Magyar News, 1999. szeptember-2000. augusztus (10. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2000-01-01 / 5. szám
of the Huns and Avars. He formed a state that was similar politically, socially, economically, and probably spiritually to Europe. We recognize Géza’s son, Stephen our first King, as creator of the Hungarian state. We should bear in mind that it was done in cooperation of the two. Stephen couldn’t build the kingdom without the preparation done by Géza. It is also hue that all the preparation done by Géza wouldn’t establish the kingdom without Stephen. Géza made Stephen the King though he had all the power to crown himself. It was Géza’s wisdom that prevented him to do so, he knew it wasn’t lus time. It was up to Stephen to finish the centralization, have Koppány, Prokuj and Ajtony put out of the way, and build the structure of the kingdom. The glory is equally divided between the two great leaders of the Hungarian people, Géza and István. Their wisdom, planning, judgement, and decisions chose the right path so the Hungarian state could honor them a thousand years later, on the treshold of the new Millennium. Dr. István Gedai is the General Director of the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER YEAR 568 Establishing the Empire of Avars 797 Charles the Great defeats the Avars 896 The Hungarian Conquest 933 Defeat in Merseburg 955 Defeat in Ausburg 955-970 Chieftain Taksony is ruler 967 (-969?) Marriage of Géza 970-997 Chieftain Géza is ruler 973 The Empire’s Convention in Quedlinburg 995 Stephen’s (István) marriage 997-1000 Stephen (István) is ruler 997 Stephen (István) defeats Koppány 1000 Stephen (István) is crowned king 1000-1038 King Stephen (István) is ruler 1003 Stephen (István) defeats Prokuj 1008 Stephen (István) defeats Ajtony THE HOUSE OF ÁRPÁD FROM ÁLMOS TO KING STEPHEN Álmos (?-895) I Árpád (895-907) Levente Zolta Üllő Jutás Tarhos Taksony Tas Fájsz Tevel Géza Michael Zerind Tormás István 2 Daughters Vazul Koppány King Stephen The young St. Stephen, King of Hungary, from an Illustrated Chronical of the 14 th Century working with Western Europe. In his second year as Chieftain, his representatives attended the Empire’s Convention at Quedlinburg and offered peaseful co-existence to the Emperor. This was an act of a genius. He offered a compromise to the Emperor at a time when the Hungarians were at the peak of their power. It was also in the interest of the Emperor to quietly pacify the Hungarians. If we compare Géza’s step at the right time to the previous one made by the Avar Khangan when his power was diminished we could see the difference. The Avars had only one way, that was to capitulate. Géza also required missionaries and the conversion of the Hungarians into Christianity began. This happened before the splitting of the Roman and Byzantine churches. The Hungarians had tolerance for religions. The Chieftain chose the Roman chinch but kept the Byzantine presence for two more centuries. It is interesting to follow the Byzantine connection To keep an equal partnership Stephen’s son, Emery, married a Byzantine Princess, and László’s daughter married the Byzantine Emperor becoming the mother of the greatest Byzantine Emperor, Manual. Chieftain Géza handed over some land in the West showing good intention With this he established the Hungarian state’s border that stayed till 1918. Géza was a person who made decissions and acted on them. It is to his credit that the Hungarians didn’t follow the wrong path Page 4
