Gyula II
Encyclopedia
Gyula II was a Hungarian tribal leader in the middle of the 10th century. He visited Constantinople
where he was baptized
. His baptismal name was Stephen (Stefan).
. Hungarian scholars identify him as Zombor (Zubor) who is mentioned in the 13th-century Gesta Ungarorum
, although Gyula (Gyyla/Geula) and Zombor are brothers according to the anonymous author of the Gesta. According to the Hungarian chronicles, his family’s progenitor was one of the seven conqueror chiefs who occupied Transylvania
at the time of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin.
The Hungarian historian, Gyula Kristó argues that the area where his domains were situated around 950 lay in the region bordered by the rivers Temes
, Maros
, Körös
, Tisza
and Tutisz (unknown, but possibly the Béga
), because it equals to the entire dwelling area of Turkia (Hungary) as described by the contemporary Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus
. The Romanian born American historian, Florin Curta suggests that it is possible that the gyula and the harka
(another leader of the Hungarian tribal federation) ruled over the southern region of the Carpathian Basin, because most finds of 10th-century artifacts of Byzantine origin found in Hungary cluster at the confluence of the rivers Tisza and Maros. According to the Hungarian Péter Váczy, Gyula’s tribe moved to Transylvania in his time.
Ioannes Skylitzes
narrates that around 952 Gyula visited Constantinople where he was baptized, and Emperor Constantine VII lifted him from the baptismal font. He also received the honorary title patrikios in Constantinople.
Gyula was given a bishop
named Hierotheos who accompanied him back to Turkia (Hungary). Thus Gyula, who received the Stephen name, adopted the Christian
faith, what is more its Orthodox (Byzantine) variety.
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
where he was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. His baptismal name was Stephen (Stefan).
Life
He descended from a family whose members held the hereditary title gyula which was the second in rank among the leaders of the Hungarian tribal federationMagyar tribes
The Magyar tribes were the fundamental political units whose framework the Hungarians lived within, until these clans from Asia, more accurately from the region of Ural Mountains, invaded the Carpathian Basin and established the Principality of Hungary.The locality in which the Hungarians, the...
. Hungarian scholars identify him as Zombor (Zubor) who is mentioned in the 13th-century Gesta Ungarorum
Gesta Hungarorum
Gesta Hungarorum is a record of early Hungarian history by an unknown author who describes himself as Anonymi Bele Regis Notarii , but is generally cited as Anonymus...
, although Gyula (Gyyla/Geula) and Zombor are brothers according to the anonymous author of the Gesta. According to the Hungarian chronicles, his family’s progenitor was one of the seven conqueror chiefs who occupied Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
at the time of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin.
The Hungarian historian, Gyula Kristó argues that the area where his domains were situated around 950 lay in the region bordered by the rivers Temes
Timis River
The Timiş or Tamiš is a 359 km long river originating from Țarcu Mountains , southern Carpathian Mountains, Caraş-Severin County, Romania. It flows through the Banat region and flows into the Danube near Pančevo, in northern Serbia....
, Maros
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
, Körös
Körös River
Körös is the name of a 195 km long river in eastern Hungary. It is formed at the confluence of the rivers Fehér-Körös and Fekete-Körös near Gyula. The Sebes-Körös flows into the Körös near Gyomaendrőd...
, Tisza
Tisza
The Tisza or Tisa is one of the main rivers of Central Europe. It rises in Ukraine, and is formed near Rakhiv by the junction of headwaters White Tisa, whose source is in the Chornohora mountains and Black Tisa, which springs in the Gorgany range...
and Tutisz (unknown, but possibly the Béga
Bega River (Tisza)
The Bega is a 254 km long river in Romania and Serbia...
), because it equals to the entire dwelling area of Turkia (Hungary) as described by the contemporary Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus
Constantine VII
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
. The Romanian born American historian, Florin Curta suggests that it is possible that the gyula and the harka
Horka (title)
Horka or harka was a title used by the Magyar tribes in the 9th and 10th centuries. According to Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenetos in De administrando imperio, the horka had judicial authority. However, in other sources the term horka was applied to a military leader...
(another leader of the Hungarian tribal federation) ruled over the southern region of the Carpathian Basin, because most finds of 10th-century artifacts of Byzantine origin found in Hungary cluster at the confluence of the rivers Tisza and Maros. According to the Hungarian Péter Váczy, Gyula’s tribe moved to Transylvania in his time.
Ioannes Skylitzes
John Skylitzes
John Skylitzes, latinized as Ioannes Scylitzes was a Greek historian of the late 11th century. He was born in the beginning of 1040's and died after 1101.- Life :Very little is known about his life...
narrates that around 952 Gyula visited Constantinople where he was baptized, and Emperor Constantine VII lifted him from the baptismal font. He also received the honorary title patrikios in Constantinople.
Gyula was given a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
named Hierotheos who accompanied him back to Turkia (Hungary). Thus Gyula, who received the Stephen name, adopted the Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
faith, what is more its Orthodox (Byzantine) variety.
See also
- Gyula (title)
- History of TransylvaniaHistory of TransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of the Romania. In ancient times it was part of the Dacian Kingdom and Roman Dacia. Since the 10th century, Transylvania became part of the Kingdom of Hungary...
- Kingdom of Hungary in the Middle AgesKingdom of Hungary in the Middle AgesThe Kingdom of Hungary was formed from the previous Principality of Hungarywith the coronation of Stephen I in AD 1000. This was a result of the conversion of Géza of Hungary to the Western Church in the 970s....
- Romania in the Early Middle AgesRomania in the Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages in Romania spans the period from the withdrawal of the Roman administration from the province of Dacia in the 271–275 AD, thenceforward modern Romania's territories were to be crisscrossed by migrating populations for almost 1,000 years...
Sources
- Berend, Nóra – Laszlovszky, József – Szakács, Béla Zsolt: The Kingdom of Hungary; in: Berend, Nora (Editor): Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia, Central Europe and Rus’ c. 900-1200; Cambridge University Press, 2007, Cambridge&New York; ISBN 978-0-521-87616-2
- Curta, Florin: Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages - 500-1250; Cambridge University Press, 2006, Cambridge; ISBN 978-0-521-89452-4
- Kristó, Gyula (General Editor) – Engel, Pál - Makk, Ferenc (Editors): Korai Magyar történeti lexikon (9-14. század) /Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History (9th-14th centuries)/; Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963-05-6722-9 (the entry “gyula” was written by Alfréd Márton, “Gyula” by Sándor László Tóth and László Szegfű)
- Kristó, Gyula: Early Transylvania (895-1324); Lucidus Kiadó, 2003, Budapest; ISBN 963-9465-12-7