Munster's wait for silverware is finally over after weathering the second half Storm in Cape Town.
John Hodnett's 75th minute try, the culmination of a superb attacking move from halfway, put the Reds in front and Jack Crowley's conversion pushed his side five points clear.
In a dramatic finish, Crowley was sent to the sin bin as Munster conceded penalties close to their own line but, fittingly, Tadhg Beirne won a turnover penalty as the clock turned into the red and Reds dreams were suddenly reality.
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It was enough and, after 12 long years of frustration, the Munster players and staff celebrated with abandon, along with the 2,500 supporters who made the long trip to be there.
Head coach Graham Rowntree held his head in his hands as the final whistle went. It was a remarkable finale to his first season in the hot seat, all the more so given the poor start to the season the province endured.
Ironically the last 16 Champions Cup exit to the Sharks proved the catalyst to a sensational final run on the road, with Munster beating Glasgow, Leinster and then the Stormers away from home to clinch the title.
Peter O'Mahony, who wasn't in the matchday squad for the 2011 Magners League final triumph over Leinster, came off with a head injury in the 34th minute.
But the 33-year-old skipper was ecstatic as he lifted the trophy with fellow veteran Keith Earls - and after his team-mates fought with everything they had to keep the Stormers from successfully defending their title.
Before Hodnett's try the fear was that the Reds would spend the summer deeply regretting not capitalising on a dominant first half. A 12-7 lead at the break was not a deserved reward for their efforts.
In fact, after a frenetic start Munster handed their rivals the gift of a sixth minute try.
The Reds were going places when Antoine Frisch tried to force a pass to Diarmuid Barron out of the tackle.
But he threw forward and straight into the grateful hands of Manie Libbok and the out-half cantered in under the posts before tapping over the easy conversion.
Commendably, Munster didn't waste time in getting back into it. Crowley penalised the Stormers for going offside by producing a superb kick to the corner.
The lineout maul came close to working out but with Libbok offside, Crowley had another chance to kick to the corner and this time the Reds capitalised with hooker Barron finishing the drive in the 10th minute.
Crowley missed the conversion but the province were right back in it, and they proceeded to dominate after Stormers no 8 Evan Roos was binned for blatant offside after Crowley's magnificent break.
Munster went to their lineout again and Gavin Coombes touched down for what he thought was a try, but Italian ref Andrea Piardi harshly ruled the no 8's momentum had halted and he grounded after a double movement.
Next it was Shane Daly to have a try chalked off after two Conor Murray box-kicks worked out, the magnificent Malakai Fekitoa trucked it up and Mike Haley chipped and chased before Frisch knocked on.
Then Haley got over in the corner but, rightly, it didn't count. O'Mahony superbly picked up Crowley's loose, skidding pass but his pass to Haley out of the tackle went forward.
They did make the breakthrough on the half hour. Another patient attacking move saw Crowley's cross-kick bounce perfectly for Calvin Nash and the winger dived in under the posts, with Crowley adding the extras for a 12-7 lead.
The Stormers had been disappointing but instantly picked up the tempo and physicality.
Fekitoa responded with a big tackle that hurt Deon Fourie but it was O'Mahony who had to go off for a HIA and he didn't return.
RG Snyman came on into the second row, with Beirne reverted to the blindside flanker role.
Coombes was again harshly treated when pinged at the ruck, setting up a Stormers push for a try at the end of the half, but Barron's turnover aided Munster's cause and the Reds held their lead at the break.
O'Mahony's presence was missed from the restart. Libbok had the chance to reduce the deficit to two points just two minutes into the second half when Snyman was caught on the wrong side of the ruck but the out-half fired wide.
The province were back under pressure when Jean Kleyn strayed offside and the Stormers went to their lineout maul. Munster kept their nerve, with Frisch scrambling to win back possession.
But still the men in blue threatened and last man Haley was yellow carded for taking out Angelo Davids - with his head - after the winger hacked through.
Another penalty concession soon followed, with Crowley and Hodnett both guilty, and the Stormers went to the corner again.
Munster's maul defence had worked very well up until that point but this time the Stormers would not be denied and Fourie crashed over. Libbok's conversion put his side back in front.
A patient build-up saw the Reds fight their way back into the Stormers' 22 and when Joseph Dweba went offside, another lineout drive was on but Jeremy Loughman was judged to have got ahead of Barron in possession and the chance was lost.
Back came the Stormers and Munster grittily survived on their own line, with Coombes clearing downfield as both sides felt the punishing toll of the end to end narrative.
Ben Healy's introduction to the game was almost a disastrous one, but he got away with a poor crosskick straight to Dan du Plessis - and outstanding Munster defence prevented a killer third try for the hosts to leave it up for grabs heading into the last 10 minutes.
And the effort proved crucial, as the visitors came up with an unstoppable move that resulted in Haley's skip pass to the left wing and Hodnett powering over.
Crowley's kick split the posts but he was binned soon after. However Munster clung on successfully for a famous victory.
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