Principality of Hungary

This article is about the Hungarian monarchy in the Early Middle Ages. For the principality ruled by Stephen Bocskai in the Early Modern Period, see Stephen Bocskai.
Grand Principality of Hungary
Magyar Nagyfejedelemség (Hungarian)
c. 895–1000
Árpád dynasty
Flag of Gyula/Kende of the Hungarians
Top: Magyar banner of the Conquest Era
Bottom: Banner of the Árpád dynasty
Principality of Hungary (c. 1000)
Principality of Hungary (c. 1000)
StatusPrincipality
CapitalEsztergom and Székesfehérvár (from the reigns of Taksony and Géza)
Religion
Demonym(s)Hungarian
Government
Kende 
• 890s – c. 904
Kurszán
Grand Prince 
• c. 895 – c. 907
Árpád
• c. 907 – c. 950
Zoltán
• c. 950 – c. 955
Fajsz
• c. 955 – c. 972
Taksony
• c. 972 – 997
Géza
• 997–1000
Stephen
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Established
c. 895
839–970
4–6 July 907
10–12 August 955
• Koppány's revolt
997
• Coronation of Stephen I
25 December 1000
or 1 January 1001
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Etelköz
Great Moravia
Principality of Lower Pannonia
First Bulgarian Empire
Huns
Avar Khaganate
Kingdom of Hungary

The Grand Principality of Hungary[1][2] or Duchy of Hungary[3][4] (Hungarian: Magyar Nagyfejedelemség: "Hungarian Grand Principality",[5] Byzantine Greek: Τουρκία) was the earliest documented Hungarian state in the Carpathian Basin, established in 895 or 896,[6][7][8] following the 9th century Magyar invasion of the Carpathian Basin.

The Hungarians, a semi-nomadic people, formed a tribal alliance[9][10][11] led by Árpád (founder of the Árpád dynasty) who arrived from Etelköz, their earlier principality east of the Carpathians.[12]

During the period, the power of the Hungarian Grand Prince seemed to be decreasing irrespective of the success of the Hungarian military raids across Europe. The tribal territories, ruled by Hungarian warlords (chieftains), became semi-independent polities (e.g., the domains of Gyula the Younger in Transylvania). These territories were united again only under the rule of St. Stephen. The semi-nomadic Hungarian population adopted settled life. The chiefdom society changed to a state society. From the second half of the 10th century, Christianity started to spread. The principality was succeeded by the Christian Kingdom of Hungary with the coronation of St Stephen I at Esztergom on Christmas Day 1000 (its alternative date is 1 January 1001).[13][14][15]

The period from 896 to 1000 is called "the age of principality" within Hungarian historiography.[7]

  1. ^ Bauer, Susan Wise (22 February 2010). The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 586. ISBN 978-0-393-07817-6.
  2. ^ Ritz-Buranbaeva, Oksana; Mladineo, Vanja (22 September 2011). Culture and Customs of Hungary. ABC-CLIO. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-313-38370-0.
  3. ^ Davies, Colin (1969). The Emergence of Western Society: European History A.D. 300-1200. Macmillan. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-333-03520-7.
  4. ^ Lawler, Jennifer (2004). Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empire. McFarland & Company. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7864-1520-5.
  5. ^ Hadtörténelmi közlemények, Volume 114, Hadtörténeti Intézet és Múzeum, 2001, p. 131
  6. ^ Komzsik, Louis (2011). Cycles of Time: From Infinity to Eternity. Trafford Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4269-5336-1.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Acta orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Stessel, Zahava Szász (1995). Wine and Thorns in Tokay Valley: Jewish Life in Hungary : the History of Abaújszántó. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. ISBN 978-0-8386-3545-2.
  9. ^ Linehan, Peter; Nelson, Janet Laughland (2001). The Medieval World. Routledge. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-415-18151-8.
  10. ^ Khazanov, Anatoly Michailovich; Wink, André (2001). Nomads in the Sedentary World. Psychology Press. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-7007-1370-7.
  11. ^ Lendvai, Paul (2003). The Hungarians: A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat. C. Hurst. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-85065-682-1.
  12. ^ Paul Lendvai, The Hungarians: a thousand years of victory in defeat, C. Hurst & Co., 2003, pp. 15–29, 533
  13. ^ Studies in medieval and renaissance history, Committee for Medieval Studies, University of British Columbia, 1980, p. 159
  14. ^ Peter F. Sugar, Péter Hanák, A History of Hungary, Indiana University Press, 1994, pp. 12–17
  15. ^ Pál Engel, Tamás Pálosfalvi, Andrew Ayton, The Realm of St. Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary, 895–1526, .B.Tauris, 2005, p. 27