Koppány, also known as Cupan, was the Duke of
Somogy in Hungary in the late 10th century. According to modern scholars' consensus view, he was a member of the royal
Árpád dynasty
The Árpád dynasty, consisted of the members of the royal House of Árpád (), also known as Árpáds ( hu, Árpádok, hr, Arpadovići). They were the ruling dynasty of the Principality of Hungary in the 9th and 10th centuries and of the Kingd ...
. Koppány was the lord of the southern region of Transdanubia during the reign of
Géza, Grand Prince of the Hungarians
Géza ( 940 – 997), also Gejza, was Grand Prince of the Hungarians from the early 970s. He was the son of Grand Prince Taksony and his OrientalKhazar, Pecheneg or Volga Bulgarianwife. He married Sarolt, a daughter of an Eastern Orthodox Hun ...
, who ruled between the early 970s and 997. After the death of Géza, Koppány laid claim to the throne against Géza's devout Christian son,
Stephen
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
. His claim was mainly supported by pagan Hungarians, but the royal army routed his army near
Veszprém
Veszprém (; german: Weißbrunn, sl, Belomost) is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county (comitatus or 'megye') of ...
in 997 or 998. Koppány was killed either in the battle or in his duchy, to which he had fled from the battlefield. His corpse was cut in four pieces to be displayed on the walls of four major strongholds of
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
,
Győr
Győr ( , ; german: Raab, links=no; names of European cities in different languages: E-H#G, names in other languages) is the main city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Western Transdanubia, Western Transdanubia ...
,
Veszprém
Veszprém (; german: Weißbrunn, sl, Belomost) is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county (comitatus or 'megye') of ...
,
Esztergom
Esztergom ( ; german: Gran; la, Solva or ; sk, Ostrihom, known by alternative names) is a city with county rights in northern Hungary, northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom County, on the right bank of the river Danu ...
and
Gyulafehérvár
Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...
(now Alba Iulia, Romania).
Family
He was the son of
Zerind the Bald
Zerind the Bald ( hu, Tar Szerénd; la, Zyrind calvus) was a Hungarian lord in the 10th century. According to modern scholars' consensus, he was a member of the royal Árpád dynasty. He was the father of Koppány, the late 10th-century rebellious ...
, according to the 14th-century ''
Illuminated Chronicle
The ''Chronicon Pictum'' (Latin for "illustrated chronicle", English: ''Illuminated Chronicle'' or ''Vienna Illuminated Chronicle'', hu, Képes Krónika, sk, Obrázková kronika, german: Illustrierte Chronik, also referred to as ''Chronica Hung ...
''. Although no primary source mentions that Koppány was descended from
Álmos
Álmos (), also Almos or Almus (c. 820 – c. 895), was—according to the uniform account of Hungarian chronicles—the first head of the "loose federation" of the Hungarian tribes from around 850. Whether he was the sacred ruler (''kende'') of ...
or
Árpád
Árpád (; 845 – 907) was the head of the confederation of the Magyar tribes at the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries. He might have been either the sacred ruler or ''kende'' of the Hungarians, or their military leader or '' gy ...
, the first
grand princes of the Hungarians, his attempt to seize the throne shows that he was a member of the
Árpád dynasty
The Árpád dynasty, consisted of the members of the royal House of Árpád (), also known as Árpáds ( hu, Árpádok, hr, Arpadovići). They were the ruling dynasty of the Principality of Hungary in the 9th and 10th centuries and of the Kingd ...
. Historians debate which of the
four or five sons of Árpád was Koppány's ancestor. Historians
Gyula Kristó
Gyula Kristó (11 July 1939 – 24 January 2004) was a Hungarian historian and medievalist, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences ( hu, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, MTA) is the most important and pres ...
, László Szegfű and György Szabados say that Koppány was probably descended from Árpád's oldest son, Tarkatzus, but Kornél Bakay (who identified Zerind the Bald with
Ladislas the Bald
Ladislas the Bald ( hu, Szár László; la, Ladislas calvus; before 997–before 1030) was a member of the House of Árpád, a grandson of Taksony, Grand Prince of the Hungarians. He is the only known brother of Vazul, a rebellious duke who was ...
) writes that Árpád's youngest son,
Zoltán Zoltán () is a Hungarian masculine given name. The name days for this name are 8 March and 23 June in Hungary, and 7 April in Slovakia.
Zoltána is the feminine version.
Notable people
* Zoltán of Hungary
* Zoltan Bathory, guitarist of heavy ...
, was Koppány's forefather. The exact date of Koppány's birth cannot be determined. He was allegedly born between around 950 and 965, because his claim to the throne in 997 shows that he was the oldest member of the Árpád dynasty at that time.
Duke of Somogy
The 14th-century ''Illuminated Chronicle'' recorded that "Duke Cupan ... held sway over a duchy"
[''The Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle'' (ch. 39.64), p. 105.] (''ducatum tenebat'', in Latin) during the reign of
Géza, Grand Prince of the Hungarians
Géza ( 940 – 997), also Gejza, was Grand Prince of the Hungarians from the early 970s. He was the son of Grand Prince Taksony and his OrientalKhazar, Pecheneg or Volga Bulgarianwife. He married Sarolt, a daughter of an Eastern Orthodox Hun ...
. Géza, who ascended the throne around 972, was described as a cruel monarch in late 11th-century legends. His fame, along with the fact that only a few late-10th-century members of the royal family are known, suggests that Géza murdered most of his kinsmen, according to historian
Pál Engel
Pál Engel (27 February 1938 – 21 August 2001) was a Hungarian medievalist historian and archivist, and member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He served as General Director of the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences between 199 ...
.
Even if Géza carried out a purge among his relatives, Koppány survived it. According to the ''Illuminated Chronicle'', he was "Duke of Symigium" (or
Somogy). Two later sourcesthe 15th-century
Osvát Laskai Osvát Laskai ( la, Osvaldus Lasco; 1450, Laskó, Baranya county – June 10, 1511, Pest? ) was a Hungarian Franciscan friar, preacher, teacher of theology, head of the friaries of Esztergom
Esztergom ( ; german: Gran; la, Solva or ; sk, Ost ...
and an unknown 16th-century
Carthusian
The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has its ...
monkmentioned that Koppány had also been the lord of
Zala. Based on the sources, modern historians agree that Koppány administered the southwestern region of
Transdanubia
Transdanubia ( hu, Dunántúl; german: Transdanubien, hr, Prekodunavlje or ', sk, Zadunajsko :sk:Zadunajsko) is a traditional region of Hungary. It is also referred to as Hungarian Pannonia, or Pannonian Hungary.
Administrative divisions Trad ...
, most likely between
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton () is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the region's foremost tourist destinations. The Zala River provides the largest inflow of water to the lake, and th ...
and the river
. Szabados says that Koppány's father had already dominated Somogy and Zala; in contrast, László Kontler writes that Koppány received his duchy from Géza as a compensation after Géza made his own son,
Stephen
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
, his heir.
Rebellion and death
![Portrayal of Stephen I, King of Hungary on the coronation pall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Portrayal_of_Stephen_I%2C_King_of_Hungary_on_the_coronation_pall.jpg)
Géza died in 997. Either in the same or the next year, Koppány revolted against Géza's successor, Stephen, claiming the throne and Géza's widow,
Sarolt
Sarolt ( 950 – c. 1008) was the wife of Géza, Grand Prince of the Hungarians.
She was born a daughter of Zombor (or Gyula II), ''gyula'' of Transylvania, second in rank among the leaders of the Hungarian tribal federation.
Sarolt exerted a ...
, for himself. His claim to the throne shows that he considered himself the lawful heir to Géza in accordance with the traditional principle of
seniority
Seniority is the state of being older or placed in a higher position of status relative to another individual, group, or organization. For example, one employee may be senior to another either by role or rank (such as a CEO vice a manager), or by ...
, but in contrast with the Christian law of
primogeniture
Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
which supported Stephen's right to succeed his father. Koppány's effort to marry Géza's widow was also in line with the pagan custom of
levirate marriage
Levirate marriage is a type of marriage in which the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow. Levirate marriage has been practiced by societies with a strong clan structure in which exogamous marriage (i.e. marriage out ...
, but Christians regarded it as an
incestuous
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
attempt. Both of Koppány's claims suggest that he was pagan, or he inclined to paganism even if he had been baptised.
In the nearly contemporaneous deed of foundation of the
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey or Territorial Abbey of Pannonhalma (lat. ''Archiabbatia'' or ''Abbatia Territorialis Sancti Martini in Monte Pannoniae'') is a medieval building in Pannonhalma, one of the oldest historical monuments in Hung ...
, Stephen mentioned that "a certain
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
named Somogy" attempted to dethrone him after his father's death. The late 11th-century ''Lesser Legend of King St Stephen'' declared that "certain noblemen whose hearts were inclined to idle banquets" turned against Stephen after his ascension to the throne. Both sources suggest that it was not Stephen who started the war, but that Koppány rebelled against him.
Koppány started to "destroy the castles of Stephen, plunder his properties
ndmurder his servants", according to the ''Lesser Legend''. The same source also wrote that Koppány laid siege to
Veszprém
Veszprém (; german: Weißbrunn, sl, Belomost) is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county (comitatus or 'megye') of ...
, but Stephen collected his army, marched to the fortress and annihilated Koppány's troops. The German knights who had settled in Hungary after Stephen married
Gisela of Bavaria in 996, played a preeminent role in the victory of the royal army. The commander of the royal army,
Vecelin
Vecelin, also Vecellin and Vencellin, was a prominent military commander of Stephen I of Hungary at the end of the 10th and the beginning of the 11th century. He was of Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Frei ...
, was one of the German immigrants. The deed of foundation of the Pannonhalma monastery even referred to the civil war as a fight between "the Germans and the Hungarians".
Koppány was killed by Vecelin in the battle near Veszprém, according to Chapter 64 of the ''Illuminated Chronicle''. On the other hand, Chapter 40 of the same source says that Vecelin killed Koppány in Somogy. If the latter report is valid, Koppány fled from the battlefield after his defeat at Veszprém, but the royal army chased and murdered him in his duchy. On Stephen's order, Koppány's body was quartered and its parts were hung over the walls of
Esztergom
Esztergom ( ; german: Gran; la, Solva or ; sk, Ostrihom, known by alternative names) is a city with county rights in northern Hungary, northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom County, on the right bank of the river Danu ...
,
Veszprém
Veszprém (; german: Weißbrunn, sl, Belomost) is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county (comitatus or 'megye') of ...
,
Győr
Győr ( , ; german: Raab, links=no; names of European cities in different languages: E-H#G, names in other languages) is the main city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Western Transdanubia, Western Transdanubia ...
and
Gyulafehérvár
Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...
(present-day Alba Iulia in Romania).
References
Sources
Primary sources
*''The Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle:'' Chronica de Gestis Hungarorum (Edited by Dezső Dercsényi) (1970). Corvina, Taplinger Publishing. .
Secondary sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koppany
990s deaths
Hungarian nobility
House of Árpád
10th-century Hungarian people
History of Somogy
Year of birth unknown