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Birth:          ABT  950 
Death:          ABT  996 

Notes
d 976/978
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_of_Hungary
Michael (Hungarian: Mihály;[1] after 960–995 or c. 997) was a member of the House of 
Árpád, a younger son of Taksony, Grand Prince of the Hungarians. Most details of his 
life are uncertain. Almost all kings of Hungary after 1046 descended from him.[2]

According to the Hungarian historian, György Györffy, Michael received a ducatus or 
duchy from his brother, Grand Prince Géza. Slovak historians specify that he 
administered the "Duchy of Nitra" between around 971 and 997. However, neither of 
these theories have universally been accepted by historians.
Life[edit]

Anonymus, the unknown author of the late 12th-century Gesta Hungarorum narrates 
that Michael's father, Taksony took his wife "from the land of the Cumans".[3][4] 
However, the lands which were dominated by the Cumans at Anonymus's time had 
been controlled by the Pechenegs up until the 1050s.[5] Accordingly, Györffy 
proposes that Taksony's wife was the daughter of a Pecheneg tribal leader.[5] Other 
historians, including Zoltán Kordé[4] and Gyula Kristó,[6] say that Anonymous's report 
may refer either to her Khazar or to her Volga Bulgarian origin.

Michael was Taksony's younger son.[7] Györffy writes that he was still a minor when 
he was baptized around 972.[8] He received baptism together with his elder brother, 
Géza, who succeeded their father as Grand Prince around that time.[9] Michael was 
named after the Archangel Michael.[8] According to Györffy, the frequent use of the 
name "Béla" by his descendants – four kings and two dukes from the House of Árpád 
bore this name – implies that it was Michael's original pagan name.[10] He also writes 
that the "a" ending of his name excludes that it was borrowed from a Slavic language, 
because "a" is a feminine ending in these languages.[10] Instead he proposes, that 
the name derived from the Turkic bojla title.[10]

According to Györffy, Michael was a close ally of his brother, since there is no proof 
that their relationship was ever tense.[11] Therefore, Györffy continues, Géza 
"probably gave one of the ducatus" in the Principality of Hungary to Michael, although 
there is no record of these events.[12] According to Steinhübel, Michael received the 
"Duchy of Nitra" around 971.[7] His colleague, Ján Lukacka, adds that it was Michael 
who broke "the resistance of the native nobles" in this duchy.[13]

Michael's fate is unknown; Györffy proposes that he either died before his brother 
(who died in 997) or renounced of his duchy in favor of Géza's son, Stephen, without 
resistance.[14] On the other hand, Steinhübel writes that Michael was murdered in 
995, an action "for which his brother Géza was probably responsible".[7] Lukacka 
likewise says that Michael "was killed, apparently, on the orders of" Géza.[15] Finally, 
Vladimír Segeš also says that Géza had Michael murdered, according to him between 
976 and 978, but he writes that Michael was succeeded by his own son, Ladislas the 
Bald.[16]

Family[edit]

The name of Michael's two sons, Vazul (Basil) and Ladislas have been preserved.[1]
[17] According to Györffy, "it is probable" that Michael's wife was related to Samuel of 
Bulgaria, because the names of his both sons were popular among Orthodox rulers, 
including the members of the Cometopuli family.[18] Györffy adds that Michael married 
his Bulgarian wife when he came of age around 980.[17] The following family tree 
presents Michael's ancestry and his offspring.[2]

Parents
OF HUNGARY Taksony (ABT  931 - ABT  972)
----- ----- ( 932 - )

Siblings
OF HUNGARY Michael (ABT  950 - ABT  996)

Marriage To OF POLAND Adelaide (ABT  952 - AFT  997)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ Mieszsko I (ABT  922 - 25 May  992)
----- ----- ()

Children by OF POLAND Adelaide ABT  952 - AFT  997
ARPAD Vazul (Basil) (Ladislas) "the Bald" (ABT  977 - 1037)

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