Hungarian Monarchs

A history of Hungarian monarchs.

Kingdom of Hungary

Following the death of Grand Prince Geza, there was a succession war between his son St. Stephen I and Koppany (as the senior Arpad heir). Stephen I won through the support of foreign powers, especially Swabian and/or Slovak knights and the Church. The Kingdom of Hungary was established by Holy Roman Emperor Otto III and/or Pope Sylvester II.

St. Stephen I established bishoprics (especially the archdiocese of Estergom) and an administrative system of counties.

Over time Hungary expanded...

• west to the Dalmatian coast; the Kingdom of Croatia entered into union with the Kingdom of Hungary

• north into Bohemia, which had been established as a border duchy against Hungary; and into Slovakia, which quickly became the center of trade

• south in Serbia
• east into Transylvania

Over time power shifted from the royal house to the free cities and noble houses.

Division between Austrian Empire and Voivode of Transylvania

Following the death of Louis II and the Ottoman conquest of Budapest, the kingdom of Hungary and Croatia was contested between the Habsburg Ferdinand I and the Zapolya John I.

Dynasties

Arpad

One of the founding Hungarian tribes, the Kingdom of Hungary was created around the Arpad Dynasty.

From 1091 until 1095, and again after 1102, the Kingdoms of Hungary and Croatia were held in union by consent of the nobility.

Mary, the sister of Ladislaus IV, contested the claim of Andrew III. She was married into the Capetian House of Anjou by Charles II of Naples and passed her claim on to her son, Charles Martel, and thereby to her grandson, Charles I of Hungary (see below).

Premyslid

More generally known as Wenceslaus III of Bohemia. His Czech name is Vaclav; his Hungarian name is Vencel; he often used the name Ladislaus in Hungary. He abdicated in favor of Otto.

Wittelsbach

More generally known as Otto III of Bavaria. In June 1307 he was captured and imprisoned by Ladislaus Kan, who formally was the voivode of Transylvania and de facto was the oligarch of an autonomous Transylvania. Otto escaped later that year, and renounced his claim to the throne in the following year.

Angevin

The Capetian House of Anjou is a continuation of the Arpad dynasty by the female line (by Mary, the sister of Ladislaus IV).

The crown was contested between Charles II, Mary, and Sigismund.

Habsburg

Mary left no heirs to the Hungarian line of the Angevin dynasty. Sigismund himself was the last male member of the Luxembourg dynasty. He left only one daughter with his second wife, who was married into the Habsburgs.

Only the duchy of Austria recognized the will of Albert II for his posthumous son to inherit all titles. Hungarian nobles elected Wladyslaw III and a succession war continued until his death in 1444. He had a series of regents: his mother Elizabeth, a council of seven Captains in Chief, and John Hunyadi.

Jagiellon

There are two reigns of the Jagiellon dynasty. Wladyslaw I, king of Poland, is more generally known as Wladyslaw III. He was elected king in 1440 over Albert II posthumous son, but he died shortly thereafter in battle against the Ottomans.

Wladyslaw II, the king of Bohemia and the grandson of Wladyslaw I, was elected king following the death of Matthias I.

Louis II was killed in the Ottoman conquest of Hungary.

Hunyadi

CategoryRicottone