Peter Urseolo of Hungary
Encyclopedia
Peter Orseolo called the Venetian in Hungarian, was King of Hungary
from 1038 to 1041 and from 1044 to 1046. He continued his predecessor's policy and tried to strengthen Christianity
in his semi-pagan kingdom, but his arbitrary actions resulted in his deposition. He could only restore his rule with the assistance of the Holy Roman Emperor
whose overlordship he had to acknowledge, but shortly afterwards he was again dethroned during a revolt of the pagan Hungarians.
, he was the son of a sister of Saint Stephen, the first King of Hungary; his father was Ottone Orseolo, the Doge of Venice
.
In 1026, his father was deposed as doge by a revolt of the Venetians and he had to escape to Constantinople
. Peter, however, did not follow his father to the Byzantine
court, going with his mother to Hungary
, where they were welcomed by his uncle, King Stephen I.
On 2 September 1031, the king's only surviving son, Imre
was killed by a boar
while hunting. King Stephen I wanted to secure the position of Christianity
in his semi-converted kingdom; therefore, he was planning to name Peter as his successor. However, the elderly king's cousin, Vazul
, who was suspected to be following pagan customs, took part in a conspiracy aimed at the murder of King Stephen. But the assassination attempt failed and Vazul had his eyes gouged out and molten lead poured in his ears. His sons Levente
, Andrew and Béla were exiled. Following these tragic events, King Stephen confirmed Peter's succession rights but Peter had to swear solemnly that he would not harm Queen Giselle
's estates after ascending the throne.
He pushed the Hungarian nobility into the background and appointed his German and Italian partisans to his council.
He allied himself with Prince Bretislaus I of Bohemia
against the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III
and made several military campaigns against the neighbouring German territories.
In 1041, Peter confiscated the estates of his predecessor's widow, Queen Giselle
and arrested two bishops who tried to intercede on behalf of the dowager queen. These acts resulted in a conspiracy organised by the members of the different factions of his court against him. The conspirators killed one of his chief councillors, Budó. Shortly afterwards, Peter was obliged to slip away to the court of his brother-in-law, Adalbert, Margrave of Austria
. After his escape, the leaders of the conspiracy proclaimed King Stephen's brother-in-law, Samuel Aba king.
and offered to accept his supremacy in case the Emperor restored him to the Hungarian throne. The Emperor accepted the offer, but he had to deal with his internal problems before leading his army against Hungary
.
Finally, in September 1042, the Emperor led his army to Hungary
and occupied nine fortresses north of the Danube
. However, even the Hungarian barons allied with the Emperor did not want to accept Peter's rule; therefore the Emperor granted the fortresses to one of King Stephen's relatives (probably to Duke Béla).
again and won a decisive victory over king Samuel Aba on 5 July 1044 in the Battle of Ménfő
. King Samuel Aba could hardly escape from the battlefield and he died soon. After his rival's death, Peter's power was restored, but he, and with him the Kingdom of Hungary
, became the Emperor's vassal.
In the next year, the Emperor Henry III returned to Hungary and accepted Peter's homage on 26 May 1045 in Székesfehérvár
. Peter, however, was not able to strengthen his rule in his kingdom. Although, in 1045, he could wind up the conspiracy of some Hungarian nobles, but in the next year, he lost the support of the clergy, because he exiled the Dowager Queen Giselle from Hungary
. The Hungarian prelates, led by Bishop Gerard of Csanád
, called back to the country the two elder of Duke Vazul's formerly expelled sons, who have been living in Kiev
. In the summer of 1046, an extensive revolt of the pagan Hungarians broke out, led by Vata and Peter had to flee to the Western region of his kingdom.
, and they allied themselves with the pagan rebels. Peter fell into captivity near Zámoly
and he was blinded by the rebels, then as a captive he was taken to Székesfehérvár
where he died some days later. He was never married thus had no offspring or descendants (though some sources later falsely reported prolonged later years and an alleged marriage). He was buried in the cathedral of Pécs
which was built during his reign.
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...
from 1038 to 1041 and from 1044 to 1046. He continued his predecessor's policy and tried to strengthen Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in his semi-pagan kingdom, but his arbitrary actions resulted in his deposition. He could only restore his rule with the assistance of the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
whose overlordship he had to acknowledge, but shortly afterwards he was again dethroned during a revolt of the pagan Hungarians.
Venice and Hungary
Born in VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, he was the son of a sister of Saint Stephen, the first King of Hungary; his father was Ottone Orseolo, the Doge of Venice
Doge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
.
In 1026, his father was deposed as doge by a revolt of the Venetians and he had to escape 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:...
. Peter, however, did not follow his father to the Byzantine
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...
court, going with his mother to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, where they were welcomed by his uncle, King Stephen I.
On 2 September 1031, the king's only surviving son, Imre
Saint Emeric of Hungary
Prince St. Imre, also Henricus, Emeric, Emerick, Emmerich, Emericus or Americus was the son of King St. Stephen I of Hungary and Giselle of Bavaria. He is assumed to be the second son of Stephen, he was named after his uncle, St...
was killed by a boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
while hunting. King Stephen I wanted to secure the position of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in his semi-converted kingdom; therefore, he was planning to name Peter as his successor. However, the elderly king's cousin, Vazul
Vazul
Vazul was a Hungarian noble of the Árpád family, Duke between March and Gran or Prince of Nitra, with realm between Morava and Esztergom ....
, who was suspected to be following pagan customs, took part in a conspiracy aimed at the murder of King Stephen. But the assassination attempt failed and Vazul had his eyes gouged out and molten lead poured in his ears. His sons Levente
Levente
Levente , eldest son of Vazul, a ruler in Hungary's Árpád dynasty and the last member of this family never to become a Christian....
, Andrew and Béla were exiled. Following these tragic events, King Stephen confirmed Peter's succession rights but Peter had to swear solemnly that he would not harm Queen Giselle
Giselle of Bavaria
Blessed Gisela of Hungary was the first queen of Hungary.- Biography :Gisela was a daughter of Henry II, Duke of Bavaria and Gisela of Burgundy....
's estates after ascending the throne.
First rule
When King Stephen I died on 15 August 1038, Peter ascended the throne without any open opposition. He wanted to follow his predecessor's policy and he firmly repressed the pagan customs; therefore he issued severe decrees against the pagans. He also increased the duties payable to the royal treasury.He pushed the Hungarian nobility into the background and appointed his German and Italian partisans to his council.
He allied himself with Prince Bretislaus I of Bohemia
Bretislaus I of Bohemia
Bretislaus I , known as Bohemian Achilles, of the house of the Přemyslids, was the duke of Bohemia from 1035 till death.-Youth:...
against the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
and made several military campaigns against the neighbouring German territories.
In 1041, Peter confiscated the estates of his predecessor's widow, Queen Giselle
Giselle of Bavaria
Blessed Gisela of Hungary was the first queen of Hungary.- Biography :Gisela was a daughter of Henry II, Duke of Bavaria and Gisela of Burgundy....
and arrested two bishops who tried to intercede on behalf of the dowager queen. These acts resulted in a conspiracy organised by the members of the different factions of his court against him. The conspirators killed one of his chief councillors, Budó. Shortly afterwards, Peter was obliged to slip away to the court of his brother-in-law, Adalbert, Margrave of Austria
Adalbert, Margrave of Austria
Adalbert the Victorious was Margrave of Austria from 1018 until his death. He extended the eastern border of the then small Ostmark of Bavaria as far as the rivers Morava/March and Leitha and supported King Henry III in his battles against Hungary and Bohemia...
. After his escape, the leaders of the conspiracy proclaimed King Stephen's brother-in-law, Samuel Aba king.
In exile
In October, Peter visited the Emperor Henry III in RegensburgRegensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
and offered to accept his supremacy in case the Emperor restored him to the Hungarian throne. The Emperor accepted the offer, but he had to deal with his internal problems before leading his army against Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
Finally, in September 1042, the Emperor led his army to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and occupied nine fortresses north of the 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....
. However, even the Hungarian barons allied with the Emperor did not want to accept Peter's rule; therefore the Emperor granted the fortresses to one of King Stephen's relatives (probably to Duke Béla).
Second rule
In June 1044, the imperial troops attacked HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
again and won a decisive victory over king Samuel Aba on 5 July 1044 in the Battle of Ménfő
Battle of Ménfo
The Battle of Ménfő was an important battle in the early history of the Kingdom of Hungary. Fought in 1044 at Ménfő, near Győr, between an army of mostly Germans and Hungarians , it was a victory for the Germans and thus for Westernising influences in Hungary.The Emperor Henry III invaded Hungary...
. King Samuel Aba could hardly escape from the battlefield and he died soon. After his rival's death, Peter's power was restored, but he, and with him 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...
, became the Emperor's vassal.
In the next year, the Emperor Henry III returned to Hungary and accepted Peter's homage on 26 May 1045 in 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...
. Peter, however, was not able to strengthen his rule in his kingdom. Although, in 1045, he could wind up the conspiracy of some Hungarian nobles, but in the next year, he lost the support of the clergy, because he exiled the Dowager Queen Giselle from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The Hungarian prelates, led by Bishop Gerard of Csanád
Gerard Sagredo
Saint Gerard Sagredo , also called Gerhard or Gellert, was an Italian bishop from Venice who operated in the Kingdom of Hungary , and educated Saint Emeric of Hungary, the son of Saint Stephen of Hungary). He played a major role in converting Hungary to Christianity...
, called back to the country the two elder of Duke Vazul's formerly expelled sons, who have been living in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. In the summer of 1046, an extensive revolt of the pagan Hungarians broke out, led by Vata and Peter had to flee to the Western region of his kingdom.
Captivity and death
Meanwhile, the exiled dukes returned to HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, and they allied themselves with the pagan rebels. Peter fell into captivity near Zámoly
Zámoly
Zámoly is a village in Fejér county, Hungary.- External links :*...
and he was blinded by the rebels, then as a captive he was taken 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...
where he died some days later. He was never married thus had no offspring or descendants (though some sources later falsely reported prolonged later years and an alleged marriage). He was buried in the cathedral of Pécs
Pécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
which was built during his reign.
Marriage and children
- Unknown
- Judith of SchweinfurtJudith of SchweinfurtJudith of Schweinfurt , Duchess of Bohemia, was the wife of Bretislaus I of Bohemia. Her parents were Henry of the House of Babenberg, margrave of Nordgau , and his wife Gerberga.-Břetislav and Jitka:...
, a daughter of Henry of Schweinfurt and his wife, Gerberga (1010/1015 – 2 August 1058)
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)
- Magyarország Történeti Kronológiája I. – A kezdetektől 1526-ig, főszerkesztő: Benda, Kálmán (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1981)