Béla of Macva
Encyclopedia
Béla of Mačva was a member of the Rurik dynasty
. He was Duke of Mačva
(1262-1272) and of Bosnia (1266/1271-1272); and thus he governed the southern provinces of the Kingdom of Hungary
.
Béla was the son of Duke Rostislav of Mačva and his wife, Anna
, a daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary
. When Duke Rostislav died in 1262, his lands were divided between his sons: Béla inherited the Banate of Mačva
(including Belgrade
and the Braničevo province
), and his brother, Michael
inherited their father’s part of Bosnia
. King Béla IV, having made these assignments to his grandsons, decided also to make some further changes in his peripheral territories, and assigned Slavonia
, Dalmatia
, and Croatia
, which until then had all been under his elder son and heir, Stephen V
, to a younger son named Béla.
Stephen V was infuriated and immediately revolted against his father; during the ensuing war, Béla and his mother assisted Béla IV. His grandfather and uncle (Béla IV and Stephen V) concluded a peace on 5 December 1262, and according to the peace the kingdom was divided, the latter acquiring the territories east of the river Danube
as “junior king”. After the peace, Stephen V occupied the possessions which Béla and his brother had inherited from their father in the eastern parts of the kingdom (the former royal possessions in Bereg County and the Castle of Füzér
). Their mother submitted a formal complaint against her brother to Pope Urban IV
, but the "junior king" did not hand back their possessions.
In December 1264, the troops of Béla IV invaded the parts of the kingdom which had been ruled by the “junior king”. The “senior king” appointed the young Béla (his grandson) to lead one of his troops, but the actual leader of the royal army was Henry Kőszegi. In the Battle of Isaszeg, Stephen V defeated his father’s troops, and Béla fled from the battle-field.
The two kings (Béla’s grandfather and uncle) concluded a new peace on March 23, 1266 on the Margaret Island
and affirmed the former division of the Kingdom of Hungary between them. By that time Béla’s brother, Michael had died, and thus Béla inherited the parts of Bosnia his brother had been ruling before his death. In 1268, King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia
led his troops to plunder Mačva, and the Serbs
did considerable damage before Hungarian help came. The Hungarian troops sent by Béla’s grandfather then managed to capture Stefan Uroš himself, and the Serbian king was forced to purchase his release.
When his grandfather died on May 3, 1270, Béla did not follow the example of his mother and his grandfather’s other partisans (among them Henry Kőszegi), who escaped to the court of her son-in-law, King Otakar II of Bohemia. And indeed, Béla assisted his uncle, King Stephen V against the Czech king and his followers.
After King Stephen V had died on August 6, 1272, and his son, the young Ladislaus IV ascended the throne, King Béla IV’s former partisans (among them Béla’s mother and Henry Kőszegi) returned to Hungary. Thenceforward, several fractions of the leading nobles were competing with each other, and all of them were endeavoring to acquire the control over the government of the kingdom. In November, the members of Henry Kőszegi’s retinue killed Béla (who was the young king’s closest adult male relative at that time) following a sharp dispute.
After his murder, Béla’s domains were divided among the members of the leading noble families.
Rurik Dynasty
The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD...
. He was Duke of Mačva
Banovina of Macva
The Banovina of Mačva was a province of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, which was located in the present-day Mačva region of Serbia.- History :The region of Mačva came under Hungarian administration after the death of Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus in...
(1262-1272) and of Bosnia (1266/1271-1272); and thus he governed the southern provinces of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
.
Béla was the son of Duke Rostislav of Mačva and his wife, Anna
Anna of Hungary (b.1226)
Anna of Hungary was a daughter of Béla IV of Hungary and his wife, Maria Laskarina. Anna was a member of the House of Árpád. Anna gained many titles from her marriage, amongst them she was the Baness of Slavonia.- Family :...
, a daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
. When Duke Rostislav died in 1262, his lands were divided between his sons: Béla inherited the Banate of Mačva
Banovina of Macva
The Banovina of Mačva was a province of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, which was located in the present-day Mačva region of Serbia.- History :The region of Mačva came under Hungarian administration after the death of Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus in...
(including Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and the Braničevo province
Branicevo (region)
Braničevo is a geographical region in east-central Serbia. It is mostly situated in the Braničevo District.-History:...
), and his brother, Michael
Michael of Bosnia
Michael of Bosnia , Duke of Bosnia from 1262 to 1266, was a member of the Rurik dynasty.He was the son of Duke Rostislav of Mačva and his wife, Anna, a daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary...
inherited their father’s part of Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
. King Béla IV, having made these assignments to his grandsons, decided also to make some further changes in his peripheral territories, and assigned Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
, Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, which until then had all been under his elder son and heir, Stephen V
Stephen V of Hungary
Stephen V , was King of Hungary from 1270 to 1272.-Early years:...
, to a younger son named Béla.
Stephen V was infuriated and immediately revolted against his father; during the ensuing war, Béla and his mother assisted Béla IV. His grandfather and uncle (Béla IV and Stephen V) concluded a peace on 5 December 1262, and according to the peace the kingdom was divided, the latter acquiring the territories east of the river Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
as “junior king”. After the peace, Stephen V occupied the possessions which Béla and his brother had inherited from their father in the eastern parts of the kingdom (the former royal possessions in Bereg County and the Castle of Füzér
Füzér
Füzér is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Hungary.- External links :* * *...
). Their mother submitted a formal complaint against her brother to Pope Urban IV
Pope Urban IV
Pope Urban IV , born Jacques Pantaléon, was Pope, from 1261 to 1264. He was not a cardinal, and there have been several Popes since him who have not been Cardinals, including Urban V and Urban VI.-Biography:...
, but the "junior king" did not hand back their possessions.
In December 1264, the troops of Béla IV invaded the parts of the kingdom which had been ruled by the “junior king”. The “senior king” appointed the young Béla (his grandson) to lead one of his troops, but the actual leader of the royal army was Henry Kőszegi. In the Battle of Isaszeg, Stephen V defeated his father’s troops, and Béla fled from the battle-field.
The two kings (Béla’s grandfather and uncle) concluded a new peace on March 23, 1266 on the Margaret Island
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a long island, 500 metres wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area. Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance...
and affirmed the former division of the Kingdom of Hungary between them. By that time Béla’s brother, Michael had died, and thus Béla inherited the parts of Bosnia his brother had been ruling before his death. In 1268, King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia
Stefan Uroš I of Serbia
Stefan Uroš I was the King of Serbia from 1243 to 1276, succeeding his brother Stefan Vladislav.-Life:Stephen Uroš was the youngest son of Stefan the First-Crowned and Anna, the granddaughter of Enrico Dandolo, Doge of Venice....
led his troops to plunder Mačva, and the Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
did considerable damage before Hungarian help came. The Hungarian troops sent by Béla’s grandfather then managed to capture Stefan Uroš himself, and the Serbian king was forced to purchase his release.
After King Stephen V had died on August 6, 1272, and his son, the young Ladislaus IV ascended the throne, King Béla IV’s former partisans (among them Béla’s mother and Henry Kőszegi) returned to Hungary. Thenceforward, several fractions of the leading nobles were competing with each other, and all of them were endeavoring to acquire the control over the government of the kingdom. In November, the members of Henry Kőszegi’s retinue killed Béla (who was the young king’s closest adult male relative at that time) following a sharp dispute.
After his murder, Béla’s domains were divided among the members of the leading noble families.
Ancestors
Sources
- Fine, John V. A., Jr.: The Late Medieval Balkans - A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest; The University of Michigan Press, 2006, Ann Arbor; ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5.
- Kontler, László: Millenium in Central Europe - A History of Hungary; Atlantisz Publishing House, 1999, Budapest; ISBN 963-9165-37-9.
- Kristó, Gyula: Középkori históriák oklevelekben (1002-1410) (Medieval Stories in Royal Charters /1002-1410/); Szegedi Középkorász Műhely in association with the Gondolat Kiadó, 1992, Szeged; ISBN 963-04-1956-4.
- Kristó, Gyula (General Editor) - Engel, Pál (Editor) - Makk, Ferenc (Editor): Korai magyar történeti lexikon (9-14. század) (Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History /9th-14th centuries/); Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963-05-6722-9.
- Zsoldos, Attila: Családi ügy - IV. Béla és István ifjabb király viszálya az 1260-as években (A Family Affair - The Conflict of Béla IV and Junior King Stephen in the 1260s); História - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, 2007, Budapest; ISBN 978-963-9627-15-4.