Koppány
Koppány, also called Cupan was a Hungarian lord in the late 10th century and leader of pagans opposing the Christianization of Hungary. As the duke of Somogy, he laid claim to the throne based on the traditional idea of seniority, but was defeated and executed by Stephen (born with the pagan name Vajk), son of the previous grand prince Géza.
| Koppány | |
|---|---|
Execution of Koppány as depicted in the Illuminated Chronicle | |
| Duke of Somogy | |
| Reign | After 972 - 997 or 998 |
| Predecessor | Zerind the Bald (?) |
| Successor | None |
| Born | Before 965 |
| Died | 997 or 998 Near Veszprém or in Somogy |
| Dynasty | Árpád dynasty |
| Father | Zerind the Bald |
According to modern scholars' consensus view, he was a member of the royal Árpád dynasty. Koppány was the lord of the southern region of Transdanubia during the reign of Géza, 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. His claim was mainly supported by pagan Hungarians, but the royal army routed his army near Veszprém 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, Győr, Veszprém, Esztergom and Gyulafehérvár (now Alba Iulia, Romania).