Kurszán

Kurszán (died 904) was, according to Hungarian chronicles, one of the joint leaders of the Magyar (Hungarian) tribes during their migration to the Carpathian Basin in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. He shared leadership responsibilities with Árpád.

Historical accounts of Kurszán are fragmented and often contradictory, appearing primarily in later Hungarian chronicles like the Gesta Hungarorum (Deeds of the Hungarians). These chronicles, written centuries after the events they describe, are considered to be of questionable reliability for details about this period.

Kurszán's role seems to have been related to military leadership and potentially associated with the earlier Kabar tribal confederation that joined the Magyars. The chronicles portray him as a leader separate from Árpád, suggesting a dual leadership structure amongst the migrating Magyars. This dual leadership might reflect a division of responsibilities or the amalgamation of different tribal groups.

Kurszán's death is described in the Gesta Hungarorum as occurring during a feast hosted by Bavarians, where he was allegedly ambushed and killed. This event is said to have solidified Árpád's position as the sole leader of the Magyars and paved the way for the conquest of Pannonia.

Due to the limited and potentially unreliable nature of the sources, much about Kurszán's life, origins, and exact role within the Magyar tribal structure remains uncertain. His existence as a significant figure in the early history of Hungary is generally accepted, but the specific details of his leadership are subject to scholarly debate and conjecture.