Maria Comnene (Queen of Hungary)
Encyclopedia
Maria Komnene Queen Consort of Hungary.
Maria was the youngest child of sebastokrator
Isaac Komnenos, the elder brother of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
, and his first wife, Theodora. Her father was a grandson of King Ladislaus I of Hungary (the princess Saint Piroska of Hungary
, the wife of Isaac's father John II Komnenos
, was Ladislaus I's daughter).
In 1153, she was engaged with Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
by his uncle, the Emperor Manuel I, but their engagement was broken off shortly afterwards. In 1156, her uncle married her to Duke Stephen
who had fled to his court following an unsuccessful rebellion against his brother, King Géza II of Hungary
.
After the death of King Géza II on 31 May 1162, the Emperor Manuel I prepared a campaign against Hungary in order to have her husband ascend the throne against the deceased king's son, King Stephen III
. However, the Hungarian barons elected her brother-in-law, Ladislaus II
king who granted one third of the Kingdom of Hungary to Maria's husband.
Following the sudden death of King Ladislaus II on 14 January 1163, her husband was proclaimed king; therefore Maria became the Queen Consort of Hungary. However, King Stephen IV was defeated on 19 June 1163 by his nephew, King Stephen III, and was obliged to flee again to the Byzantine Empire where he died while still struggling against his nephew on 11 April 1165.
Maria died in Constantinople.
(c. 1133 – 11 April 1165)
(They did not have any children.)
Maria was the youngest child of sebastokrator
Sebastokrator
Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers whose states bordered the Empire or were within its sphere of influence. The word is a compound of "sebastos" Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used...
Isaac Komnenos, the elder brother of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos was a Byzantine Emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history of Byzantium and the Mediterranean....
, and his first wife, Theodora. Her father was a grandson of King Ladislaus I of Hungary (the princess Saint Piroska of Hungary
Piroska of Hungary
Saint Irene of Hungary, born Piroska, was a daughter of Ladislaus I of Hungary and Adelaide of Swabia. Her maternal grandparents were Rudolf of Rheinfeld and his second wife Adelheid of Savoy. Adelheid was a daughter of Otto of Savoy and Adelaide of Turin. She was the mother of the future emperor...
, the wife of Isaac's father John II Komnenos
John II Komnenos
John II Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1118 to 1143. Also known as Kaloïōannēs , he was the eldest son of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Irene Doukaina...
, was Ladislaus I's daughter).
In 1153, she was engaged with Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
by his uncle, the Emperor Manuel I, but their engagement was broken off shortly afterwards. In 1156, her uncle married her to Duke Stephen
Stephen IV of Hungary
Stephen IV , King of Hungary . In his youth, he rebelled against his brother, King Géza II of Hungary and had to flee to the Court of the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel I Komnenos...
who had fled to his court following an unsuccessful rebellion against his brother, King Géza II of Hungary
Géza II of Hungary
Géza II , , King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Dalmatia and Rama . He ascended the throne as a child and during his minority the kingdom was governed by his mother and uncle...
.
After the death of King Géza II on 31 May 1162, the Emperor Manuel I prepared a campaign against Hungary in order to have her husband ascend the throne against the deceased king's son, King Stephen III
Stephen III of Hungary
Stephen III , King of Hungary King of Croatia and Dalmatia . He ascended the throne as a child and he had to stand up against his uncles who usurped the crown supported by the Byzantine Empire...
. However, the Hungarian barons elected her brother-in-law, Ladislaus II
Ladislaus II of Hungary
Ladislaus II , King of Hungary. As a younger son, he was able to ascend to the throne only with the assistance of the Byzantine Empire against his nephew, King Stephen III after his brother's death...
king who granted one third of the Kingdom of Hungary to Maria's husband.
Following the sudden death of King Ladislaus II on 14 January 1163, her husband was proclaimed king; therefore Maria became the Queen Consort of Hungary. However, King Stephen IV was defeated on 19 June 1163 by his nephew, King Stephen III, and was obliged to flee again to the Byzantine Empire where he died while still struggling against his nephew on 11 April 1165.
Maria died in Constantinople.
Marriage
# c. 1157: King Stephen IV of HungaryStephen IV of Hungary
Stephen IV , King of Hungary . In his youth, he rebelled against his brother, King Géza II of Hungary and had to flee to the Court of the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel I Komnenos...
(c. 1133 – 11 April 1165)
(They did not have any children.)
Sources
- Kristó Gyula - Makk Ferenc: Az Árpád-ház uralkodói (IPC Könyvek, 1996)
- Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon (9-14. század), főszerkesztő: Kristó Gyula, szerkesztők: Engel Pál és Makk Ferenc (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1994)