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First King of Hungary, b. at Gran, 975; d. 15 August, 1038.
He
was a son of the Hungarian chief Géza and was baptized, together with
his father, by Archbishop St. Adalbert of Prague in 985, on which
occasion he changed his heathen name Vaik (Vojk) into Stephen. In 995 he
married Gisela, a sister of Duke Henry of Bavaria, the future Emperor
St. Henry II, and in 997 succeeded to the throne of Hungary. In order to
make Hungary a Christian nation and to establish himself more firmly as
ruler, he sent Abbot Astricus to Rome to petition Pope Sylvester II for
the royal dignity and the power to establish episcopal sees. The pope
acceded to his wishes and, in addition, presented him with a royal crown
with which he was crowned at Gran on 17 August, 1001 (see
HUNGARY.--History). He founded a monastery in Jerusalem and hospices for
pilgrims at Rome, Ravenna, and Constantinople. He was a personal friend
of St. Bruno of Querfurt and corresponded with Abbot St. Odilo of
Cluny.
The
last years of his life were embittered by sickness and family troubles.
When on 2 September, 1031, his only son, St. Emeric, lost his life on
a bear hunt, his cherished hope of transferring the reins of government
into the hands of a pious Christian prince were shattered. During his
lifetime a quarrel arose among his various nephews concerning the right
of succession, and some of them even took part in a conspiracy against
his life. He was buried beside his son at Stuhlweissenburg, and both
were canonized together in 1083. His feast is on 2 September, but in
Hungary his chief festival is observed on 20 August, the day on which
his relics were transferred to Buda. His incorrupt right hand is
treasured as the most sacred relic in Hungary.
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