Vata pagan uprising
Vata pagan uprising
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Vata pagan uprising

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Vata pagan uprising

The Vata pagan uprising (Hungarian: Vata-féle lázadás) was a Hungarian rebellion which, in 1046, brought about the overthrow of King Peter Urseolo, the martyrdom of Bishop Gerard of Csanád (Hungarian: Gellért) and the reinstatement of the Árpád dynasty on the Hungarian throne.

Christianity had been introduced in Hungary by King Stephen I of Hungary. Upon his death in 1038, he was succeeded by his sororal nephew Peter Urseolo, a Venetian noble. Through tax increases, and Urseolo's involvement with foreign powers, he proved to be an unpopular ruler. The Hungarian peasants, still largely pagan, suspected he was intent on bringing Hungary into the fold of the Holy Roman Empire. In a rebellion in 1041, Stephen's brother-in-law Samuel Aba took control of the throne, overthrowing Urseolo. Urseolo fled to Bavaria, in exile allying himself with German king and Holy Roman Emperor Henry III.

In the years that followed, Aba's reign weakened, likely due to opposition from the church, who disliked his catering to pagan beliefs. With support from Henry, Peter Urseolo returned to Hungary in 1044, defeating Aba at the Battle of Ménfő. Urseolo regained the throne, but Hungary became a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire, though it was not to remain so for long. However, his second reign would prove to be even more short-lived than his first.

Andrew (András in Hungarian), Béla and Levente were the sons of Vazul, cousin of Saint Stephen. During the reign of Samuel Aba, they had fled the country in fear of their lives, Béla to Poland and András and Levente to Kiev. In 1046, András and Levente returned to Újvár (today: Abaújvár) in Hungary from their exile and quickly gained popular support for the throne, especially among the pagan populace, despite the fact that András was Christian (Levente had remained pagan). On their return, a rebellion began, which András and Levente initially supported.

The pagan Vata (or Vatha), lord of the castle of Békés and leader of a Hungarian tribe in Körösvidék was a longstanding enemy of the king. He adopted Christianity to preserve his positions, but continued to practice paganism.

...Vata was the name of who first offered himself to the devil, shaved off his head, and left three pigtails according to the pagan custom...

— Márk Kálti: Illuminated Chronicle

When the opportunity came, he started the uprising of the masses which quickly spread to all of Eastern Hungary. He had the intention of destroying Christianity in Hungary.

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