pay him a yearly tribute, which in those days was generally considered as a sign of subjugation. Nevertheless, up to the time of which we are writing both parties seem to have kept faithfully their agreement. From what the great Hungarian historian states, it would seem that Arpád despatched an armed force, under the command of the woiwodes Velek and Öb, to conquer that country. The brave Marót, unable to resist, fled from Bihar, and took refuge in the forest of Ingvány. After Bihar had fallen, and the inhabitants had taken the oath of allegiance, Marót sent envoys to Arpád, entreating him to be allowed to remain in peaceful possession of his kingdom during his life, and, as he had no male descendants, his young daughter should be married to Arpád's son, and on his (Marót's) demise the kingdom of the Chazaren would come into the possession of Arpád's family without bloodshed. The Magyar ruler agreed to this proposal on condition that the young princess should be at once sent to his court. From what history tells us of the character and former acts of Arpád, we should be rather inclined to think that the talented Magyar leader would have at first attempted to get peaceful possession of the country, for he must have known that Marót was then totally unprepared to meet the large forces which the Magyars could bring against him; and, moreover, as the King of the Chazaren had no male issue, the princess was one of the most eligible matches for his son, for such a union would give him a firm hold on the affections of a people whose warlike character rendered it highly desirable that they should become the supporters of his dynasty.

The great number of nationalities over which Arpád ruled, and the small number of his own race, rendered it far from unlikely that at his death a catastrophe similar to that which destroyed the Huns might befall his empire. He knew that his talents and genius were the only real

E

tie which held together this mass of races, and in order to ensure a peaceful possession to his son he married him when he was a mere child. He then induced all the different leaders to acknowledge his heir and legitimate successor as their sovereign duke, and, in order to increase the validity of this transaction, Szolt took the constitutional oath. About two years after this ceremony Marót died, leaving his son-in-law as his successor. From this period up to his own death, Arpád gave his whole attention to the development of his kingdom, and was obliged for many years to allow his followers to exercise their warlike and barbaric propensities on the inhabitants of the surrounding countries. The records of history are full of interesting anecdotes of these raids, in which the Magyars and their allies proved that when not under the immediate surveillance of Arpád they were not inferior to the Huns in bravery, perhaps superior in barbaric ferocity. Their constant success and the immense amount of booty which they obtained induced them to flock together in large numbers, and advance into Italy. Here they defeated King Berenger in 899 on the Brenta, the Italians losing upwards of 20,000 men. The lawless horde took and sacked the towns of Milan, Pavia, and Brescia, crossed the Po, and pushed on as far as Parma and Nonantula. In order to prevent their further advance, and to obtain the evacuation of Italy, the King was obliged to pay them a large sum of money. This last expedition seems to have aroused the fears of Arpád that unless he put a stop to these depredations all Europe might fall on him and his people, and drive them back to their original homes. He therefore, in conjunction with the principal chiefs, forbade his subjects to make war against the people of neighbouring countries without his permission. Unfortunately for Hungary, he died in 907. There is no doubt that had his life been prolonged

Hungary would never have been distracted by the constant feuds between the nobles and their kings. Arpád's death created a most profound impression, not only upon his own race, but also on the various nationalities over whom he extended his sway. His body was burnt, according to the Eastern custom, and the ashes buried on the banks of a rivulet which flowed in the direction of Etzelsburg. When Christianity was introduced into Hungary a church called the White Church of the Holy Virgin was built in the place where his ashes had been deposited.

CHAPTER IV.

STEPHEN.

CHRISTIANITY had already made considerable progress in Pannonia when its advance was retarded by the Magyars; but it seems certain, from the forbearance which the Hungarians exercised towards the religious opinions of those whom they had subjugated, that they did not exterminate the true faith. The constant terror with which the predominance of the Magyars inspired the Greek Government induced the latter to try if they could possibly obtain some permanent influence by religious conversion in the councils of their powerful neighbours. The crushing defeat which the Magyars had experienced at Wels in the year 994 emboldened the Byzantine Emperor to refuse his yearly tribute. The Magyars thereupon entered his dominions and forced him to come to terms. The Greek Government, in order to carry out the idea which we have just mentioned, requested the ruler of Hungary to send hostages to Byzantium as guarantee that they would not molest the Greek Empire. The Magyars readily agreed, and sent at first Bulcs, and subsequently the woiwode Gyula. These chiefs the Greek court loaded with honours, and, for the purpose of converting them to the Greek faith, raised them to the rank of patrician. Bulcs remained faithful to the creed of his fathers, but Gyula became a zealous convert, and on his return, after having persuaded his daughter to embrace his new religion, he married her to

Geiza. We are also informed that Gyula brought with him a monk, named Hierotheus, who induced many of his patron's friends to become Christians. The constant warfare in which the Hungarians were engaged left them little or no time to think of religion, but the terrible defeat which they experienced at Augsburg at the hands of Otto I. on August 10, 955, when they left on the field of battle 40,000 men (a great part of whom were drowned in the river Loch), had a most beneficial effect on their warlike proclivities. Hungarian writers state that of this army only seven men returned to their native country. The Duke of Hungary, Taksony, and his chiefs, saw the necessity of putting an end to this war, as the nation was not in a condition to stake everything in another battle. They therefore resolved in future to pursue a peaceful policy, and be on good terms with the neighbouring countries, but Taksony did not live long enough to carry out his wishes.

Geiza, who succeeded him, renewed the attempts to bring about a treaty of peace with the Emperor Otto. This the monarch declined to accede to unless the Hungarians would undertake for ever to discontinue their attacks on the German Empire, and he stated that the only means of ensuring this arrangement was the conversion of the Hungarians to the Catholic creed. In order to carry out his views, he despatched the Bishop of Verdun to the Hungarian court, where he knew that the friends of the late princess would assist the bishop in gaining over the Duke to his views. This seems to have been the case, for Geiza sent envoys to the Emperor for the purpose of concluding a permanent peace, which was agreed to, and Geiza undertook, not only to allow priests to enter and preach the new doctrines in his dominions, but also made himself responsible for their protection, and married a Catholic princess, Adelaide, sister of Micislaus,