Levente
Encyclopedia
Levente eldest son of Vazul
, a ruler in Hungary
's Árpád dynasty
and the last member of this family never to become a Christian
.
Levente was son of Vazul
, cousin of Istvan of Hungary, and an unknown woman from the family Tátony. Brother of Andrew I of Hungary and Béla I of Hungary
. After 1031 and before year 1038 (]], around year 1035) when their father had his eyes gouged out and molten lead poured in his ears according to the orders of king Istvan, the three brothers were obliged to leave the country. Fleeing first to Bohemia
, they continued to Poland
where Bela settled down, while his brothers continued on, settling in Kiev
. In Poland, Bela served king Mieszko II Lambert
of Poland and took part in the king's campaigns against the pagan Pomeran
tribes. Bela became a successful military leader, and the king gave his daughter, Rixa in marriage to him. After his marriage, he probably lived in Poland, staying even during the time of interregnum
when his brother-in-law, Casimir I of Poland
was obliged to leave the country. Andrew and Levente went on to prince
of Kievan Rus'
- Yaroslav I the Wise
.
In year 1046 the Hungarian prelates, led by bishop
Gerard Sagredo
, called back to the country duke Vazul
's formerly expelled sons, who have been living in Kiev
. By the time when Andrew and Levente arrived to Hungary, an extensive revolt of the pagan Hungarians had broken out. The two brothers made an alliance with the pagan rebels who accepted their leadership in Abaújvár
. King Peter I tried to escape to the Holy Roman Empire
, but he was arrested and blinded by the followers of the two princes. Levente was the last member of his family not to be baptised, renouncing his rights of succession rather than accept baptism. He was seriously injured in battle against the forces of Peter Ir and died of his injuries within a year.
The Hungarian chronicles related that after the downfall of Peter Urseolo Andrew agreed with his elder brother, Levente, who was a decided pagan, that Andrew would rule over Hungary
. Andrew, however, was crowned only in 1047, after his brother's death.
Vazul
Vazul was a Hungarian noble of the Árpád family, Duke between March and Gran or Prince of Nitra, with realm between Morava and Esztergom ....
, a ruler in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
's Árpád dynasty
Árpád dynasty
The Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
and the last member of this family never to become a 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...
.
Levente was son of Vazul
Vazul
Vazul was a Hungarian noble of the Árpád family, Duke between March and Gran or Prince of Nitra, with realm between Morava and Esztergom ....
, cousin of Istvan of Hungary, and an unknown woman from the family Tátony. Brother of Andrew I of Hungary and Béla I of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. After 1031 and before year 1038 (]], around year 1035) when their father had his eyes gouged out and molten lead poured in his ears according to the orders of king Istvan, the three brothers were obliged to leave the country. Fleeing first to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, they continued to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
where Bela settled down, while his brothers continued on, settling in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. In Poland, Bela served king Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert was King of Poland during 1025–1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emmilda, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I...
of Poland and took part in the king's campaigns against the pagan Pomeran
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
tribes. Bela became a successful military leader, and the king gave his daughter, Rixa in marriage to him. After his marriage, he probably lived in Poland, staying even during the time of interregnum
People's uprising in Poland
The Popular Uprising in Poland, 1038 , was a popular uprising in 1038 in the Kingdom of Poland of the early Piast rulers, mainly in the Greater Poland and Silesia regions....
when his brother-in-law, Casimir I of Poland
Casimir I of Poland
Casimir I the Restorer , was a Duke of Poland of the Piast dynasty and the de facto monarch of the entire country from 1034 until his death....
was obliged to leave the country. Andrew and Levente went on to prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
- Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
.
In year 1046 the Hungarian prelates, led by bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Gerard Sagredo
Gerard Sagredo
Saint Gerard Sagredo , also called Gerhard or Gellert, was an Italian bishop from Venice who operated in the Kingdom of Hungary , and educated Saint Emeric of Hungary, the son of Saint Stephen of Hungary). He played a major role in converting Hungary to Christianity...
, called back to the country duke Vazul
Vazul
Vazul was a Hungarian noble of the Árpád family, Duke between March and Gran or Prince of Nitra, with realm between Morava and Esztergom ....
's formerly expelled sons, who have been living in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. By the time when Andrew and Levente arrived to Hungary, an extensive revolt of the pagan Hungarians had broken out. The two brothers made an alliance with the pagan rebels who accepted their leadership in Abaújvár
Abaújvár
Abaújvár is a village in Hungary, next to the Slovakian border. It lies northeast of Miskolc.-History:In the 11th century, the village belonged to the Aba clan, one of the most important Hungarian families of the time, and was first mentioned in 1046, but presumably an earth castle stood here...
. King Peter I tried to escape to the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, but he was arrested and blinded by the followers of the two princes. Levente was the last member of his family not to be baptised, renouncing his rights of succession rather than accept baptism. He was seriously injured in battle against the forces of Peter Ir and died of his injuries within a year.
The Hungarian chronicles related that after the downfall of Peter Urseolo Andrew agreed with his elder brother, Levente, who was a decided pagan, that Andrew would rule over Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Andrew, however, was crowned only in 1047, after his brother's death.
Sources
- http://genealogy.euweb.cz/arpad/arpad1.html