Saint Stephen the Great
or Stephen, King of Hungary:
1st cousin 28 times removed
St.
Stephen the Great (977-1038), was the son of the Magyar chieftain
Geza, Stephen succeeded him as leader in 997. Already raised a Christian,
in 996 he wed the daughter of Duke Henry II of Bavaria and devoted
much of his reign to the promotion of the Christian faith. He gave
his patronage to Church leaders, helped build churches, and was a
proponent of the rights of the Holy See. Stephen also crushed the
pagan counterreaction to Christianity, forcibly converting the so-called
Black Hungarians after their failed rebellion. In recognition of his
efforts, Stephen was anointed king of Hungary on Christmas Day 10001,
receiving the cross and crown from Pope Sylvester II. The remainder
of his reign was taken up with the consolidation of the Christian
hold on the region. His crown and regalia became beloved symbols of
the Hungarian nation, and Stephen was venerated as the ideal Christian
king. |
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