Stephen I, also known as
King Saint Stephen (; ; ; 975 – 15 August 1038 AD), was the last
Grand Prince of the Hungarians between 997 and 1000 or 1001, and the first
King of Hungary from 1000 or 1001 until his death in 1038. The year of his birth is uncertain, but many details of his life suggest that he was born in or after 975 in
Esztergom. At his birth, he was given the pagan name
Vajk. The date of his baptism is unknown. He was the only son of Grand Prince
Géza and his wife,
Sarolt, who was descended from the prominent family of the
gyulas. Although both of his parents were baptized, Stephen was the first member of
his family to become a devout Christian. He married
Gisela of Bavaria, a scion of the imperial
Ottonian dynasty.