundation served as a basis for “dei gratia”, the Christian doctrine of ruling by the grace of God. However, this sacrality proved so powerful that it lived on in a new form. It is outstanding how many Christian saints stemmed from this Dynasty. King István I and his son, Prince Imre, King László I, András Ils daughter, Erzsébet, and Béla IV ’s two daughters, Margit and Kinga all became Catholic saints, while King László Is daughter, Byzantine Empress Irene (Piroska), became an Orthodox saint. Erzsébet, the daughter of the Dynasty’s last King, András III, was beatified (and in recent times, King István I was recognized as a saint in the Orthodox Church). The canonizations reflect the judgement of religious posterity. The political legacy of the Árpád Dynasty is that the Hungarian people have survived through history and still have their own state in Central Europe. 56
