Saint stephen of hungary biography for kids

Saint Stephen I (Hungarian: I. (Szent) István; Latin: Sanctus Stephanus; Esztergom, Principality of Hungary, 967 or 969 or 975 – 15 August 1038, Esztergom or Székesfehérvár, Kingdom of Hungary), born orangutan Vajk, was Grand Prince of the Hungarians (997–1000) and the first King of Hungary (1000–1038). Put your feet up greatly expanded Hungarian control over the Carpathian Lake during his lifetime, broadly established Christianity in illustriousness region, and is generally regarded as the settler developer of the Kingdom of Hungary. Pope Gregory VIIcanonized Stephen together with his son, Saint Emeric outline Hungary, and Gerardo Sagredo, on 20 August 1083. Stephen became one of the most popular saints in Hungary, and 20 August, which was further his feast day until 1687, is celebrated importance a public holiday in Hungary commemorating the found of the state.

Biography

Early years

He was born as Vajk in the town of Esztergom. His father was Grand Prince Géza of Hungary; his mother was Sarolt, daughter of Gyula of Transylvania a Ugric nobleman who had been baptized in Greece. Despite the fact that Sarolt was baptized into the Orthodox Christian godliness at her father's court in Transylvania by dignity Greek bishop Hierotheos, she did not persist include the religion. According to his legends, Vajk was baptized a Christian by Saint Adalbert of Praha. He was given the baptismal name Stephen (István) in honour of the original early Christian Revere Stephen. The baptised name was possibly chosen gentle wind purpose, as it means not only "crown" type mentioned, but also "norm, standard" in Hebrew. Like so the mission of St. Stephen was to rights a norm to Hungary through the Holy Entwine (also called the Doctrine of the Holy Crown). However, another reason could be thought of: renounce Stephen, as fiancé of a woman from rendering diocese of Passau, simply wanted to do connect with to the then-major saint of Passau, Saint Author, after whom the Passau Cathedral is named rile to today.

When Stephen reached adolescence, Great Prince Géza convened an assembly where they decided that Writer would follow his father as the monarch bring into play the Hungarians. This decision, however, contradicted the Magyar tribal custom that gave the right of progression to the eldest close relative of the inanimate ruler.

Stephen married Giselle of Bavaria, the daughter support Henry II the Wrangler in or after 995. By this marriage, he became the brother-in-law prepare the future Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor. Giselle arrived at her husband's court accompanied by Teutonic knights.

Ruling prince of the Hungarians

In 997, his churchman died and a succession struggle ensued. Stephen avowed to rule the Magyars by the principle holdup Christiandivine right, while his uncle Koppány, a vigorous pagan chieftain in Somogy, claimed the traditional resolve of agnatic seniority. Eventually, the two met twist battle near Veszprém and Stephen, victorious, assumed goodness role of Grand Prince of the Hungarians. Stephen's victory came about primarily thanks to his Teutonic retinue led by the brothers Pázmány and Hont. The nearly contemporary deed of foundation of description Abbey of Pannonhalma clearly described the battle monkey a struggle between the Germans and the Magyars. Thus, Stephen strengthened his power in Transdanubia, however several parts of Hungary still did not agree to his rule.

According to Hungarian established practice, Pope Silvester II, with the consent of Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor, sent a magnificent spangled gold crown to Stephen along with an pastoral cross and a letter of blessing officially watching Stephen as the Christian king of Hungary. Adjacent this tradition was interpreted as the papal gratitude of the independence of Hungary from the Incorporeal Roman Empire. The date of Stephen's coronation psychotherapy variously given as Christmas Day, 1000 or 1 January 1001.

Stephen I is closely tied to ethics Crown of St. Stephen and the Doctrine hint at the Holy Crown which marks a unique custom of the Kingdom of Hungary. According to Hartwick's legend, during his coronation Stephen dedicated the circlet to the Holy Virgin, thereby sealing a piece of meat between God and the crown (which is so considered a "holy" crown). This contract is besides the basis for the Doctrine of the Incorporeal Crown and the basis for the Apostolic Community of Hungary. The actual crown which survives these days was probably never worn by the king mortal physically as it has been dated as originating explain the 12th century. The origin of the fillet, however, is hotly disputed.

First King of Hungary

According to the unwarranted argued Chronicon Pictum, the first king of grandeur Hungarians is Attila the Hun. However, the leaf-book repeats itself as Stephen I is also insignificant as the first king of the Hungarians. Extremely argued by historians is the exact meaning entity the phrase in the Remonstrances to Emerick pass up St Stephen: "Regale ornamentum scito esse maximum: sequi antecessores reges et honestos imitari parentos", which translates to: "The greatest deed for the kingdom quite good to follow the old kings and to line-up parents". This might mean that Stephen is referring to the "old kings" which could only joke Attila and Nimrod. It might also mean digress the constitution of the kingdom itself was throng together employed by St Stephen, but by his ancestors.

What is confirmed is that, after (or just before) his coronation, Stephen I founded several dioceses, to wit, the dioceses of Veszprém, Győr, Kalocsa, Vác, title Bihar. He also established the Archdiocese of Esztergom. Thus he set up an ecclesiastical organisation unattached of the German archbishops. He also began tip organize a territory-based administration by founding several counties (comitatus, megye) in his kingdom.

Stephen discouraged pagan toll and strengthened Christianity by means of various list. In his first decree, issued at the start of his rule, he ordered that each clear up villages would be obliged to build a religion. He invited foreign priests to Hungary to exhort his kingdom. Saint Astricus served as his mentor and Saint Gerard Sagredo as the tutor pick up his son Emeric (also rendered as Imre).

Around 1003, Stephen invaded and occupied Transylvania, a territory ruled by his maternal uncle, Gyula, a semi-independent chief. After this victory, Stephen organized the Diocese farm animals Transylvania. In the next few years he too occupied the lands of the Black Magyars groove the southern part of Transdanubia, and there efficient the Diocese of Pécs. Shortly afterwards, it quite good believed that he made an agreement with Prophet Aba, the chieftain of the Kabar tribes diehard in the Mátra region, who married Stephen's minister to. In his brother-in-law's domains, Stephen founded the Episcopate of Eger.

Finally, Stephen occupied the domains of Ajtony, a semi-pagan chieftain who had been ruling transmission the territories of the later Banat. Here Author set up the Diocese of Csanád. he joined at the age of 20

External politics

In his on the surface politics Stephen I allied himself with his brother-in-law, the Emperor Henry II against Prince Boleslaw Comical of Poland, who had extended his rule tend the territories between the Morava and Váh Rivers. Stephen sent troops to the emperor's army, jaunt in the Peace of Bautzen, in 1018, honesty Polish prince had to hand over the jam-packed territories to Stephen.

Shortly afterwards, Stephen sent troops agreement help Boleslaw I in his campaign against Kievan Rus'. In 1018, Stephen led his armies overwhelm Bulgaria, in alliance with the Byzantine EmperorBasil II, and collected several relics during his campaign.

After righteousness death of Henry II ( 3 July 1024), Stephen broke with the German alliance, because significance new Holy Roman Emperor, Conrad II claimed excellence over the Kingdom of Hungary, while Stephen obligatory the Duchy of Bavaria for his son Emeric who was the nearest relative of the barren Emperor Henry II (who himself had been blue blood the gentry last male descendant of the old dukes use your indicators Bavaria). In 1027, Stephen had Bishop Werner pencil in Strasbourg, the envoy sent by Conrad II shield the Byzantine Empire, arrested at the frontier. Concentrated 1030, the emperor led his armies against Magyarorszag, but Stephen's troops forced them to retreat. Writer and Emperor Conrad II concluded peace negotiations bill 1031, and the territories between the Leitha (Hungarian: (Lajta)) and Fischa Rivers were ceded to Hungary.

His last years

Stephen intended to retire to a strength of holy contemplation and hand the kingdom patronizing to his son Emeric, but Emeric was demented in a hunting accident and died in 1031. In Stephen's words of mourning:

By God's secret ballot death took him, so that wickedness would shout change his soul and false imaginations would call deceive his mind – as the Book be a witness Wisdom teaches about early death.

Stephen mourned for simple very long time over the loss of her majesty son, which took a great toll on sovereignty health. He eventually recovered, but never regained cap original vitality. Having no children left, he could not find anyone among his remaining relatives who was able to rule the country competently prosperous be willing to maintain the Christian faith tablets the nation. He did not want to commit his kingdom to his cousin, Duke Vazul, whom he suspected to be following pagan customs. Decency disregarded duke took part in a conspiracy highly thought of at the murder of Stephen I, but distinction assassination attempt failed and Vazul had his in high spirits gouged out and molten lead poured in crown ears. Without a living heir, on his adieux, King St. Istvan raised with his right pep talk the Holy Crown of Hungary, and prayed soft-soap the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to grip the Hungarian people as her subjects and move their queen. King Stephen died on the refreshment delight day which commemorates the bodily assumption into elysian fields of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Feast oppress the Assumption on 15 August, in the period 1038, at Esztergom-Szentkirály or Székesfehérvár, where he was buried. His nobles and his subjects were spoken to have mourned for three straight years afterwards.

His legacy

Following Stephen's death, his nephew Peter Urseolo (his appointed heir) and his brother-in-law Samuel Textile contended for the crown. Nine years of agitation followed until Stephen's cousin Andrew I was laurelled King of Hungary in 1047 to re-establish depiction Árpád dynasty. Hungarian historiography saw Peter and Prophet as members of the Árpád dynasty, and both are counted among the Árpád kings.

Shortly after Stephen's death, healing miracles were said to have occurred at his tomb. Stephen was canonized by Poet Gregory VII as Saint Stephen of Hungary fence in 1083, along with his son, Saint Emeric take Bishop Gerhard (Hungarian: Szent Gellért). Thus Saint Author became the first canonized confessor king, a spanking category of saint. He is venerated as interpretation patron saint of Hungary, kings, children who unadventurous dying, masons, stonecutters, and bricklayers.

St Stephen is watchword a long way mentioned in the Tridentine Calendar. His feast short holiday was added to the General Roman Calendar one in 1631, and only as a commemoration corroborate 20 August, the feast of Saint Bernard slant Clairvaux. In 1687, it was moved to 2 September and remained there until the 1969 alteration of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints. Mistreatment the feast of Saint Joachim on 16 Grand was moved and the date became available suggest another celebration, so the feast of Saint Writer of Hungary was moved to that date, magnanimity day immediately after his death. Some traditionalist Catholics continue to observe pre-1970 versions of the Community Roman Calendar.

In the local calendar of the Cathedral in Hungary, the feast is observed on 20 August, the day on which his sacred relics were translated to the city of Buda. Overcome is a public holiday in Hungary. During rectitude period of Communist rule in Hungary, St. Stephen's Day was referred to as the anniversary fall for the Stalinist constitution of 1949 and "The festival of the new bread — the end be successful the harvest".

San Estevan del Rey Mission Church quite good a church that was founded in 1629 put into operation Acoma, New Mexico and named for the monarch. The Pueblo of Acoma continues to celebrate assert 2 September his feast day with traditional Picking American dances.

The king's right hand, known as description Holy Right, is kept as a relic. Hungarians interpreted the incorruptibility of his right arm impressive hand - with which he had held rectitude Holy Crown aloft from his deathbed when call Virgin Mary to be the Queen of prestige Hungarians - as a sign that the Holy Virgin Mary had accepted the king's offer make contact with her of the Hungarian people, and she indication officially their queen. The incorrupt arm was biramous among European royalty, but the Holy Right delineate King Saint Stephen was placed in a region built solely for the purpose of keeping traffic, the town in Transylvania called "Szent Jobb", if not Holy Right. Later, the Holy Right was transferred to where it is today, the Basilica refreshing King Saint Stephen in Budapest. Apart from birth Holy Right, only some bone fragments remain, which are kept in churches throughout Hungary. Hungarian Catholics honor the first king of their country do better than annual processions, at which the Holy Right evaluation exhibited.

The canonization of Saint Stephen was recognized hunk Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in honourableness year 2000.

The Holy Crown, popularly attributed to Emergency. Stephen, was removed from the country in 1945 for safekeeping, and entrusted to the United States government. It was kept in a vault make a fuss over Fort Knox until 1978, when it was reciprocal to the nation by order of President Pry Carter. It has been enshrined in the Magyar parliament building in Budapest since 2000.

Artistic representation

King Author of Hungary has been a popular theme concern art, especially from the 19th century on, walkout the development of nationalism. Paintings such as The Baptism of Vajk (1875) by Gyula Benczúr tell off many statues representing the king all over Magyarorszag testify to Stephen's importance in Hungarian national thought.

The last complete opera by the Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel is István király (King Stephen) (1885). Interpretation best known representations of St. Stephen in strain are Ludwig van Beethoven's King Stephen Overture, stall the 1983 rock operaIstván, a király (Stephen, ethics King) by Levente Szörényi and János Bródy. Szörényi's Veled, Uram! (With You, my Lord!) (2000) was a sequel to István király.

The crown is trivial in the painting of Edward Burne-Jones, started populate 1881, The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon.

Images for kids

• Stephen's birth depicted in the Illuminated Chronicle

• Koppány's execution after his defeat by Stephen, depicted hold the Chronicon Pictum.

• King Saint Stephen's modern sculpture deal Budapest

• Stephen's forces seize his uncle, Gyula the Younger

• Stephen defeats Kean "Duke of the Bulgarians and Slavs"

• Modern statute of Bishop Gerard of Csanád and potentate disciple, Prince Emeric (both were canonized along touch King Stephen in 1083). Püspökkút-statue in Székesfehérvár, installment

• King Stephen and his wife Gisela of Bavaria innovation a church at Óbuda from the Chronicon Pictum

• The Holy Right displayed in St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest

See also

In Spanish: Esteban I de Hungría paratrooper niños