Stephen IV of Hungary
Encyclopedia
Stephen IV (c. 1133 – 11 April 1165, Zimony
), King of Hungary
(1163–1165). 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
. Following his brother's death, the Hungarian barons, under the menaces of the Byzantine Emperor, accepted his younger brother, Ladislaus II
king against their nephew, King Stephen III
. When Ladislaus II died shortly afterwards, Stephen was proclaimed king, but the young King Stephen III managed to win over him. Stephen died in exile fighting against Hungary on behalf of the Byzantine Empire.
and his wife, Helena of Raška
. When King Béla II died on 13 February 1141, his brother Géza II
ascended the throne. In 1152, the king organised a separated ducal household for Stephen and his brother, Ladislaus
.
However, the two younger brothers' relationship with the king worsened, because Géza II wanted to ensure the succession of his son, Stephen
. In 1157, Stephen lead a conspiracy against his brother, supported by their maternal uncle, Beloš. Although Géza II could overcome their conspiracy, Stephen managed to flee to the court of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
.
Géza II sent his envoys to the emperor and promised to assist him with troops against Milan; therefore Frederick I denied any support from Stephen who fled to Constantinople
. Stephen was welcomed by Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
who arranged Stephen's marriage with his niece Maria Comnene.
Stephen was followed to Constantinople
, in 1159, by his brother, Ladislaus
, who also had conspired against Géza II.
had been crowned, he decided to make a campaign against Hungary in order to have the exiled Stephen ascend the throne. On hearing the Emperor's demand, the Hungarian barons sent an embassy to his camp and offered to accept, instead of Stephen, the rule of his brother, Ladislaus, pursuant to the Hungarian customs which gave precedence to the eldest member of the royal family over a deceased king's son. The Emperor accepted the barons' offer and sent Ladislaus and Stephen to Hungary.
By the time they arrived to Székesfehérvár, their nephew, the young King Stephen III had escaped to Pozsony
, and Ladislaus was proclaimed king. Following his coronation, Ladislaus II granted Tercia pars Regni (i.e. one third of the Kingdom of Hungary) to Stephen.
On 14 January 1163, Ladislaus died and Stephen was proclaimed king. However, Lukas, Archbishop of Esztergom, who had been remaining loyal to Stephen III and had been arrested by Ladislaus II, denied his coronation; therefore Stephen was crowned by Mikó, Archbishop of Kalocsa. Archbishop Lukas did not want to accept Stephen's reign and excommunicated him; therefore Stephen prohibited any correspondence between the Hungarian bishops and the Holy See
and he was accused of aspiring the Hungarian Church to be separated from Rome
.
Stephen supported the claims of the Byzantine Empire
without compromise, which resulted in growing indignation among the Hungarian barons. In the beginning of 1163, the members of the gens (clan) Csák rebelled against him, but they were defeated. In the meantime, the young Stephen III sought assistance of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I, and, leading the troops sent to him by the emperor, he defeated his uncle on 19 June 1163 at Székesfehérvár
. During the battle, Stephen caught captivity, but the young king, following Archbishop Lukas' advice, set him free. After his release, Stephen fled again to the Byzantine Empire
.
, where he promised to accept the supremacy of the Byzantine Empire
in case he were restored. The Emperor made a campaign against Hungary, but at the end of the year concluded peace with King Stephen III, and under the agreement the Emperor promised that he would not support Stephen's claim.
Disappointed by the Byzantine Emperor, Stephen sent his envoys to the Emperor Frederick I, but the Western Emperor also acknowledged the rule of King Stephen III.
Manuel I Komnenos appointed Stephen Governor of the Fortress of Zemun
and Stephen invaded the neighbouring territories of Hungary several times. However, in the end, the troops of King Stephen III laid siege to Zimony, and the defenders of the fortress poisoned Stephen before surrender.
He was buried in a church of Zimony, but later his body was transferred to Székesfehérvár
.
(c. 1144 – 1190), daughter of Isakios Comnenos and his first wife, Theodora.
(Stephen did not father any children.)
Zemun
Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
), King of Hungary
King of Hungary
The King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of...
(1163–1165). In his youth, he rebelled 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...
and had to flee to the Court 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....
. Following his brother's death, the Hungarian barons, under the menaces of the Byzantine Emperor, accepted his younger brother, 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 against their nephew, 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...
. When Ladislaus II died shortly afterwards, Stephen was proclaimed king, but the young King Stephen III managed to win over him. Stephen died in exile fighting against Hungary on behalf of the Byzantine Empire.
Early years
Stephen was the third son of King Béla II of HungaryBéla II of Hungary
Béla II the Blind , King of Hungary and Croatia . Still as a child, Béla was blinded by his uncle, King Coloman who wanted to ensure the succession of his own son, the future King Stephen II...
and his wife, Helena of Raška
Helena of Raška
Helena of Serbia was Queen consort of Hungary through her marriage with Béla II, who ruled 1131–1141.-Life:Helena was the daughter of Duke Uroš I of Rascia and his wife, Anna Diogene-Vukanović...
. When King Béla II died on 13 February 1141, his brother Géza II
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...
ascended the throne. In 1152, the king organised a separated ducal household for Stephen and his brother, Ladislaus
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...
.
However, the two younger brothers' relationship with the king worsened, because Géza II wanted to ensure the succession of his son, Stephen
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...
. In 1157, Stephen lead a conspiracy against his brother, supported by their maternal uncle, Beloš. Although Géza II could overcome their conspiracy, Stephen managed to flee to the court of 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...
.
Géza II sent his envoys to the emperor and promised to assist him with troops against Milan; therefore Frederick I denied any support from Stephen who fled to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Stephen was welcomed by 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....
who arranged Stephen's marriage with his niece Maria Comnene.
Stephen was followed to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, in 1159, by his brother, Ladislaus
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...
, who also had conspired against Géza II.
Struggle for the throne
When the Emperor Manuel I was informed that King Géza II had died on 31 May 1162 and his son Stephen IIIStephen 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...
had been crowned, he decided to make a campaign against Hungary in order to have the exiled Stephen ascend the throne. On hearing the Emperor's demand, the Hungarian barons sent an embassy to his camp and offered to accept, instead of Stephen, the rule of his brother, Ladislaus, pursuant to the Hungarian customs which gave precedence to the eldest member of the royal family over a deceased king's son. The Emperor accepted the barons' offer and sent Ladislaus and Stephen to Hungary.
By the time they arrived to Székesfehérvár, their nephew, the young King Stephen III had escaped to Pozsony
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, and Ladislaus was proclaimed king. Following his coronation, Ladislaus II granted Tercia pars Regni (i.e. one third of the Kingdom of Hungary) to Stephen.
On 14 January 1163, Ladislaus died and Stephen was proclaimed king. However, Lukas, Archbishop of Esztergom, who had been remaining loyal to Stephen III and had been arrested by Ladislaus II, denied his coronation; therefore Stephen was crowned by Mikó, Archbishop of Kalocsa. Archbishop Lukas did not want to accept Stephen's reign and excommunicated him; therefore Stephen prohibited any correspondence between the Hungarian bishops and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and he was accused of aspiring the Hungarian Church to be separated from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Stephen supported the claims of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
without compromise, which resulted in growing indignation among the Hungarian barons. In the beginning of 1163, the members of the gens (clan) Csák rebelled against him, but they were defeated. In the meantime, the young Stephen III sought assistance of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I, and, leading the troops sent to him by the emperor, he defeated his uncle on 19 June 1163 at Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around southwest of Budapest. It is inhabited by 101,973 people , with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion. The city is the centre of Fejér county and the regional centre of Central Transdanubia...
. During the battle, Stephen caught captivity, but the young king, following Archbishop Lukas' advice, set him free. After his release, Stephen fled again to the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
Last years
The dethroned Stephen had a meeting with Emperor Manuel I in SofiaSofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, where he promised to accept the supremacy of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
in case he were restored. The Emperor made a campaign against Hungary, but at the end of the year concluded peace with King Stephen III, and under the agreement the Emperor promised that he would not support Stephen's claim.
Disappointed by the Byzantine Emperor, Stephen sent his envoys to the Emperor Frederick I, but the Western Emperor also acknowledged the rule of King Stephen III.
Manuel I Komnenos appointed Stephen Governor of the Fortress of Zemun
Zemun
Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
and Stephen invaded the neighbouring territories of Hungary several times. However, in the end, the troops of King Stephen III laid siege to Zimony, and the defenders of the fortress poisoned Stephen before surrender.
He was buried in a church of Zimony, but later his body was transferred to Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around southwest of Budapest. It is inhabited by 101,973 people , with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion. The city is the centre of Fejér county and the regional centre of Central Transdanubia...
.
Marriage
# c. 1157: Maria ComneneMaria Comnene (Queen of Hungary)
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...
(c. 1144 – 1190), daughter of Isakios Comnenos and his first wife, Theodora.
(Stephen did not father any children.)
Sources
- Engel, Pat. Realm of St. Stephen : A History of Medieval Hungary, 2001
- 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)
- G. Vég, Magyarország királyai és királynői, Maecenas, 1990.
- Magyarország Történeti Kronológiája I. – A kezdetektől 1526-ig, főszerkesztő: Benda Kálmán (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1981)
- (primary source) The Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle, A. West, trans., Corvina, 1969.
- (primary source) John Kinnamos, Deeds of John and Manuel Comnenus, C.M. Brand, trans., Columbia University Press, 1976.