St. Stephen I of Hungary, King and Patron of Hungary: c. 975-1038 A.D.
Historical background
Before Hungary became a Catholic state in the tenth century, the people were nomads who swept into the East after the Bulgars (the Bulgarians). These people, who called themselves Magyars, traveled from Siberia by the same route which was once trodden by the Huns. The Turks had driven them from Asia, so they crossed the Ural River and swept through Russia. When they reached the Danube, the Slavs whom they encountered there were in no condition to resist. So, after defeating the Moravians in the area, the Magyars then settled down in the Danube Plain. Eventually from their military skills of horsemanship, archery and pillage, the Hungarians soon learned how to farm and plow the plain which now bears their name.
Stephen christened a Christian at ten years of age
From the historical context described above, the Magyars or Hungarians were still basically an unorganized group of tribes. Vaik, the son of the Magyar voivode (duke) of Geza in Hungary, was born at Asztergom and baptized in 985 A.D. when he was ten years old. Vaik was christened with the Christian name Stephen. His father, the duke, deemed it politically expedient to become Christian. Therefore, he had Vaik and all members of his family, plus his noblemen, all baptized in 985 A.D. Though this household and ruling party were all baptized in the Christian faith, it was Stephen who took the Christian faith to heart and practiced its tenets.
Inheriting the rulership of his father
Stephen married Gisela, the sister of Duke Henry III of Bavaria (who was to become Emperor Henry II in 1002 A.D.) and became ruler of the Magyars upon his father's death in 977 A.D. St. Stephen's first undertaking as ruler of his people was to put down all rebellions among rival tribal leaders so that he could assume full leadership of all Hungary. Having thus overcome the warring tribes in the region, St. Stephen then sent St. Astrik, whom he had designated Hungary's first archbishop, to Rome to request an ecclesiastical organization for Hungary. St. Stephen also asked Pope Sylvester II to grant him the title of king in order to solidify his position among the tribes of Hungary. The Pope granted both his requests and sent back a crown, which St. Stephen officially received on Christmas Day, 1001 A.D.
Organizing the government and Church in Hungary
Obtaining the blessing from Pope Sylvester II, St. Stephen then organized a hierarchy under St. Astrik and began establishing sees, building churches, and ordering tithes to be paid for their support. St. Stephen finished building St. Martin's Monastery (Pannonhalma), begun by his father, inaugurated widespread reforms, including a new legal code and a reorganization of the government in the kingdom. St. Stephen was strong in his support of the poor. While he made himself accessible to everyone, he was especially attentive to the needs of the poor of Hungary.
Uniting the Magyars into an independent Hungary
As a ruler, St. Stephen placed all his dominions under the special patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since his rule was very much based on Christian principles, it made enemies for Stephen among those who were less fervent in their Christian faith. Nevertheless, despite initial opposition, St. Stephen was successful in bringing the Magyars together as one people, made all the Hungarian nobles vassals to him, and establishing the independent kingdom of Hungary. In his kingdom, St. Stephen was able to abolish superstitious customs, and condemned severely blasphemy, theft, and adultery. As regards political conflicts, St. Stephen was known to never undertake a war unless it was really necessary. And in the few times that he had to engage in battle, he emerged victorious.
St. Stephen's latter years
The latter years of St. Stephen were embittered by squabbles about succession. This was because his only son, Blessed Emeric, had died in a hunting accident in 1031 A.D. St. Stephen's nephews attempted to kill him, and his sister, seeking the throne also for her son, plotted also to that end. St. Stephen was spared from assassination but was plagued by illness during the last years of his life. He died at Szekesfehervar, Hungary, in August 15, 1038 A.D. (the feast of the Assumption) and was canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083 A.D. His relics were enshrined at the Church of Our Lady in Buda. The Church celebrates his feast on August 16.
As regards the death of his only and beloved son, Blessed Emeric, he was noted to have said: "God loved him, and therefore has taken him away early."
Because of his benevolent and excellent leadership, after his death in 1038 A.D., King Stephen was declared Patron of Hungary.
References of this article
- Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
- A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.
- Saints for Our Times, by Ed Ransom
- A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Thomas Bokenkotter
- The History of the World in Two Hundred and Forty Pages, by Rene Sedillot
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