Editing Ajtony (section)

=={{anchor|Ajtony in the primary sources}}In primary sources==
[[Image:Ahtum sermon03 01.png|thumb|right |alt=Map depicting Ajtony's realm bordered by the Kingdom of Hungary, the Transylvanian duchy of Gyula and a duchy of one Sermon| Ajtony's realm]]
[[Image:Portrayal of Stephen I, King of Hungary on the coronation pall.jpg|thumb|right |alt=A gilded cloat depicting a bearded man with large eyes wearing royal insignia |Stephen I of Hungary, whose army conquered Ajtony's realm, on the Hungarian coronation pall (made in 1031)]]

The principal source of Ajtony's life is the ''[[Long Life of Saint Gerard]]'', compiled from a number of earlier sources in the early 14th century.{{sfn|Curta|2001|p=142}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=130}} According to modern historians (including [[Carlile Aylmer Macartney]] and Florin Curta), all information on Ajtony incorporated into the ''Long Life'' was based on a ballad about the heroic deeds of [[Csanád]]—Ajtony's former commander-in-chief—because a shorter version of Bishop [[Gerard of Csanád]]'s life does not mention Ajtony.{{sfn|Curta|2001|p=142}}{{sfn|Macartney|1953|p=158}} Most historians agree that the ballad was composed shortly after Ajtony's death.{{sfn|Curta|2001|p=142}}{{sfn|Macartney|1953|p=158}} In addition to the ''Long Life'', Ajtony is mentioned in the ''Gesta Hungarorum'';{{sfn|Curta|2001|p=143}} the Hungarian chronicle was written after around 1150.{{sfn|Pop|1996|pp=76, 129–130}} According to the ''Gesta'', Ajtony was descended from [[Glad (duke)|Glad]] (in the same source, lord of the Banat); however, its credibility is questioned.{{sfn|Curta|2001|pp=144–145}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=130}}{{sfn|Macartney|1953|p=79}}{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=79}} In a 1499 sermon the [[Franciscan]] [[Osvát Laskai]] wrote{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=130}} that Ajtony was from the [[Nyírség]] region, but no evidence exists to indicate that Laskai knew his place of birth.{{sfn|Györffy|2000|p=164}}

Ajtony's name, recorded in the earliest sources as "Ohtun" or "Achtum", is of [[Turkic languages|Turkic]] origin.{{sfn|Hosszú|2012|p=125}}{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=32}} According to linguist Loránd Benkő, his name is rooted in the Turkic word for golden ''(altun)'' and changed in [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]].{{sfn|Hosszú|2012|p=125}}{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=32}} Place names also echo his name; an abbey named Ahtunmonustura (Ajtony's monastery) existed in [[Csanád County]] and a village (Ahthon) in [[Krassó County]], and a settlement named [[Aiton, Cluj|Aiton]] exists in Romania.{{sfn|Györffy|1987a|p=846}}{{sfn|Györffy|1987b|pp=341, 471}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=139}}

According to the ''Long Life'', Ajtony's seat was a stronghold on the Mureș ''(urbs Morisena)''.{{sfn|Pop|1996|pp=130–131}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=130}}{{sfn|Sălăgean|2005|p=148}} His realm extended from the Criș in the north to the Danube in the south, and from the Tisza in the west to [[Transylvania]] in the east.{{sfn|Sălăgean|2005|p=148}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}} Ajtony was a wealthy ruler who owned horses, cattle and sheep,{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}}{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=41}} and was powerful enough to establish customs offices and guards along the Mureș and tax salt carried to Stephen I of Hungary on the river.{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}}{{sfn|Curta|2001|p=250}}

Originally a pagan, Ajtony was baptised according to the Greek rite in [[Vidin]].{{sfn|Stephenson|2000|p=65}}{{sfn|Curta|2006|p=248}} Shortly after his baptism, he established a [[Eastern Christian monasticism#Byzantine monasticism|monastery for Greek monks]] at his seat which was dedicated to [[John the Baptist]].{{sfn|Curta|2006|p=248}} Ajtony remained polygamous, with seven wives after his baptism.{{sfn|Bóna|1994|p=127}}{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=41}} In the ''Long Life'' Ajtony "had taken his power from the Greeks",{{sfn|Curta|2006|p=248}} suggesting that he accepted the Byzantine emperor's suzerainty.{{sfn|Berend|Urbańczyk|Wiszewski|2013|p=149}}

Ajtony's commander-in-chief was Csanád, described in the ''Gesta Hungarorum'' as the "son of Doboka and nephew"<ref name="Anonymus_11_33">''Anonymus, Notary of King Béla: The Deeds of the Hungarians'' (ch. 11.), p. 33.</ref> of King Stephen.{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=145}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}} Accused of conspiring against Ajtony, Csanád fled to Stephen; the king prepared to conquer Ajtony's realm,{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}} placing Csanád at the head of a large army.{{sfn|Curta|2006|p=250}} After crossing the Tisza, the royal army engaged Ajtony's troops but was forced to withdraw.{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}} In a second battle, Stephen's army routed Ajtony's troops near modern [[Banatsko Aranđelovo]] or at [[Tomnatic]].{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=32}}{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=131}} Csanád killed Ajtony, either on the battlefield (according to the ''Long Life'') or in his stronghold on the Mureș (according to the ''Gesta Hungarorum'').<ref name="Makkai_B_a_W_H">{{cite web |last=Makkai |first=László |title=Transylvania in the medieval Hungarian kingdom (896–1526); From the Hungarian Conquest to the Mongol invasion; White and Black Hungarians |publisher=Columbia University Press |date=2001 |url=http://mek.oszk.hu/03400/03407/html/69.html |access-date=17 November 2014}}</ref> In the ''Long Life'' Csanád cut out Ajtony's tongue after his death, enabling him to prove that he had killed Ajtony (and exposing Gyula, who had taken credit for the deed in Stephen's presence).<ref name="Makkai_B_a_W_H"/> Archaeologist István Erdélyi said that the [[Treasure of Sânnicolau Mare]], excavated near Ajtony's seat, was connected to the ruler; however, his view has not been universally accepted by scholars.{{sfn|Hosszú|2012|p=125}}{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=33}}

King Stephen granted large estates to Csanád in the lands Ajtony had ruled.{{sfn|Curta|2001|p=142}} Ajtony's stronghold, now known as [[Cenad]] ({{langx|hu|Csanád}}), was named for Stephen's commander.{{sfn|Pop|1996|p=132}} The king also appointed Csanád the head (or ''[[ispán]]'') of the [[Csanád County|county]] made up of Ajtony's former realm.{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=145}} Stephen established a [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Szeged–Csanád|Roman Catholic diocese in Cenad]],{{sfn|Sălăgean|2005|p=149}} with the Venetian monk Gerard its first bishop.{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=33}} The Greek monks from Cenad were transferred to a new monastery built by Csanád at Banatsko Aranđelovo.{{sfn|Bóna|1994|pp=127–128}} Ajtony's descendants owned land in the region, indicating that King Stephen had not confiscated all of his predecessor's domain.{{sfn|Szegfű|1994|p=33}}