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Face Value : 50,000 Forint (2 Ducats) Metal: .986 gold .9 Weight: 6.982 g Size: 22mm Quality: Proof Mintage: 5,000 Price: $395.00* *Subject to gold & US$ price St. Stephen’s Admonitions to St. Imre one of the seminal events in Hungary’s long history–the instructions given by the nation’s founding king, St. Stephen (Istvan) to his only son, Prince Emeric (Imre). The coin conforms to the traditional Hungarian gold ducat standard: The 2 Ducat is 50,000 forints and is offered subject to prior sale.
King Stephen's deeds were always governed by ethics. He outlined his principles in his Admonitions to his son, Prince Emeric as he sought to prepare for his succession. Among them: If you wish honor of kingship, be peace-loving. Rule over all without anger, pride, or hatred, but with love, tenderness, humanity. Remember always that each one of us has the same standing: nothing exalts a man but humility, nothing humiliates more than haughtiness and hatred... Peace loving monarchs rule, the rest only tyrannize. Be patient toward all, influential and destitute alike.
My beloved son, delight of my heart, hope of your posterity, I pray, I command, that at very time and in everything, strengthened by your devotion to me, you may show favor not only to relations and kin, or to the most eminent, be they leaders or rich men or neighbors or fellow-countrymen, but also to foreigners and to all who come to you. ... Be merciful to all who are suffering violence... Be patient with everyone, not only with the powerful, but also with the weak... Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honorable so that you never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone.
Organized into ten separate chapters, many parts of the Admonitions are still relevant today. Their tone is moderate but firm, suggesting Stephen's anxiety to thoroughly prepare his son for the throne.
Then, tragedy struck. While hunting in 1031, Prince Imre was killed by a wild boar. His father was never the same and could find no relative capable of replacing Imre. Both father and son were canonized by Pope Gregory VII on August 20, 1083.
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