Kökényes

Based on his name, Kökényes was presumably born into the gens (clan) Kökényesradnót of Hispanic or French origin.[1] Historian Gyula Pauler identified his person with that provost Quuchinus, who appears in an undated royal charter, when King Géza II confirmed his father's donations to the Csatár Abbey.[2]

Only one reliable source, the Kievan Chronicle (or Annals of Kiev) mentioned his primacy.[3] According to its narrative, when Géza II led his army against Volodimirko of Halych in the autumn of 1150, he captured Sanok, but Volodimirko bribed the group of Hungarian noblemen, including Archbishop "Kuknis" (Hungarian: Kuknyis), who persuaded Géza to leave Halych before November. The narration reflects Kökényes' secular influence in the Hungarian royal court.[2]

"Volodimir[ko] [...] scared and sent [his envoys] to Archbishop Kuknis [Kökényes] and to two other bishops and the king's [Géza II] men. He persuaded them in this manner: he gave them a great deal of gold and won them over with gifts, so that the king would turn back. And so they were telling [that]. The king listened them and began to say: «This is not the time [for war], the rivers are icing. Let's go home, before the rivers freeze over completely. [...]» It was around the feast day of Demetrius [26 October]. The king said this and had gone, causing a lot of troubles to Volodimir and his land."

— Kievan Chronicle[4]

According to a non-authentic charter, which is allegedly dated to 1145, Kökényes (now "Quinquenus") was already serving as Archbishop of Esztergom in that year. However the document (a royal donation letter), which proved to be a 15th-century forgery, contains several anachronistic elements and its witness list reflects the 1148–50 political and archontological snapshot.[2] Kökényes possibly died either in 1150 or 1151 after a brief episcopal activity, as Martyrius succeeded him in 1151.[5]