Editing Stephen I of Hungary (section)

=== Grand Prince (997–1000) ===
{{see also|Grand Prince of the Hungarians}}
Grand Prince Géza died in 997.{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=27}}{{sfn|Lukačka|2011|p=33}} Stephen convoked an assembly at Esztergom where his supporters declared him grand prince.{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=83}} Initially, he only controlled the northwestern regions of the [[Carpathian Basin]]; the rest of the territory was still dominated by tribal chieftains.<ref name='Kristó_web'>{{cite web |last = Kristó |first = Gyula |title = Koppány leverése [Koppány's defeat] |work = Szent István király [King Saint Stephen] |publisher =Magyar Elektronikus Könyvtár |year =2001 |url =http://mek.oszk.hu/05000/05000/html/kristo013.html | access-date =17 August 2013|ref=none}}</ref> Stephen's ascension to the throne was in line with the principle of [[primogeniture]], which prescribed that a father was succeeded by his son.{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=18}} On the other hand, it contradicted the traditional idea of [[seniority]], according to which Géza should have been succeeded by the most senior member of the [[Árpád dynasty]], which was [[Koppány]] at that time.{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=18}}{{sfn|Kontler|1999|pp=52–53}} Koppány, who held the title Duke of [[Somogy County (former)|Somogy]], had for many years administered the regions of [[Transdanubia]] south of [[Lake Balaton]].{{sfn|Molnár|2001|p=20}}{{sfn|Lukačka|2011|p=33}}{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=30}}
[[File:Koppany.jpg|alt=Koppány's execution|left|thumb|[[Koppány]]'s execution after his defeat by Stephen, depicted in the ''[[Chronicon Pictum]]'']]
Koppány proposed to Géza's widow, Sarolt, in accordance with the pagan custom of [[levirate marriage]].{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=83}}{{sfn|Kristó|2001|pp=18–19}}{{sfn|Cartledge|2011|p=11}} He also announced his claim to the throne.{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=83}} Although it is not impossible that Koppány had already been baptized, in 972,{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=83}} most of his supporters were pagans, opponents of the Christianity represented by Stephen and his predominantly German [[retinue]].{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=19}} A charter of 1002 for the [[Pannonhalma Archabbey]] writes of a war between "the Germans and the Hungarians" when referring to the armed conflicts between Stephen and Koppány.{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=19}}{{sfn|Györffy|1994|pp=83–84}} Even so, Györffy says that ''Oszlar'' ("[[Alans|Alan]]"), ''Besenyő'' ("[[Pechenegs|Pecheneg]]"), ''Kér'' and other place names, referring to ethnic groups or [[Hungarian tribes]] in Transdanubia around the supposed borders of Koppány's duchy, suggest that significant auxiliary units and groups of Hungarian warriors{{mdash}}who had been settled there by Grand Prince Géza{{mdash}}fought in Stephen's army.{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=84}}

Kristó states that the entire conflict between Stephen and Koppány was only a feud between two members of the [[Árpád dynasty]], with no effect on other Hungarian tribal leaders.<ref name='Kristó_web'/> Koppány and his troops invaded the northern regions of Transdanubia, took many of Stephen's forts and plundered his lands.{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=19}} Stephen, who, according to the ''Illuminated Chronicle'', "was for the first time girded with his sword",<ref>''The Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle'' (ch. 39.64), p. 105.</ref> placed the brothers [[Hont-Pázmány#Notable members of the clan|Hont and Pázmány]] at the head of his own guard and nominated [[Vecelin]] to lead the royal army.{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=19}}{{sfn|Györffy|1994|pp=63, 83}}{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=39}} The last was a German knight who had come to Hungary in the reign of Géza.{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=63}} Hont and Pázmány were, according to [[Simon of Kéza]]'s ''[[Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum]]'' and the ''Illuminated Chronicle'', "knights of [[Duchy of Swabia|Swabian]] origin"<ref>''Simon of Kéza: The Deeds of the Hungarians'' (ch. 78.), p. 163.</ref> who settled in Hungary either under Géza or in the first years of Stephen's reign.<ref name='Kristó_web'/> On the other hand, Lukačka and other Slovak historians say that Hont and Pázmány were "Slovak" noblemen who had joined Stephen during his rule in Nyitra.{{sfn|Lukačka|2011|pp=32–33}}

Koppány was besieging [[Veszprém]] when he was informed of the arrival of Stephen's army.{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=84}} In the ensuing battle, Stephen won a decisive victory over his enemies.{{sfn|Cartledge|2011|p=11}} Koppány was killed on the battlefield.{{sfn|Molnár|2001|p=20}} His body was quartered and its parts were displayed at the gates of the forts of Esztergom, [[Győr]], [[Gyulafehérvár]] (Alba Iulia, [[Romania]]) and Veszprém in order to threaten all of those who were conspiring against the young monarch.{{sfn|Cartledge|2011|p=11}}{{sfn|Kontler|1999|p=53}}{{sfn|Györffy|1994|p=85}}

Stephen occupied Koppány's duchy and granted large estates to his own partisans.{{sfn|Lukačka|2011|p=33}}{{sfn|Györffy|1994|pp=85–86}} He also prescribed that Koppány's former subjects were to pay [[tithe]]s to the Pannonhalma Archabbey, according to the deed of the foundation of this monastery which has been preserved in a manuscript containing [[Interpolation (manuscripts)|interpolations]].{{sfn|Kristó|2001|p=19}}{{sfn|Berend|Laszlovszky|Szakács|2007|p=351}} The same document declares that "there were no other bishoprics and monasteries in Hungary" at that time.{{sfn|Thoroczkay|2001|p=52}} On the other hand, the nearly contemporary Bishop [[Thietmar of Merseburg]] stated that Stephen "established bishoprics in his kingdom"<ref name="Chronicon_193">''The'' Chronicon ''of Thietmar of Merseburg'' (ch. 29.), p. 193.</ref> before being crowned king.{{sfn|Thoroczkay|2001|p=52}} If the latter report is valid, the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Veszprém|dioceses of Veszprém]] and [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Győr|Győr]] are the most probable candidates, according to historian [[Gábor Thoroczkay]].{{sfn|Thoroczkay|2001|pp=52–54}}