Legenda maior Sancti Stephani regis
The Threat of Invasion
King Stephen prepares to defend Hungary against the invading Emperor Conrad.
After this, when Henry the Pious—Roman Emperor and relative of the blessed king through his wife—had died, Conrad was elected emperor by the Germans. He shattered the peace, gathered all of Germany's forces, and attempted to invade the borders of Pannonia. Against him the king, after taking counsel with the bishops and the princes, drew together the armed men of all Hungary to defend the homeland.
The King's Prayer
Stephen humbly prays to the Virgin Mary, entrusting the kingdom to her care, and then confidently marches to battle.
But first, remembering that he could do nothing without Christ's help, he lifted his hands and heart to heaven and, entrusting the wrongs done against him to his Lady, the perpetual Virgin, Mary Mother of God, cried out: "If it pleases you, Lady of the world, that your inheritance be laid waste by enemies and the young planting of Christianity be wiped out, I pray that it not be charged to my negligence, but rather to the ordering of your will." If it is the shepherd's fault, let him pay what he deserves; spare the innocent sheep, I pray. After he said this, as if consoled by her, he confidently set out against the enemy.
Divine Deliverance
The German army mysteriously withdraws, Stephen gives thanks, and the emperor refrains from further invasion out of fear of God.
Soon the next day, a messenger came to each of the German commanders in the camp, as if sent by the emperor, and brought them orders to return.1 As the enemies withdrew, the saint, realizing that he had been visited by God's mercy, prostrated himself on the ground before Christ and His Mother and gave thanks, and with constant prayers entrusted himself and the care of the kingdom to her protection.2 But the emperor, terrified by the sudden desertion of his men and asking how it had happened, and seeing that their return had truly been brought about by the counsel of God to strengthen the hope of the most faithful king, did not doubt it; and from then on, held back by fear of the eternal Judge, he refrained from invading his kingdom.3
Read the original Latin
Accidit post hec defuncto beati regis per sociam cognato, Romane dignitatis augusto Heinrico pio, Cuonradum imperatorie potestatis per Germannorum electionem assumere, qui destructa pacis tranquillitate, totius Teutonie manu coadunata Pannonie terminos hostiliter conatus est invadere. Contra quem rex consultum habens episcoporum et principum, ad tuendam patriam armatos totius Ungarie contraxit. Prius tamen recolens se nichil posse sine suffragio Christi, manus et cor lævans ad æthera, domine sue, perpetue virgini, Dei genitrici Marie iniurias commendans, talem erupit in vocem: ,,Si placet tibi, domina mundi, tue hereditatis ab inimicis devastari et novellam plantationem christianitatis aboleri, non mee, precor, imputetur desidie, sed potius dispositioni voluntatis tue. Si pastoris culpa, quod meretur, ipse luat, insontibus parce, precor, ovibus.'' His dictis quasi consolatus ab ea fiducialiter adversus hostem iter arripuit. Altera mox die nuncius ad unumquemque ducem Germanorum in castra, cæu missus ab imperatore venit, qui eis redæundi mandatum detulit. Regredientibus adversariis, ubi sanctus respectu miserationis Dei se visitatum intelligens, Christo sueque genitrici terre prostratus gratias egit, cuius se cum regni provisione tutamini precibus assiduis commendavit. Imperator vero suorum tam repentina perterritus defectione, sciscitans, qualiter res facta fuerit, cern<ensque> reversio<es> eorum fuisse veraciter per consilium divinitatis ad corroborandam regis fidelissimi spem factum non dubitavit, seque dehinc ab invasione regni eius timore iudicis æterni detentus abstinuit.
Notes
Legenda maior Sancti Stephani regis (Major Legend of Saint Stephen) companion
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