High Prince Álmos

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Álmos (pronounced [aːlmoʃ]) (c. 820 – c. 895), the first Grand Prince of the Magyars (after 854 – c. 895). The Gesta Hungarorum ("The Deeds of Hungarians") records that his father was Ügyek, while the Chronicon Pictum (the "Vienna Illuminated Chronicle") mentions his father as Előd (whose father was Ügyek); his mother was Emese.^[1]

Referring to his birth, the medieval chronicles describes that "his pregnant mother had seen a divine vision in her dream of a Turul bird, as it were flying over her and getting her with child; and a spring seemed to rise from her womb and many great kings originated from her loins, although they would multiply not in their own lands".^[2] The legend is given as the explanation for the name Álmos ("The Dreamt One").

According to the medieval chronicles, Álmos was proclaimed head of the tribal federation by the leaders of the Magyar tribes.^[2] While the De Administrando Imperio recorded that the office was created by the Khagan of the Khazars, and not Álmos, but his son, Árpád became the first Grand Prince.^[2] Modern authors usually follow the tradition that Álmos was the first Grand Prince of the Magyars in the second half of the 850s.^[1][2]

At that time, the federation of the seven Magyar tribes ("Hétmagyar") were living under Khazar supremacy.^[1][3] Álmos became either the spiritual ruler (kende) of the confederation Hétmagyar or its military leader (gyula).^[1]

Before 862, the seven Magyar tribes, living in the area they called Etelköz, seceded from the Khazars; afterwards, they were exacting tribute from the neighbouring Slavic tribes and they fought occasionally as mercenaries on behalf of King Carloman of Bavaria, King Arnulf I of Germany and King Svatopluk I of Great Moravia.^[3] The Hétmagyar confederation was strengthened when three tribes of the Kabars, who had rebelled against the Khazars, joined them before 881.^[1]

In the spring of 895, the Magyar tribes attacked the Bulgarian Empire allied with the Byzantine emperor, Leo VI the Wise and defeated Emperor Simeon I of Bulgaria obliging him to conclude peace with the Byzantine Empire.^[3] The Emperor Simeon entered into an alliance with the Pechenegs, who were the eastern neighbours of the Hétmagyar, and he made an attack against the Magyar troops.^[3] At the Battle of Southern Buh, the Emperor Simeon defeated the Magyar army; and shortly afterwards, the Pechenegs attacked and pillaged their territories.^[3] The Magyar tribes were obliged to leave Etelköz and invade the Carpathian Basin where they settled down (Honfoglalás).^[3]

Álmos' death was probably caused by either assassination or human sacrifice because of the catastrophic defeats during the wars with the Bulgarian Empire and the Pechenegs.^[2]

[edit] Child

• Árpád, Grand Prince of the Magyars (c. 845 – c. 907)

[edit] Sources

• Kristó, Gyula (editor): Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon - 9-14. század (Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History - 9-14th centuries); Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963 05 6722 9.
• Kristó, Gyula - Makk, Ferenc: Az Árpád-ház uralkodói (Rulers of the Árpád dynasty); I.P.C. KÖNYVEK Kft., 1996; ISBN 963 7930 973.
• Kristó, Gyula: Magyar honfoglalás - honfoglaló magyarok (The Hungarians' Occupation of their Country - The Hungarians occupying their Country); Kossuth Könyvkiadó, 1996; ISBN 963 09 3836 7.

[edit] References

Preceded by He was the first known Grand Prince of the Magyars

Grand Prince of the Magyars after 854 - c. 895

Succeeded by Árpád