Sharing the magic of music - There is no other way but Gods - King Stephen I.

Todays music is very likely completely unknown to you, it is a song from the hungarian rock opera King Stephen the first so this is not only a music post but a quick history class as well. It is about a very important part of our history - when the hungarians became christians. King Stephen or as we call him, István, a király, was christian (roman catholic), his relative, Koppány was still a pagan although he was baptized (eastern orthodox) for political reasons and symphatised with the Byzantine Empire, (also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire) while the young king Stephen was an ally of the germans, he even married a bavarian princess, Giselle of Bavaria. We see the scene when Stephens father has died (it is actually the funeral) and of course they start to fight who is to become the new monarch. Things are about to change in Hungary and Stephen stands for the new thing, the new order where the eldest son inherits the throne after his fathers death while Koppány stands for the older order where the eldest and wisest man of the family inherited the throne after the last monarch died. It is not clear how but Koppány was relaed to Stephens father, Géza.
So, enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXirFZh8ag0
It's not the best quality but the recording is about 30 years old.
The Lady at 0:31 is Bajorországi Gizella aka Giselle of Bavaria, Stephens wife and the people dressed in purple are the priests who are with Stephen. I think their looks tell quite well, who is the young prince brought up to be the first catholic king of Hungary and who is the pagan leader. :)
Here are some extre information if you are interested:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnatic_seniority

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopp%C3%A1ny

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_I_of_Hungary


Here is my translation of the text (it is a word to word translation mostly so there may be some parts that do not make any sense in english, if something is not understandable, just ask, if is somehow funny, just tell me :) ):
STEPHEN:
My Lord, you called my father to you
My Lord, this sorrow is inmeasurable
The tomb is so silent, there are no words to speak
The heart is broken under this weight.

Now my father is here
his spirit is up with the stars
the land is abandoned, he was so wise
And I do not know yet what he knew

My Lord, you thought calling him to you is the right thing
The will that can make decisions like that is holy/ hallow???
And I, when I ask why this sudden,
there is silence, no one answers

But I, Stephen, your descendant,
I swear that you can count on me
This tomb is not the end, I guard your soul, (I'm not sure what it means, maybe that he keeps his fathers memory alive)
As long as I live, I will continue your work.

KOPPÁNY:
Not so fast Stephen, 
What do you think you are doing?
You are so week, every wind can carry you away (it is only a metapher to show that he is too young and weak to be king)
This land needs a strong man as a guardian
think it over and admit, Vajk, you are not the right one and be modest! (Vajk is the name Stephen had before he became a Christian)

According to Ancient Law Géza's throne is rightfully mine
Árpád's blood, hey!
According to Ancient Law, I'll be elected king
Even you have to respect the law of our ancestors!

CROWD:

||: Koppány, Koppány!
Koppány, Koppány!
Koppány, Koppány!
Koppány, Koppány! :|| ||: ... :||

STEPHEN:
Beware, Koppány, you took an oath to my father
to accept your place
you gave up on Ancient Law so I can be king
was it only cowardice?

KOPPÁNY:
Géza's dead
and his throne is rightfully mine
Árpád's people, hey!
Nobody can trample on our Ancestors Law 
10 000  armed men will elect me if needed

CROWD:

||: Koppány, Koppány!
Stephen, Stephen!
Koppány, Koppány!
Stephen, Stephen! :||

STEPHEN:
My Lord, you know the secrets of my soul
You know that I do not hunger for power
Help me now, My lord, help my people, 
help me protect this land

There is no other way but Gods, whatever it may bring
There is no stronger power in this world
I swear on my fathers grave, I'll be faithful to Him
and I won't back off fighting


The hungarian text for those who are interested. I put it into google translator out of curiosity and it made up some really... interesting things. It's because hungarian is so different from english and this text uses lots of metaphers and symbols and even ancient or at least words and phrases that are not often used.

ISTVÁN:
Uram, magadhoz szólítád az én atyám.
Uram, oly mérhetetlen bánat szállt reám.
A sír oly hallgatag, a szó is fennakad,
A szív majd megszakad e súly alatt.

Ím, hát itt fekszik előttem jó atyám.
Lelke fenn jár már a csillagok nyomán.
A föld most elhagyott, e népnek bölcse volt,
És én még nem tudom, mit ő tudott.

Uram, te jónak láttad elszólítani.
Szent az akarat, mely így tud dönteni.
És én, ha kérdezem, mért ily hirtelen,
Hallgat, s nem felel senki sem.

De én, István akit nemzettél atyám,
Én most esküszöm, hogy számíthatsz reám.
E sír el nem temet, én őrzöm lelkedet,
Míg élek, folytatom a művedet.

KOPPÁNY:
Megállj István!
Mondd csak, mit képzelsz magadról?!
Gyenge vagy még, elfúj minden szél.
Erős kézzel kell az országot vigyázni.
Szállj magadba, Vajk, és légy szerény!

Ősi joggal engem illet Géza trónja,
Árpád vére, hej!
Ősi joggal engem választ most az ország.
Őseink törvényét néked is tisztelned kell.

TÖMEG:
||: Koppány, Koppány!
Koppány, Koppány!
Koppány, Koppány!
Koppány, Koppány! :|| ||: ... :||

ISTVÁN:
Koppány, vigyázz! Esküt tettél jó atyámnak,
Elfogadtad akkor a helyed.
Ősi jogról lemondtál az én javamra,
Gyávaságból tettél volna így?

KOPPÁNY:
Géza meghalt és a trónja engem illet,
Árpád népe, hej!
Ősi törvényt sárba nem tiporhat senki.
Tízezer fegyveres választ meg engem, ha kell.

TÖMEG:
||: Koppány, Koppány!
István, István!
Koppány, Koppány!
István, István! :||

ISTVÁN:
Uram, te ismered a lelkem titkait,
Tudod, hogy engem hatalomvágy nem vakít.
Segíts most Istenem, segítsd meg nemzetem,
Segíts az országot megvédenem!

Nincs más út, csak az Isten útja, bármit hoz reánk.
E földön nála nincs nagyobb erő.
Atyám sírjára esküszöm hogy hozzá hű leszek,
És nem hátrálok meg a harc elől.