Stephen I

also Saint Stephen (c. 975 –1038 AD), was the first King of Hungary from 1000 or 1001 until his death in 1038. Stephen established at least one archbishopric, six bishoprics and three Benedictine monasteries; thus the Church in Hungary developed independently of the archbishops of the Holy Roman Empire. He encouraged the spread of Christianity with severe punishments for ignoring Christian customs. Hungary, which enjoyed a lasting period of peace during his reign, became a preferred route for pilgrims and merchants traveling between Western Europe and the Holy Land or Constantinople. He survived all of his children. His death caused civil wars, which lasted for decades. Stephen is a popular saint in Hungary and the neighboring territories.