Arpád

Arpád, dynasty of Hungarian rulers founded by Arpád (c.840–907), around whose life countless heroic legends are woven. In 890 he became chief of the Magyars and 6 years later led the conquest of Hungary and proceeded to lay the foundations for a strong, centralized state. His successors ruled as dukes of Hungary and replaced the predominantly nomadic Magyar culture by one based on agriculture and firm central rule.