Géza of Hungary
Encyclopedia
Géza Grand Prince of the Hungarians
(before 972 – 997).
Géza was the son of Taksony of Hungary
, Grand Prince of the Hungarians
and his Pecheneg or Bulgar
wife. Géza's marriage with Sarolt
, the daughter of Gyula
of Transylvania
, was arranged by his father.
After his father's death (before 972), Géza followed him as Grand Prince of the Magyars. Shortly afterwards, a Benedictine
monk of the Abbey of Sankt Gallen
, Bruno, who had been ordained Bishop of the Hungarians, arrived to his court where he baptised Géza.
Although Géza probably never became a convinced Christian
, during his rule Christianity
began to spread among the Magyars. According to Thietmar of Merseburg
, Géza continued to worship pagan gods; a chronicle claims that when he was questioned about this he stated he is rich enough to sacrifice to both the old gods and the new one.
In 973, twelve illustrious Magyar envoys, whom probably Géza had assigned, participated in the Diet
held by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
.
In 983, when Henry II, Duke of Bavaria
rebelled against the then child Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor
, the Magyars occupied Melk
. However, Melk was reoccupied, already in 985, by Leopold I, Margrave of Austria
. When Henry II lead his armies to the Vienna Basin
in 991, the Hungarians were obliged to evacuate the territories West of the Leitha (Hungarian: Lajta) River.
Géza arranged the marriage of his son Stephen I of Hungary to Giselle of Bavaria
, the daughter of Henry II. He started the construction of the Abbey of Pannonhalma
.
a, a daughter of Gyula of Transylvania
(? – after 997)
He married his brother's widow Adelajda sister of Prince Mieszko I of Poland c. 985. He repudiated his first wife Sarolta shortly after 975.
Grand Prince of the Hungarians
Grand Prince was the title used by contemporary sources to name the leader of the federation of the Hungarian tribes in the tenth century.-The title:...
(before 972 – 997).
Géza was the son of Taksony of Hungary
Taksony of Hungary
Taksony , Grand Prince of the Hungarians .Taksony was the son of Zoltán , the fourth son of Árpád, the second Grand Prince of the Hungarians...
, Grand Prince of the Hungarians
Grand Prince of the Hungarians
Grand Prince was the title used by contemporary sources to name the leader of the federation of the Hungarian tribes in the tenth century.-The title:...
and his Pecheneg or Bulgar
Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...
wife. Géza's marriage with Sarolt
Sarolt
Sarolt was wife of Géza, Grand Prince of the Magyars.She was a daughter of Gyula of Transylvania and was probably educated in the Eastern Orthodox faith...
, the daughter of Gyula
Gyula II
Gyula II was a Hungarian tribal leader in the middle of the 10th century. He visited Constantinople where he was baptized. His baptismal name was Stephen .- Life :...
of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, was arranged by his father.
After his father's death (before 972), Géza followed him as Grand Prince of the Magyars. Shortly afterwards, a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk of the Abbey of Sankt Gallen
Abbey of St. Gall
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in present-day Switzerland. The Carolingian-era Abbey has existed since 719 and became an independent principality during the 13th century, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was...
, Bruno, who had been ordained Bishop of the Hungarians, arrived to his court where he baptised Géza.
Although Géza probably never became a convinced Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, during his rule Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
began to spread among the Magyars. According to Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...
, Géza continued to worship pagan gods; a chronicle claims that when he was questioned about this he stated he is rich enough to sacrifice to both the old gods and the new one.
In 973, twelve illustrious Magyar envoys, whom probably Géza had assigned, participated in the Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
held by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan...
.
In 983, when Henry II, Duke of Bavaria
Henry II, Duke of Bavaria
Henry II , called the Wrangler or the Quarrelsome, in German Heinrich der Zänker, was the son of Henry I and Judith of Bavaria.- Biography :...
rebelled against the then child Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...
, the Magyars occupied Melk
Melk
Melk is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,222 ....
. However, Melk was reoccupied, already in 985, by Leopold I, Margrave of Austria
Leopold I, Margrave of Austria
Leopold I , also Luitpold or Liutpold, called the Illustrious , was the first Margrave of Austria from the House of Babenberg....
. When Henry II lead his armies to the Vienna Basin
Vienna Basin
The Vienna Basin is a sedimentary basin between the Alps and the Carpathian Mountains...
in 991, the Hungarians were obliged to evacuate the territories West of the Leitha (Hungarian: Lajta) River.
Géza arranged the marriage of his son Stephen I of Hungary to Giselle of Bavaria
Giselle of Bavaria
Blessed Gisela of Hungary was the first queen of Hungary.- Biography :Gisela was a daughter of Henry II, Duke of Bavaria and Gisela of Burgundy....
, the daughter of Henry II. He started the construction of the Abbey of Pannonhalma
Pannonhalma
Pannonhalma is a town in western Hungary, in Győr-Moson-Sopron county with approximately 4,000 inhabitants. It is about from Győr. Archduke Otto Habsburg's heart is kept at the Pannonhalma Archabbey, while his body was laid at the Capuchin Crypt in the old Imperial capital of Vienna.-History:The...
.
Marriage and children
before 972: SaroltSarolt
Sarolt was wife of Géza, Grand Prince of the Magyars.She was a daughter of Gyula of Transylvania and was probably educated in the Eastern Orthodox faith...
a, a daughter of Gyula of Transylvania
Gyula II
Gyula II was a Hungarian tribal leader in the middle of the 10th century. He visited Constantinople where he was baptized. His baptismal name was Stephen .- Life :...
(? – after 997)
- Margareth (? – after 988), wife of the future Tsar Gavril Radomir of BulgariaGavril Radomir of BulgariaGavril Radomir , normally rendered as Gabriel Radomir in English and Gavriil Romanos in Greek, was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire from October 1014 to August or September 1015. He was the son of Samuel of Bulgaria. During his father's reign, his cousin Ivan Vladislav and Ivan's entire...
- King Stephen I of Hungary (967/969/975 – 15 August 1038)
He married his brother's widow Adelajda sister of Prince Mieszko I of Poland c. 985. He repudiated his first wife Sarolta shortly after 975.
- JudithJudith of HungaryJudith of Hungary was a Hungarian princess member of the House of Arpad and by marriage member of the House of Piast, who ruled Poland at that time....
(about 977 – ?), wife of the future King Boleslaw I of PolandBoleslaw I of PolandBolesław I Chrobry , in the past also known as Bolesław I the Great , was a Duke of Poland from 992-1025 and the first King of Poland from 19 April 1025 until his death... - Gizella (about 980 – after 1026), wife of Otto OrseoloOtto OrseoloOtto Orseolo was the Doge of Venice from 1008 to 1026. He was the third son of Pietro II Orseolo, whom he succeeded at the age of sixteen, becoming the youngest doge in Venetian history....
, Doge of VeniceDoge of VeniceThe Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city... - Sarolta (about 983 – ?), wife of the future King Samuel Aba of HungarySamuel Aba of HungarySamuel Aba , King of Hungary , Palatine of Hungary .-King of Hungary:Samuel was from Northern Hungary, Castle Gonce / Castle Abaújvár, County of Aba...
Sources
- Kristó, Gyula - Makk, Ferenc: Az Árpád-ház uralkodói (IPC Könyvek, 1996)
- Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon (9-14. század), főszerkesztő: Kristó, Gyula, szerkesztők: Engel, Pál és Makk, Ferenc (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1994)