Béla IV of Hungary

Béla IV was the King of Hungary and Croatia from 1235 until his death in 1270. He was also the Duke of Styria for a short time. As the oldest son of King Andrew II, he was crowned king while his father was still alive, which caused some problems at first.

Béla faced one of the toughest challenges in Hungarian history when the Mongols invaded his country. They defeated his army at the Battle of Mohi in 1241 and caused great destruction. Béla managed to escape and survived, but he had to work hard to rebuild his kingdom. He made many changes to protect Hungary, such as allowing people to build strong stone forts and bringing in new settlers from places like the Holy Roman Empire and Poland.

During his time as king, Béla worked to strengthen Hungary's position in Europe. He formed alliances with leaders from nearby countries and tried to expand Hungary's influence. However, problems within his own family also occurred, especially with his oldest son Stephen, which led to some difficulties.

Béla was known for his strong belief in his faith. He died as a member of the Franciscan order, and three of his daughters were later recognized for their holy lives by the Holy See. His efforts to rebuild Hungary after the Mongol invasion earned him the title of "second founder of the state" in Hungary.

Childhood (1206–20)

Béla was the oldest son of King Andrew II of Hungary and his first wife, Gertrude of Merania. He was born in late 1206. Queen Gertrude was not liked by many Hungarian lords because she favored her German friends. While King Andrew was away, some unhappy lords took this chance and attacked Queen Gertrude. Though very young at the time, Béla always remembered his mother with respect.

Even as a small child, Béla was crowned king in 1214, though his father did not give him any land to rule. Later, Béla married Maria, the daughter of Theodore I Laskaris, Emperor of Nicaea, in 1220.

Rex iunior

Duke of Slavonia (1220–26)

In 1220, King Andrew II gave Béla the lands between the Adriatic Sea and the Dráva River, which included Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia. Some people had forced the king to share his lands with his son. Béla first called himself "King Andrew's son and King," but later used the title "by the Grace of God, King, son of the King of Hungary, and Duke of all Slavonia."

Béla separated from his wife in 1222 because his father asked him to, but the Pope did not agree to end their marriage. Béla went to stay in Austria until church leaders helped him return home with his wife in 1223. Once back, Béla fought against a rebellious nobleman named Domald of Sidraga and took over his fortress at Klis. Domald's land was given to people who had helped Béla.

Duke of Transylvania (1226–35)

In 1226, King Andrew moved Béla to rule Transylvania. Béla worked to expand his lands beyond the Carpathian Mountains. He supported missionaries who wanted to teach the Cumans, people living in those areas, about Christianity. In 1227, Béla met with a Cuman leader named Boricius, who decided to become Christian. After this, a new church area called the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cumania was created there.

Béla did not like his father giving away too much land, so he tried to take some of it back starting in 1228. The Pope agreed with Béla, but King Andrew often stopped him. Béla also took land from two brothers, Simon and Michael Kacsics, because they had planned something bad against his mother.

In 1229, Béla’s brother, Andrew, Prince of Halych, lost his position, so Béla tried to help him get it back. Béla said he would destroy the town of Halych if he had to. He attacked the town with his Cuman allies but could not capture it and had to leave. Many of his soldiers got sick on the way back.

Béla also tried to capture Vidin in Bulgaria in either 1228 or 1232 but was unsuccessful. He created a new area called the Banate of Szörény near the Lower Danube. In 1233, Béla called himself "King of Cumania" to show his control over lands east of the Carpathians. He also sent missionaries, including Friar Julian, to find the descendants of the Hungarians who had stayed in Magna Hungaria, their ancient homeland.

His reign

Before the Mongol invasion (1235–41)

King Andrew died in 1235. Béla became king without any problems and was crowned by Robert, Archbishop of Esztergom, in Székesfehérvár in 1235. He made many changes, dismissing some of his father’s advisors and changing how land was given out. This upset many people.

Béla wanted to make Hungary stronger and started building new forts. He also worked to make towns more important. In 1241, he had to deal with people called the Cumans who came to Hungary for safety. Though they promised to follow rules, they sometimes caused trouble.

Mongol invasion of Hungary (1241–42)

In 1241, the Mongols invaded Hungary. They were very powerful and quickly moved through the country. The Hungarian army was not ready and lost a big battle. Béla had to flee to safety. Many towns were destroyed, and life was very hard for everyone.

"Second Founder of the State" (1242–61)

After the Mongols left, Béla worked hard to rebuild Hungary. He built many new forts and made rules to help the country get stronger. He also invited new people to live in Hungary to fill up the empty places.

Béla had to deal with other countries too. He fought with Austria and made agreements with other leaders to keep Hungary safe. He also helped his family by arranging marriages with other royal families.

Civil war (1261–66)

Béla had problems with his son Stephen. They disagreed about who should rule parts of Hungary. This led to a fight between them, but they finally made a peace agreement and split the country between them.

Last years (1266–70)

In his last years, Béla worked to make sure his son Stephen would rule well. He made sure the nobles’ rights were protected and helped settle arguments between different groups. Béla died in 1270, leaving Hungary stronger and more prepared for the future.

Family

Béla IV married Maria Laskarina, and they had several children. Their first daughter, Kunigunda, married Boleslaw the Chaste, Duke of Cracow. Another daughter, Anna, was favored by Béla and her husband, Rostislav Mikhailovich.

Their son Stephen became king after Béla. One of their daughters, Margaret, was dedicated to a religious life and became a nun. Béla's family was known for its strong ties and contributions to the royal lineage of Hungary.

Legacy

Béla IV worked hard to rebuild his country. He helped organize the government, brought back laws, and encouraged towns to grow. He even built a new royal town called Buda. Many people remember him as the “second founder of the state” because Hungary survived a big invasion during his time.

One old book says he was peaceful but not very lucky in battles. It also shares a special poem written on his tomb, celebrating his rule and the peace he brought.