Stephen I, the First Christian King of Hungary
From Medieval Myth to Modern Legend
Series: Oxford Studies in Medieval European History;
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Estimated delivery time: In stock at the publisher, but not at Prospero's office. Delivery time approx. 3-5 weeks.
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Product details:
- Publisher OUP Oxford
- Date of Publication 20 June 2024
- ISBN 9780198889342
- Binding Hardback
- No. of pages272 pages
- Size 243x162x17 mm
- Weight 592 g
- Language English 1000
Categories
Short description:
Stephen I, the first Christian king of Hungary analyses the often seamless flow that has turned medieval myth into modern history, showing that politicisation was not a modern addition, but a determinant factor from the start.
MoreLong description:
Stephen I, Hungary's first Christian king (reigned 997-1038) has been celebrated as the founder of the Hungarian state and church. Despite the scarcity of medieval sources, and consequent limitations on historical knowledge, he has had a central importance in narratives of Hungarian history and national identity. This book argues that instead of conceptualizing modern political medievalism separately as an 'abuse' of history, we must investigate history's very fabric, because cultural memory is woven into the production of the medieval sources. Medieval myth-making served as a firm basis for centuries of further elaboration and reinterpretation, both in historiography and in political legitimizing strategies. In many ways we cannot reach the 'real' Stephen, but we can do much more to understand the shaping of his myths. The author traces the origin of crucial stories around Stephen, contextualizing both the invention of early narratives and their later use. A challenger to Stephen's rule who may be a medieval literary invention became the protagonist of a rock opera in 1983, also standing in for Imre Nagy, a key figure of the 1956 revolution; moreover, he was reinvented as the embodiment of true Hungarian identity. The alleged right hand relic was 'discovered' to provide added legitimacy for Hungary's kings and then became a protagonist of the entanglement of Church and state. A medieval crown was invested with supernatural status, before turning into a national symbol. This book analyses the often seamless flow that has turned medieval myth into modern history, showing that politicisation was not a modern addition, but a determinant factor from the start.
Five illustrations and excellent documentation (largely to Hungarian materials) enhance the book.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Stephen I, from myth to history and back again
Cupan
Stephen, the king: a rock opera in the late communist period and questions of national identity
The Holy Dexter
The Hungarian Crown
