Page 26 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

24  Introduc I ng bud apest

The Árpád Dynasty

after a long journey beginning in the urals region in russia,
nomadic tribes of Magyars eventually settled in pannonia in
ad 896. Following a period of internal disputes, the tribes
made a blood-bonded alliance and chose one leader, Árpád.
While géza the grand prince of the Hungarians made contact
with missionaries, it was his son, István I, who accepted
chris tianity for his people. their first crowned king, István Extent of the City
organized the state according to the european, feudal model. 1300 Today
Initially under the Árpáds, esztergom (see p168) was the
country’s capital and later székesfehérvár. the development
of buda, pest and Óbuda began in the second half of the 12th
century, but was interrupted by the Mongol invasion of 1241.
Christ is depicted twice in
Figures of the middle section of the
the Apostles coat; in each case he is larger
than the surrounding figures.

Trinity of Hungarian Saints
The figures of three saints, King
István, his son Imre and Bishop
Gellért, are presented on this
colourful triptych in the Chapel
of St Imre in Mátyás Church
(see pp86–7).

King Géza I Coronation Mantle
Géza I (1074–77), the
father of Kálmán the This silk coronation coat was made in
Book-Lover, is 1031 for the Árpád kings. It has a pearl-
represented on an beaded collar and is embroi dered with
enamel plaque on the the figures of Christ, Mary, the Apostles
Crown of the Árpáds. and the Prophets.

c.900 Árpád settles on Csepel
Island (in modern-day
Budapest) and his brother
Kurszán in Óbuda
Coronation sword
850 900 950 1000 1050
973 Prince Géza 1046 Revolt by
invites missionaries pagans and the
into the region martyr’s death of
Sculpture of King István I 1001 Coronation of Bishop Gellért,
by Imre Varga István (Stephen) I thrown in a barrel
into the Danube

024-025_EW_Budapest.indd 24 05/09/2014 15:41
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight history template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm