Gyula (title)

The etymology of the word is disputed. It is often traditionally considered of Turkic origin, however other etymological explanations have recently been proposed, as both Hungarian as well as Turkish share ancestral - linguistic similarities. According to Lóránd Benkő, the word originates from Old Turkic, where it can be found as a personal- (altaic: Kaltanjula), genus- (Bulgar: Дуло - Dulo) and tribal (Pecheneg: Yula, Bashkir: Yulaman) name. It was transferred as a title in the Hungarian language, presumably from the Khazar language. Benkő assumed a *ǰula form derived from a Turkic word meaning 'torch'. Related words of Turkic origin can be found in the Hungarian language: gyúl (to catch fire, to be ignited) cf. West Old Turkic: *jul; East Old Turkic: *yul. András Róna-Tas and Árpád Berta also consider the latter to be Turkic. On the other hand, Dániel Németh suggested that the word may have Uralic origins, due to Hungarian influences reaching even the far Easts. He derives it from the Finno-Ugric *ćȣlkɜ-, *ćȣ̈lkɜ- (shines, gleam, glitter) and the Ugric*čittɜ- (shine, illuminate) words. This theory was criticized by János B. Szabó and Balázs Sudár: "Recently, Dániel Németh presented a strongly hypothetical etymological proposal based on both a Turkic and Finno-Ugric linguistic background, deviating from historical data." == The gyulas in the 9th century ==

The first data of the title, recorded by Ibn Rusta and Gardizi, can be traced back to the earlier works of Abu Abdallah al-Jayhani. The major one, called kende (or künde), enjoyed nominal leadership, while effective power was exercised by his colleague, inferior in rank, called the gyula. This peculiar form of governance (‘dual kingship’) is generally supposed to have been imitative of the Khazar Khaganate, which did indeed have a similar organization. However, the only thing that the Muslim sources tell us is that the gyula was in charge of the military matters of the tribal confederation; whereas there existed a legitimate ruler (the kende) who had little influence on army-related issues. == The gyulas in the 10th-11th centuries ==

Following the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin around 896, the title gyula can be found in the De administrando imperio ("On the Governance of the Empire") written by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. in Constantinople in the mid-10th century. According to Ioannes Skylitzes, Gyula stayed true to his new faith and took a missionary bishop, Hierotheos, with him. A Slavic source also contains related information. The almost contemporary Annales Hildesheimenses ("The Annals of Hildesheim") recorded for 1003 that "King Stephen of Hungary led an army against his maternal uncle, King Gyula" and "obliged his country by force to adopt the Christian faith". == Persons named Gyula in the Hungarian chronicles ==

The Gesta Hungarorum written by an anonymous author The anonymous writer of the Gesta Hungarorum ("The Deeds of the Hungarians") was the first Hungarian chronicler who compiled the list of the seven Hungarian conqueror chiefs around 1210. According to the author of the Gesta, Zombor (Zubor) was the father of the younger Gyula (Geula/Gyla). The Gesta also narrates that Tétény occupied the land of Transylvania from the Vlach (Romanian) Duke Gelou; neither Tétény nor Gelou are mentioned in other primary sources. 'The family tree of the gyulas according to the anonymous author of the Gesta Hungarorum:' Tétény (Tuhutum) ♂ │ Horka (Horca) ♂ ┌───────────────────┴──────────────────────┐ Gyula (Gyyla/Geula) ♂ Zombor (Zubor) ♂ ┌───────────┴──────────┐ │ Karold (Caroldu) ♀ Sarolt (Saroltu) ♀ Gyula the Younger (Geula/Gyla) ♂ ∞ Géza ♂ ┌─────────┴────────┐ │ Bolya (Bua/Biua) ♂ Bonyha (Bucna) ♂ Stephen I ♂ │ │ Maglód kindred (genus Maglout) The Gesta Hungarorum written by Simon of Kéza Simon of Kéza, who wrote his Gesta Hungarorum between 1280 and 1285, inserted Gyula /Iula/ in connection to Transylvania in the list of the seven Hungarian conqueror chiefs. He, as opposed to the anonymous writer of the Gesta Hungarorum, wrote not about two but only one Gyula. The Chronicon Pictum The chronicle increased the members of the Gyula family with the same name to three. However, it caused a problem for the author to separate these three persons. The chronicle attributes the finding of the ruins of Gyulafehérvár (in Hungarian, ‘Gyula’s White Castle’; Apulum in Roman Dacia, now Alba Iulia, Romania) to the conqueror Gyula. In a later chapter, the chronicle tells the story of Stephen's campaign against Gyula and the annexation of Gyula's territory (Transylvania) to the Kingdom of Hungary. 'The family tree of the Gyula family according to the Chronicon Pictum:' Gyula I ♂ ┌──────────┴─────────┐ Sarolt ♀ Gyula II ♂ ∞ Géza ♂ │ Gyula III ♂ ==The list of the gyulas==

, depicted in the Illuminated Chronicle The list of persons who held the gyula office is still subject to debate. who was later considered to be the ancestor of the dynasty that ruled Hungary until 1301. The Slavic source narrating the baptism of the Gyula in Constantinople in the middle of the 10th century mentions that his baptismal name was Stefan. According to the chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg (975-1018), the name of King Stephen's uncle whose country was occupied by the Hungarian king in 1003 was Procui. The following is the list of the gyulas supposed by modern historians: • Kurszán (before 894–902) or Árpád (before 894–902/after 902) • "Gyula I" or an unknown member of the Árpád dynasty (?–?); "Gyula I" may be identical to Kurszán • "Gyula II" (c. 952/953); his baptismal name was Stefan • "Gyula III" (c. 980 – c. 1003); his name may have been Procui == See also ==