Horváth M. Ferenc (szerk.): Vác The heart of the Danube Bend. A historical guide for residents and globetrotters (Vác, 2009)
Tartalom
52 VÁC IN THE ÁRPÁD ERA (895-1 301) The Battle of Mogyoród I (Illustrated Chronicle) King Géza I (Thuróczy Chronicle) Emperor Henry IV and King Solomon Vác but somewhere near. He states that there was no town in that place at that time, just big forests uninhabited but for a saintly hermit called Vác. It was his name that Prince Géza gave to the town founded. Before the next bloody fight, which took place at Mogyoród on 14 March, they had probably been waiting for reinforcements. According to the chronicle the princes were discussing the tactics of the upcoming battle, sitting on horseback in the place of the future St Peter's Church, when Ladislaus had a vision. His brother Géza saw nothing of this miracle, so Ladislaus told him that he had seen God’s angel descending from Heaven and setting a golden crown on his brother's head. The pious story describes how Ladislaus explained to his brother, who was obviously less of an expert in heavenly issues, that it certainly meant victory for them in the approaching battle. The older brother made a pledge on the spot that he would establish a church in honour of the Virgin Mary should the outcome of the fight be so blessed. This encouraging vision might have been imparted to the whole army in order to give hope to the medieval warriors, who believed in and expected miracles. This gave them hope for victory after the lost battle at Kemej and the headlong Oitv ouco} Ocyto n I tolíi.1 St Ladislaus and Géza meet the stag (Illustrated Chronicle) and their relative Prince Otto, in accordance with the prophecy, had defeated King Solomon and his followers at Mogyoród, they went to Fehérvár with their armies where Géza was crowned king. Then, as our source states, King Géza and his brother returned to Vác to the scene of the miracle to choose the best place for the planned church. Suddenly they were disturbed by the extraordinary sight of a stag carrying burning candles on his antlers. The stag ran into the nearby forest, followed by Géza and Ladislaus and their soldiers. The chase soon ended because the animal arrived at the edge of a steep hill on the bank of the Danube and jumped into the river. Naturally it was Ladislaus again who realized that this was a heavenly hint to quit their original idea of the place for the Church of the Virgin Mary and to choose the one from where the stag jumped down.This place became the centre of the Bishopric of Vác founded by Géza, who endowed it with some landed property as well. At the spot of the appearance of the stag and the descent of the crown from the sky, which was also a memorable place, another church was erected in honour of St Peter. The Illustrated Chronicle informs the reader that Géza died in the year of 1077, after a three-year flight a few days before. After the rebellious princes long reign, and he was “buried in Vác in the Church
