Henry I Kőszegi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Henry (I) Kőszegi from the kindred Héder ( hu, Héder nembeli (I.) Kőszegi Henrik, hr, Henrik II. Gisingovac, german: Heinrich II. von Güns; died 26/29 September 1274), commonly known as Henry the Great, was a Hungarian influential lord in the second half of the 13th century, founder and first member of the powerful
Kőszegi family The Kőszegi ( hr, Gisingovci) was a noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Croatia in the 13–14th centuries. The ancestor of the family, Henry the Great descended from the ''gens'' ("clan") Héder. Henry's paternal great-gr ...
. Henry was one of the most notable earlier "oligarchs", who ruled ''de facto'' independently their dominion during the era of feudal anarchy. In his early career, Henry was the most loyal sidekick for King Béla IV, who drifted into a
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
with his son and heir Duke Stephen. Following the death of Béla IV in 1270, Henry went into exile to
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
. Stephen V died suddenly in 1272 thus Henry was able to return to Hungary. He became a central figure in the internal conflicts between the rival baronial groups. He brutally massacred
Béla of Macsó Béla of Macsó (after 1243 – November 1272) was a member of the Rurik dynasty. He was Duke of Macsó (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 ...
in November 1272 and later also kidnapped the six-year-old Duke Andrew in July 1274. Henry was killed in the
Battle of Föveny A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
in September 1274. 19th-century historiography incorrectly referred to him as Henry of Németújvár (or Güssing).


Ancestry and early life

Henry Kőszegi was born in the late 1210s into the ''gens'' (clan) Héder, which originated from two German knights,
Wolfer Wolfer or Wolfger (also ''Walfer''; died between 1158 and 1161) was a German knight possibly from the Duchy of Swabia, who, alongside his brother Héder, settled down in the Kingdom of Hungary and became a member of the Hungarian nobility. Wolfer ...
and
Héder Héder, also Hedrich, Heindrich and Henry ( hu, Henrik; died after 1164) was a German knight possibly from the Duchy of Swabia, who, alongside his brother Wolfer, settled down in the Kingdom of Hungary and became a member of the Hungarian nobilit ...
, who came from Hainburg in the
Duchy of Swabia The Duchy of Swabia (German: ''Herzogtum Schwaben'') was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German Kingdom. It arose in the 10th century in the southwestern area that had been settled by Alemanni tribes in Late Antiquity. While the ...
to the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
during the reign of
Géza II of Hungary Géza II ( hu, II. Géza; hr, Gejza II; sk, Gejza II; 113031 May 1162) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1141 to 1162. He was the oldest son of Béla the Blind and his wife, Helena of Serbia. When his father died, Géza was still a child a ...
, according to the ''
Illuminated Chronicle The ''Chronicon Pictum'' (Latin for "illustrated chronicle", English: ''Illuminated Chronicle'' or ''Vienna Illuminated Chronicle'', hu, Képes Krónika, sk, Obrázková kronika, german: Illustrierte Chronik, also referred to as ''Chronica Hung ...
'', which preserved the narration of Henry's contemporary, the chronicler
Ákos Ákos is a Hungarian name. Today, it is mainly a masculine given name. It may refer to: Middle Ages * Ákos (clan), a medieval Hungarian clan ** Ákos (chronicler) (d. after 1273) ** Ernye Ákos (d. after 1275) Given name * Ákos Buzsáky, ...
. Other works present different origin theories,
Simon of Kéza Simon of Kéza ( hu, Kézai Simon) was the most famous Hungarian chronicler of the 13th century. He was a priest in the royal court of king Ladislaus IV of Hungary. In 1270–1271, bearing the title "master" (''magister''), Simon was part of a d ...
's ''
Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum The ''Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum'Reader's encyclopedia of Eastern European literature'', 1993, Robert B. Pynsent, Sonia I. Kanikova, p. 529. (Latin: "Deeds of the Huns and Hungarians") is a medieval chronicle written mainly by Simon of Kéz ...
'' writes that the brothers came from "''Vildonia''", referring to
Burgruine Wildon Burgruine Wildon is a castle in Styria, Austria. See also *List of castles in Austria This page is a list of castles and castle ruins in Austria, arranged by state. A ''Burgruine'' is a ruined castle, a “castle ruin”. Burgenland * Burg ...
in
Styria Styria (german: Steiermark ; Serbo-Croatian and sl, ; hu, Stájerország) is a state (''Bundesland'') in the southeast of Austria. With an area of , Styria is the second largest state of Austria, after Lower Austria. Styria is bordered to ...
, however the castle itself was built only after 1157 thus that identification is incorrect.
Johannes de Thurocz ("judge") , honorific_suffix = , image = Thuroczy elso lap.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = The first page of Thuroczy's chronicle , pseudonym = , birth_name = , birth_date = , birth_place = , death_date = 1488 or 148 ...
says in his work ''
Chronica Hungarorum ''Chronica Hungarorum'' (Chronicle of the Hungarians) is the title of several works treating the early History of Hungary, Hungarian history. Buda Chronicle A popular chronicle partly based on the ''Chronicon Pictum'' (entitled just ''Chronica ...
'' that the two knights originated from Hainburg of ''" Alemannia"'', therefore the
Duchy of Swabia The Duchy of Swabia (German: ''Herzogtum Schwaben'') was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German Kingdom. It arose in the 10th century in the southwestern area that had been settled by Alemanni tribes in Late Antiquity. While the ...
. Majority of the historians accept the version presented by Ákos and the ''Illuminated Chronicle''. Henry's father was Henry (I), the grandson of the elder brother, Wolfer (died around 1157), founder of the
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
Abbey of Küszén (later Németújvár, present-day
Burg Güssing The German word Burg means castle. Burg or Bürg may refer to: Places Placename element * ''-burg'', a combining form in Dutch, German and English placenames * Burg, a variant of burh, the fortified towns of Saxon England Settlements * Burg, Aar ...
in
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
). The landholdings of Henry, Sr. laid along the river
Lendva Lendava (; formerly ''Dolnja Lendava'', in older sources also ''Dolenja Lendava''; hu, Lendva, formerly ''Alsólendva''; german: Lindau, formerly ''Unter-Limbach'') is a town in Slovenia in the region of Prekmurje. It is the seat of the Municipa ...
(Ledava) near the Western border with Austria. He appears in some documents in the period between 1208 and 1212. He possessed the right of patronage of the Benedictine Abbey of Kapornak too. Henry (II) was the only known son of him. By name, he is first mentioned by a contemporary record in 1237, along with his cousins, Hencse II and Virunt (or Werenherth), when they were co-patrons of the Kapornak Abbey (thus Henry, Sr. was definitely deceased by then).


King Béla's partisan


Rise to power

Henry's early career is largely unknown. According to historian
Jenő Szűcs Jenő Szűcs (July 13, 1928 in Debrecen – November 24, 1988 in Leányfalu Leányfalu is a riverside village in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary. It is just north of Szentendre located at . Located between the branch of the Litt ...
, he belonged to Béla IV's accompaniment, who fled Hungary through
Transdanubia Transdanubia ( hu, Dunántúl; german: Transdanubien, hr, Prekodunavlje or ', sk, Zadunajsko :sk:Zadunajsko) is a traditional region of Hungary. It is also referred to as Hungarian Pannonia, or Pannonian Hungary. Administrative divisions Trad ...
, escaping from the invading Mongols after the disastrous
Battle of Mohi The Battle of Mohi (11 April 1241), also known as Battle of the Sajó River''A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East'', Vol. I, ed. Spencer C. Tucker, (ABC-CLIO, 2010), 279; "Although Mongol losses in t ...
in 1241. It is possible that the young Henry, whose inherited lands laid in the escape route along the Austrian border, entered court service there and remained a member of the escort in
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
, where Béla and his family took refugee in the well-fortified towns on the coast of the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
. Without any doubt as to his identity, Henry first appears in contemporary documents in 1244, when he was made ''
ispán The ispánRady 2000, p. 19.''Stephen Werbőczy: The Customary Law of the Renowned Kingdom of Hungary in Three Parts (1517)'', p. 450. or countEngel 2001, p. 40.Curta 2006, p. 355. ( hu, ispán, la, comes or comes parochialis, and sk, župan)Kirs ...
'' of Vas County. He held the position at least until December 1245 (but it is plausible he served in this capacity until 1247). Thereafter, he functioned as ''ispán'' of
Somogy County Somogy ( hu, Somogy megye, ; hr, Šomođska županija; sl, Šomodska županija, german: Komitat Schomodei) is an administrative county (comitatus or ''megye'') in present Hungary, and also in the former Kingdom of Hungary. Somogy County lies ...
from 1247 to 1260. Meanwhile, Henry became one of the most powerful barons of the realm, when he was appointed
Judge royal The judge royal, also justiciar,Rady 2000, p. 49. chief justiceSegeš 2002, p. 202. or Lord Chief JusticeFallenbüchl 1988, p. 145. (german: Oberster Landesrichter,Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 72. hu, országbíró,Zsoldos 2011, p. 26. sk, krajinsk ...
in 1254, the second most prestigious office in the royal court. He held the dignity until June/November 1260. His deputy was vice-judge royal Nicholas Tengerdi at least from 1256. Henry participated in the royal campaign in the summer of 1260, when Béla and his allies invaded
Moravia Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The me ...
, but Ottokar II vanquished them in the
Battle of Kressenbrunn The Battle of Kressenbrunn was fought in July 1260 near Groissenbrunn in Lower Austria between the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Hungary for the possession of the duchies of Austria and Styria.''A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the ...
on 12 July 1260. The defeat forced Béla to renounce Styria in favor of the
King of Bohemia The Duchy of Bohemia was established in 870 and raised to the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198. Several Bohemian monarchs ruled as non-hereditary kings beforehand, first gaining the title in 1085. From 1004 to 1806, Bohemia was part of the Holy Roman ...
in the Peace of Vienna, which was signed on 31 March 1261. Vas County became the centre and territorial base for his future expansions and acquisitions of landholdings in all directions throughout Western Transdanubia, which elevated into a large-scale contiguous and coherent territorial province by the end of the 13th century. It was Henry, who built the castles of Szentvid and Szalónak (present-day Stadtschlaining, Austria) in the county. Receiving large-scale personal land donations for his military career and loyalty in the upcoming decades, he was the founder and first member of the Kőszegi family (formerly incorrectly also called Németújvári or Güssingi in historiography), which had dominated the northwestern part of Vas County and their lands were arranged around significant fortresses, for instance Borostyánkő (today Bernstein in Austria) and the eponymous
Kőszeg Kőszeg (german: Güns, ; Slovak: ''Kysak'', sl, Kiseg, hr, Kiseg) is a town in Vas County, Hungary. The town is famous for its historical character. History The origins of the only free royal town in the historical garrison county of Vas ...
, which was developed into an advanced trading town under Henry's domination, who granted
town privileges Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...
to the settlement and moved his permanent residence there after a construction of a well-fortified castle. With Béla's support and generous donations, Henry Kőszegi established his lordship independently of his kinship and did not rely on the clan's formerly acquired landholdings in the opposite parts of Vas County. Henry Kőszegi and his descendants had become the dominant power of whole Transdanubia within decades, spreading from their paterfamilias' first acquired lands in Vas County. By 1270, Henry owned the forts of Kőszeg, Szentvid, Szalónak, Borostyánkő, Kertes (Pinkakertes, today a borough of Eberau, Austria), in addition to the castles of the late "Farkas of
Zagorje Hrvatsko Zagorje (; Croatian Zagorje; ''zagorje'' is Croatian for "backland" or "behind the hills") is a cultural region in northern Croatia, traditionally separated from the country's capital Zagreb by the Medvednica Mountain. It compris ...
" and possibly Léka (today Lockenhaus in Austria). However, Henry never possessed the fort of Németújvár (Burg Güssing) in his lifetime; it was regained only by his son,
Ivan Ivan () is a Slavic languages, Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John (given name), John) from Hebrew language, Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. T ...
for the Héder clan after almost a century, in the early 1280s. Thus the earlier Hungarian historiographical efforts to call the family as "Németújváris" or "Güssingis" (and also "Küszinis") is unfounded and anachronistic; nevertheless, they are still appear as "Güssingers" in German-language academic works. In contemporary records, they were referred to as "''generacio Heyderici''" (1265) or "''genus Heydrich''" (1279). Henry Kőszegi had four sons from his unidentified wife.Engel: ''Genealógia'' (Genus Héder 4. Kőszegi nd Rohoncibranch) Nicholas I and the aforementioned Ivan were also elevated into high dignities during the age of the late
Árpád Árpád (; 845 – 907) was the head of the confederation of the Magyar tribes at the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries. He might have been either the sacred ruler or ''kende'' of the Hungarians, or their military leader or '' gy ...
s, while
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...
served as the Bishop of Veszprém from 1275 till his murder in 1289. They were born roughly in the 1240s. Historian Attila Zsoldos argues, the fourth son, Henry II was much more younger than his brothers (thus born possibly in the second half of the 1250s); he first appeared in contemporary records more than a decade after the first mention of his brothers, who exerted active political and military activity by then. Zsoldos considers Henry II was born from a potential second marriage of his father. Henry also had an unnamed daughter, who married Demetrius Csák, Count of Bakony and was the mother of Dominican friar, Blessed Maurice Csák. She later entered the Dominican nuns of
Margaret Island Margaret Island ( hu, Margitsziget ; german: Margareteninsel; tr, Kızadası) is a long island, wide, ( in area) in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recrea ...
.Engel: ''Genealógia'' (Genus Csák 7., Ugod branch)


Palatine of Hungary

Henry Kőszegi replaced Béla's another faithful partisan, Roland Rátót as Palatine of Hungary and ''ispán'' of
Pozsony County Pozsony county was an administrative county ( comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now mostly part of Slovakia, while a small area belongs to Hungary. In 1969, the three villages that remained in Hungary were combined to form Du ...
in the autumn of 1260. During his tenure, Henry performed his judicial powers in the western part of Hungary. Pursuing his predecessor activity in Northwest Hungary, he judged over lawsuits in Pozsony,
Győr Győr ( , ; german: Raab, links=no; names of European cities in different languages: E-H#G, names in other languages) is the main city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Western Transdanubia, Western Transdanubia ...
and Zala counties in 1260 and 1261. He also became the owner of Modor (present-day Modra,
Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
). During that time tensions emerged between King Béla IV and his eldest son
Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
. Béla's favoritism towards his younger son,
Béla Béla may refer to: * Béla (crater), an elongated lunar crater * Béla (given name), a common Hungarian male given name See also * Bela (disambiguation) * Belá (disambiguation) * Bělá (disambiguation) Bělá, derived from ''bílá'' (''whit ...
(whom he appointed
Duke of Slavonia The Duke of Slavonia ( hr, slavonski herceg; la, dux Slavoniae), also Duke of Dalmatia and Croatia ( hr, herceg Hrvatske i Dalmacije; la, dux Dalmatiae et Croatiae) and sometimes Duke of "Whole Slavonia", Dalmatia and Croatia ( hr, herceg cijele S ...
) and daughter,
Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 12 ...
irritated Stephen, who was proved to be more skilled and capable military leader than his father. Their deteriorating relationship caused a civil war lasting until 1266. After a brief conflict, Béla IV and his son divided the country and Stephen received the lands to the east of the
Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
in 1262, who also adopted the title of junior king. Because of the war conditions, Henry was not able to exercise his judicial powers and only four known charters were preserved during the remaining period of his term as Palatine. The relationship between father and son remained tense, and the reconciliation of Stephen and his father was only temporary. The junior king seized and confiscated the domains of
his mother ''His Mother'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. It was one of more than a dozen films produced by the Kalem Company filmed in Ir ...
and sister, Anna, which were located in the lands under his rule. Béla IV's army crossed the Danube under Anna's command sometime after the autumn of 1264, which marked the beginning of the civil war between father and son. Henry Kőszegi was one of the staunchest supporters of Béla during the conflict and gradually rose to prominence in the royal council thereafter. Historian Attila Zsoldos considers Henry acted as actual general of the royal troops under the nominal command of Duchess Anna, which consisted the northern corps of Béla's royal army during the civil war. Nevertheless, Anna's army occupied the fort of Patak (ruin near
Sátoraljaújhely Sátoraljaújhely (; archaic german: Neustadt am Zeltberg ; sk, Nové Mesto pod Šiatrom; yi, איהעל, Ihel, or ) is a town located in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county in northern Hungary along the Slovak border. It is east from the county ...
) and captured Stephen's wife,
Elizabeth the Cuman Elizabeth the Cuman (1244–1290) was the Queen consort of Stephen V of Hungary. She was regent of Hungary during the minority of her son from 1272 to 1277. The Cumans were the western tribes of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. Her people follo ...
and children, including the future Ladislaus IV. Thereafter, Henry and his troops began to besiege and occupy Stephen's castles one after another in the eastern parts of
Upper Hungary Upper Hungary is the usual English translation of ''Felvidék'' (literally: "Upland"), the Hungarian term for the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia. The region has also been ...
, while a small unit recovered Anna's formerly confiscated estates in
Bereg County Bereg ( rue, Береґ; ) was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now mostly in western Ukraine and a smaller part in northeastern Hungary. The capital of the county was Beregszász ("Berehove" in Ukra ...
. After the fall of Patak, Duke Stephen sent his faithful soldier Peter Csák to the northern parts of the junior king's realm, who successfully besieged and regained the fort of Baranka (today ruins in
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
) from Henry's troops. Simultaneously, a detachment of the royal army, under the command of Béla's Judge royal
Lawrence, son of Kemény Lawrence, son of Kemény ( hu, Kemény fia Lőrinc; died after 1274) was a Hungarian influential lord and military leader in the 13th century, who held various positions in the royal court since the late 1250s. He was a skilled and loyal soldier d ...
forced Duke Stephen to retreat as far as the fortress at
Feketehalom Codlea (; german: Zeiden; Transylvanian Saxon dialect: ''Zäöeden''; hu, Feketehalom) is a city in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania. History During the 13th century, the Teutonic Order built a fortress known as ''Schwarzburg'' ("black cas ...
(Codlea, Romania) in the easternmost corner of
Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
. The king-junior's partisans relieved the castle and he started a counter-attack in the autumn against Henry's army in Northern Hungary, who presumably received no news of the defeat of Lawrence's besiegers. Because of the prolonged siege of Feketehalom (which, in fact, failed by then) Henry Kőszegi sent a skillful military general
Ernye Ákos Ernye from the kindred Ákos (''Erne''; hu, Ákos nembeli Ernye; died after January 1275) was a Hungarian baron and landowner. He is best known for saving the life of king Béla IV after the disastrous Battle of Mohi in 1241. He participated in v ...
with an army of Cuman warriors to
Tiszántúl Tiszántúl or Transtisza (literal meaning: "beyond Tisza") is a geographical region of which lies between the Tisza river, Hungary and the Apuseni Mountains, Romania, bordered by the Mureș (river), Maros (Mureș) river. Alongside Kiskunság, it i ...
, in order to support the besiegers and, later, to hinder Duke Stephen's counter-offensive. The battle took place somewhere west of
Várad Várad is a village in Baranya county, Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania t ...
(present-day Oradea, Romania) in February 1265. Ernye suffered a serious defeat and was himself captured by the enemy, Peter Csák's army. Henry's main army was forced to retreat to the center of the kingdom thereafter, as Stephen's army crossed the
Tisza The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa, is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. Once, it was called "the most Hungarian river" because it flowed entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national borders. The Tisza be ...
at Várkony and marched into Transdanubia. According to
Jans der Enikel Jans der Enikel (), or Jans der Jansen Enikel (), was a Viennese chronicler and narrative poet of the late 13th century. He wrote a ''Weltchronik'' () and a ''Fürstenbuch'' (, a history of Vienna), both in Middle High German verse. Name and ...
, a contemporary Austrian chronicler, Henry's army consisted of the whole royal army of Béla IV, complemented by an auxiliary troops of 1,000 men under the leadership of
Henry Preussel Henry Preussel, also ''Preuscilinus'' (german: Heinrich Preussel, hu, Preussel Henrik; died March 1265) was an Austrian knight in the Kingdom of Hungary, a faithful confidant of King Béla IV. Henry served as the first ''rector'' of Buda from 12 ...
, the ''rector'' of
Buda Buda (; german: Ofen, sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Budim, Будим, Czech and sk, Budín, tr, Budin) was the historic capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and since 1873 has been the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest, on the ...
, who was sent to the scene by Béla's spouse, Queen Maria. Anna's son,
Béla of Macsó Béla of Macsó (after 1243 – November 1272) was a member of the Rurik dynasty. He was Duke of Macsó (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 ...
was appointed nominal general of the royal army, with his lieutenants Henry Kőszegi and Henry Preussel, but the effective leadership remained in Henry Kőszegi's hands. Stephen and his army gained a decisive victory over his father's army in the Battle of Isaszeg in March 1265. Béla of Macsó was able to flee the battlefield, while Henry Kőszegi was taken prisoner by a young courtly knight,
Reynold Básztély Reynold (II) from the kindred Básztély ( hu, Básztély nembeli (II.) Rénold; died between 1291 and 1296) was a Hungarian baron, soldier and courtier, who was a staunch supporter of Duke Stephen. Originating from a royal servant family, he ele ...
, who knocked the powerful lord out of the horse's saddle with his lance and captured him on the ground. Henry Preussel was also captured alive following the battle, however he was executed shortly afterwards. Two of Henry's sons, Nicholas and Ivan were also captured (they first appear in contemporary document in this battle). Alongside other captives, the three fettered Kőszegis were presented in Stephen's ducal court shortly after the clash. Henry and his sons were being held as prisoners and after the Battle of Isaszeg, Béla IV was forced to accept the authority of Stephen in the eastern parts of the kingdom. On 23 March 1266, father and son confirmed the peace in the Convent of the Blessed Virgin on 'Rabbits' Island and Henry and his two sons, alongside others, were released from captivity.


Ban of Slavonia

After his release, Henry was dismissed as Palatine of Hungary and ''ispán'' of Pozsony County around February 1267. Nevertheless, he retained his influence at the royal court during the transition months. During the civil war in Hungary, Stephen's vassal, Despot
Jacob Svetoslav Jacob Svetoslav ( bg, Яков Светослав, ''Yakov Svetoslav'') (ca. 1210s/1220s–1275 or 1276/1277) was a prominent 13th-century Bulgarian noble ('' bolyarin''). Bestowed the title of despot, Jacob Svetoslav was the ruler of a widely au ...
submitted himself to
Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria Konstantin Tih ( bg, Константин Тих Асен) or Constantine I Tikh (Константин I), was the tsar of Bulgaria from 1257 to 1277, he was offered the throne from Mitso Asen. He led the Bulgarian Empire at a time when the nearb ...
. In the summer of 1266, Stephen invaded Bulgaria, seized Vidin,
Pleven Pleven ( bg, Плèвен ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest ...
and other forts and routed the Bulgarians in five battles. The ban, Roland Rátót also participated in a campaign against the
Second Bulgarian Empire The Second Bulgarian Empire (; ) was a medieval Bulgarians, Bulgarian state that existed between 1185 and 1396. A successor to the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Tsars Kaloyan of Bulgaria, Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II ...
. However, despite the former agreement, Roland soon became a political victim of the rivalry between Béla IV and Stephen. Under the "influence of loyal barons' intrigues", as a later document notes, King Béla dismissed Roland and replaced him with Henry Kőszegi. His estates were also plundered and destroyed in Slavonia. Henry Kőszegi first appears in this dignity in early September 1267, and thus he became also a tutor and viceroy of the young Béla, who was still styled as Duke of Slavonia. Béla and Stephen together confirmed the liberties of the " royal servants", from then on known as
noblemen Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characterist ...
, in the summer of 1267. Henry was among the barons, who were present in
Esztergom Esztergom ( ; german: Gran; la, Solva or ; sk, Ostrihom, known by alternative names) is a city with county rights in northern Hungary, northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom County, on the right bank of the river Danu ...
, then
Óbuda Óbuda was a town in Hungary that was merged with Buda and Pest on 17 November 1873; it now forms part of District III-Óbuda-Békásmegyer of Budapest. The name means ''Old Buda'' in Hungarian (in German, ''Alt-Ofen''). The name in Bosnian ...
(September) during that time. According to historian Attila Zsoldos, it was, in fact, a military mobilization and Henry was among the barons, who advocated a next war against Duke Stephen. However, the mobilized royal servants were not enthusiastic about another internal conflict, instead they demanded the recognition of their rights and privileges from Béla, and the name of the absent duke was included in the charter at their request. As Ban of Slavonia, Henry Kőszegi continued his predecessors' activity and minted his own marten-adorned silver ''
denarius The denarius (, dēnāriī ) was the standard Roman silver coin from its introduction in the Second Punic War to the reign of Gordian III (AD 238–244), when it was gradually replaced by the antoninianus. It continued to be minted in very ...
'' in whole Slavonia, the so-called ''
banovac Banovac, banski denar or banica is the name of a coin struck and used in Croatia between 1235 and 1384. The Latin name was derived from the words ''ban (title), ban'' and ''denarius''. The word ''ban'' is a title of nobility used in Croatia, and ro ...
'' or ''banski denar''. His coins, with the initials "h-R", were minted in the royal mintage at
Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
(in present-day
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
), thus also called "''denarius zagrabiensis''". It is plausible that Henry acquired the above-mentioned castles of "Farkas of Zagorje", possibly including
Krapina Krapina (; hu, Korpona) is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,482 (2011) and a total municipality population of 12,480 (2011). Krapina is located in the hilly Zagorje region ...
(Korpona), in
Varaždin County Varaždin County ( hr, Varaždinska županija) is a county in Northern Croatia. It is named after its county seat, the city of Varaždin. Geography The county contains the city of Varaždin, the towns of: Ivanec, Ludbreg, Lepoglava, Novi Maro ...
during his term as ban. King Béla's favorite son, Duke Béla of Slavonia reached adulthood and started to govern his duchy from 1268, subordinating Henry. However, the young Béla died in the summer of 1269. Henry's patron Béla IV also died on Rabbits' Island on 3 May 1270.


Exile

After Béla's death, Duchess Anna seized the royal treasury and fled to Bohemia. Stephen arrived to Buda within days. He nominated his own partisans to the highest offices; Henry Kőszegi was replaced as Ban of Slavonia by
Joachim Gutkeled Joachim from the kindred Gutkeled ( hu, Gutkeled nembeli Joachim, hr, Joakim Pektar; died in April 1277) was a Hungarian influential lord in the second half of the 13th century. As a key figure of the struggles for power between the powerful bar ...
. Nevertheless, it is plausible that Henry attended the coronation of Stephen V and formally swore an oath of allegiance to the new monarch on 17 May. The castles and estates along the Austrian border became a buffer zone due to the constant threat by Ottokar's expansionist ambitions. After his coronation, Stephen V met Ottokar II near
Pressburg Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
(present-day Bratislava, Slovakia), where they concluded a truce. After that, he resided in Vas County and attempted to reconcile his late father's old partisans, including Henry Kőszegi and Lawrence Aba, and appointed royal castellans to the border forts due to the threat of war with Bohemia. However, one of the local lords, Nicholas Hahót garrisoned Styrian soldiers in his fort at Pölöske, and made plundering raids against the nearby villages. Stephen's intention to avoid confrontation with the pro-Béla Western Transdanubian lords was thwarted by Nicholas Hahót's insurgency. Although his rebellion was crushed within days by late November, Zsoldos argues the revolt and its suppression resulted that, instead of peaceful conciliation, several lords, who possessed lands along the border, including Henry Kőszegi and his sons, Lawrence Aba and
Nicholas Geregye Nicholas from the kindred Geregye ( hu, Geregye nembeli Miklós; died after 1279) was a Hungarian baron and landowner, member of the ''gens'' Geregye, who held several positions. Family He was the son of judge royal Paul (d. before 1271) and an ...
, followed Duchess Anna into exile to Bohemia and handed their castles to Ottokar II, who placed the treasonous nobles under his protection. The Hungarian monarch, who saw the power machinations and aspirations of Ottokar behind Hahót's revolt, launched a plundering raid into Austria around 21 December 1270. The raid escalated into war by the spring of 1271, when Ottokar invaded the lands north of the Danube in April 1271 and captured a number of important fortresses in Upper Hungary. Ottokar routed Stephen at Pressburg on 9 May, and at
Mosonmagyaróvár Mosonmagyaróvár (; german: Wieselburg-Ungarisch Altenburg; also known by other alternative names) is a town in Győr-Moson-Sopron County in northwestern Hungary. It lies close to both the Austrian and Slovakian borders and has a population ...
on 15 May, but Stephen won the decisive battle on the
Rábca River The Rabnitz ( hu, Répce, Rábca) is a river in eastern Austria and northwestern Hungary. Its basin area is . The Rabnitz is formed at the confluence of its two headstreams Spratzbach and Thalbach near Hollenthon in Lower Austria. It flows towar ...
on 21 May. The two kings' envoys reached an agreement in Pressburg on 2 July. According to their treaty, Stephen promised that he would not assist Ottokar's opponents in
Carinthia Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German language, German. Its regional dialects belong to t ...
, and Ottokar renounced the castles he and his partisans held in Hungary. Though the Bohemian king renounced its claims on territories conquered in Hungary, the Kőszegis, strengthening with Bohemian and Styrian defenders, refused to give back their castles along the western border. As a result, royal general Gregory Monoszló led a royal army to successfully besiege and capture Henry Kőszegi's four castles (including Kőszeg and Borostyánkő) in August 1271. Henry Kőszegi spent his two-year exile at the Bohemian court in
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
. During that time, he married an unidentified daughter of the late powerful Bohemian lord, Smil von Lichtenburg ( cz, Smil z Lichtenburka) in 1270. Ban Joachim Gutkeled kidnapped Stephen's ten-year-old son and heir, Ladislaus and imprisoned him in the castle of Koprivnica in the summer of 1272. Stephen besieged the fortress, but could not capture it. The king fell ill and was taken to the
Csepel Island Csepel Island (Hungarian: ''Csepel-sziget'', ) is an island on the Danube in Hungary. It is long; its width after sections of bifurcation and rejoining (confluence) varies from . It has an area of and its population is 165,000. The isle extend ...
. He died on 6 August 1272. Joachim Gutkeled departed for
Székesfehérvár Székesfehérvár (; german: Stuhlweißenburg ), known colloquially as Fehérvár ("white castle"), is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the regional capital of Central Transdanubia, and the centre of Fejér ...
as soon as he was informed of Stephen V's death, because he wanted to arrange Ladislaus' coronation. Stephen's widow, Elizabeth the Cuman joined him, infuriating Stephen V's partisans who accused her of having conspired against her husband. A prominent baron,
Egidius Monoszló Egidius (II) from the kindred Monoszló ( hu, Monoszló nembeli (II.) Egyed; c. 1240 – March 1313) was a Hungarian powerful baron, who served as Master of the treasury from 1270 to 1272 and from 1274 to 1275. He was a loyal supporter of Stephen ...
, laid siege in late August to the Dowager Queen's palace in Székesfehérvár to "rescue" Ladislaus from the rival baronial group's influence, but his action ended in failure as the
Gutkeled The coat-of-arms of the Hungarian Gutkeled clan Gutkeled (spelling variants: Gut-Keled, Guthkeled, Guth-Keled) was the name of a ''gens'' (Latin for "clan"; ''nemzetség'' in Hungarian) in the Kingdom of Hungary, to which a number of Hungarian nob ...
troops routed his army after some clashes and bloodshed. As an Austrian chronicler wrote, Egidius, "fear of the Queen's revenge", fled to Pressburg, alongside his brother, Gregory. They captured the
castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
and its surrounding areas and handed over to Ottokar II who provided shelter to them. The Monoszló brothers were granted castles in Austria by Ottokar, who also commissioned them to administrate Pressburg and the adjacent forts. This favorable treatment infuriated Henry Kőszegi, who was overshadowed in the Bohemian court by then and he waited in vain for the king to recover his lost castles in Hungary. As a result, he decided to return Hungary and joined Elizabeth and Joachim's baronial group, despite the former ancient hostilities. He and his sons fled Prague in the autumn of 1272; Henry banished his Moravian wife and unilaterally
annulled Annulment is a legal procedure within secular and religious legal systems for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost ...
his marriage.


Feudal anarchy


Royal assassin

Ladislaus IV was crowned king in Székesfehérvár on about 3 September 1272. In theory, the 10-year-old Ladislaus ruled under his mother's regency, but in fact, baronial parties administered the kingdom, who fought against each other for supreme power. Henry Kőszegi arrived to Hungary in early November. He asked for audience at the royal court in Buda and swore loyalty to the queen regent. Despite his previous betrayal, his welcome was cordial, Henry received forgiveness from Elizabeth and the Kőszegis' confiscated lands were regained. However, he did not get an office or dignity in the royal council. Béla of Macsó, who governed the southern provinces of the Kingdom of Hungary, also appeared in the royal court in order to demand more power, direct and respectful influence in the affairs of the realm. By that time, he was the closest and only adult male relative of the young king in Hungary. Elizabeth and the royal council convened a summit to the Dominican convent on 'Rabbits' Island by mid-November. Henry Kőszegi also attended the event. Following a sharp dispute, he and his retinue brutally assassinated Duke Béla. Henry drew his sword and slew the young prince, leaving no chance for resistance or the intervention of Béla's partisans. The lord and his companion continued the beastly act even after Béla's body, plunged with countless deadly wounds, fell to the floor. They furiously chopped the corpse into pieces, which later the Dominican nuns (including Béla's sister Margaret and niece
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
) could barely collect. Henry's act was the second assassination against a member of the Hungarian royal family after Queen Gertrude's
murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
in 1213. Together with Ladislaus' kidnapping by Joachim Gutkeled a few months earlier, it marked the beginning of a new era in the Kingdom of Hungary, called "feudal anarchy", which lasted until the 1320s and was characterized by the crisis of royal authority, constant struggles for power and the emergence of oligarchic territorial provinces. Henry Kőszegi had multiple motivations for deliberate preparation for murder. The intensity and brutality of the murder is indicated by personal anger that has escalated since the Battle of Isaszeg, when Béla managed to flee the battlefield, leaving behind his lieutenants, including the captured Henry. During the meeting, Henry accused Béla of treason, who presumably contacted with Ottokar II through his mother Duchess Anna, who was still residing in Prague, to stabilize the domestic political crisis. Despite their lese-majesty and the personal presence of Queen Elizabeth and the minor Ladislaus, Henry and his accomplices were free to leave the crime scene. Béla of Macsó was, in fact, in the path of every aspirant baronial groups (including the queen regent), as he was the only capable male adult member of the dynasty. As a result, no retaliation followed the assassination, which strengthened Henry Kőszegi's political positions. Béla's province, the rich and extensive Duchy of Macsó was divided among the members of the leading noble families within two weeks. Henry became Ban of Ban of Ozora and in this process (present-day Usora and Soli in northern
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
, respectively), holding both dignities until the end of March 1273.


Struggle for power

Immediately after the assassination, Henry Kőszegi has made an alliance with Joachim Gutkeled and the Geregye brothers, forming one of the two main baronial groups, while the other one was dominated by the Csák and
Monoszló Monoszló is a village in Veszprém county, Hungary. History The village is a very ancient settlement mentioned in the old charters. One notable descendant of the village is Lodomer, Archbishop of Esztergom in the second half of the 13th centur ...
clans. During the nominal regency of Queen Elizabeth the Cuman, both sides wished to take part in the exercise of power. The rivalry between the two parties characterized the following years. According to historian
Bálint Hóman Bálint Hóman (29 December 1885 – 2 June 1951) was a Hungarian scholar and politician who served as Minister of Religion and Education twice: between 1932–1938 and between 1939–1942. He died in prison in 1951 for his support of the fasc ...
, twelve "changes of government" took place in the first five regnal years of Ladislaus IV. As historian
Jenő Szűcs Jenő Szűcs (July 13, 1928 in Debrecen – November 24, 1988 in Leányfalu Leányfalu is a riverside village in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary. It is just north of Szentendre located at . Located between the branch of the Litt ...
analyzed, the elderly honored barons, who were made palatines and other chief officials during that time, such
Denis Péc Denis from the kindred Péc ( hu, Péc nembeli Dénes; died between 1285 and 1288) was a Hungarian baron and soldier in the 13th century. Initially, he was a confidant of '' rex iunior'' Stephen, but later joined the partisans of the elderly Béla ...
, Ernye Ákos and Roland Rátót were functioned as stable points and "beauty spot" in the fast-changing governments. Henry Kőszegi, despite his relative low dignities, was considered one of the most influential men in the Kingdom of Hungary at turn of 1272 and 1273. Initially, Henry and Joachim were affiliated with Queen Elizabeth against the late Stephen's supporters (especially the Csáks), but, soon, they expelled the queen mother and her courtiers from power and her regency remained only nominal. Replacing Matthew Csák, Henry Kőszegi was made Ban of Slavonia in May 1273. He held the dignity until his death. His deputy, the vice-ban of Primorje ( la, vices gerens pro bano maritimo) was Paul Šubić, who later ruled over most of
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
,
Slavonia Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja ...
and
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
. As Ban of Slavonia, Henry Kőszegi sent a letter to the burghers of
Trogir Trogir (; historically known as Traù (from Dalmatian language, Dalmatian, Venetian language, Venetian and Italian language, Italian: ); la, Tragurium; Greek language, Ancient Greek: Τραγύριον, ''Tragyrion'' or Τραγούριον, '' ...
urging them to elect his preferred candidate Thomas as their bishop in 1274. In retaliation for Hungarian incursions into
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and
Moravia Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The me ...
, Ottokar's troops invaded the borderlands of Hungary in April 1273. The Bohemian army captured
Győr Győr ( , ; german: Raab, links=no; names of European cities in different languages: E-H#G, names in other languages) is the main city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Western Transdanubia, Western Transdanubia ...
and
Szombathely Szombathely (; german: Steinamanger, ; see also other alternative names) is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas county in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria. Szombathely lies by t ...
, plundering the western counties. The barons of the realm have temporarily made peace and installed a "national unity government" around June to successfully suppress the enemy. Joachim Gutkeled recaptured the two aforementioned forts two months later, while Denis Péc fought with a Bohemian rearguard near Győr in August. Henry Kőszegi became leader of the royal army, which carried out a raid into the surroundings of Pressburg, which was still seized by Ottokar. His troops defeated the Bohemian army at Laa in August. In a second wave, Ottokar's army recaptured Győr and seized many fortresses, including
Sopron Sopron (; german: Ödenburg, ; sl, Šopron) is a city in Hungary on the Austrian border, near Lake Neusiedl/Lake Fertő. History Ancient times-13th century When the area that is today Western Hungary was a province of the Roman Empire, a ...
in the autumn. Large-scale territories and counties remained under the suzerainty of Ottokar and the war had been brought to an end without truce of peace treaty. The cooperation of baronial parties lasted only a few months. By October 1273, the Kőszegi–Gutkeled–Geregye baronial group took control over the country, ousting the Csák kindred. Abolishing the balance of power between the two rivaling groups, the Kőszegis and their allies expelled several members of the royal council and established a homogeneous "party government" in late 1273, as Szűcs called in his monograph. Matthew Csák and his allies removed
Voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...
Nicholas Geregye from power in early June 1274, but Henry Kőszegi and the Gutkeled brothers were able to retain their positions, although their homogeneous government was terminated. Fearing the rival group's gradual advancement in the previous weeks, Joachim Gutkeled and Henry Kőszegi captured Ladislaus IV and his mother near Buda at the end of June 1274. They restored the homogeneous government thereafter, while the young monarch and Queen Elizabeth were practically held under house arrest. Although Peter Csák liberated the king and his mother in a short time, the two powerful lords, Henry Kőszegi and Joachim Gutkeled captured Ladislaus' younger brother,
Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...
, and took him to
Slavonia Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja ...
, the centre of their political basis. They demanded Slavonia in Duke Andrew's name and intended to utilize the young prince as "anti-king" against his elder brother, who came under the influence of the Csáks by then. During their journey to the southern province, the royal army led by Peter Csák and Lawrence Aba chased and caught them still in Transdanubia. The pro-Ladislaus troops defeated their united forces in the
Battle of Föveny A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
(or Bökénysomló), near present-day
Polgárdi Polgárdi is a town in Fejér county, Hungary, reportedly the site where the Sevso Treasure was discovered. Geography Polgárdi is located at an altitude of about 144 metres, about 12 kilometres northeast of Lake Balaton, a resort area in wester ...
in the days between 26 and 29 September 1274. Henry Kőszegi was killed in the skirmish, while Joachim Gutkeled managed to survive. Henry's sons, Nicholas and Ivan also fled the battlefield, withdrawing their troops to the borderlands between Hungary and Austria. Thereafter Peter Csák with the consent of Ladislaus IV gathered an army against the Kőszegis' domain in the autumn of 1274; they marched into Western Hungary, pillaging the brothers' landholdings. Nicholas and Ivan barricaded themselves in the castle of Szalónak. The royal army besieged the fort, but failed to capture it because of the coming winter. Through Henry's ambitious and unscrupulous sons, the Kőszegi family survived their paterfamilias' death and, despite the past crimes, was able to return to power in the spring of 1275.


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Koszegi, Henry 01 1274 deaths 13th-century Hungarian people Henry 01 Palatines of Hungary Judges royal Bans of Slavonia Medieval Hungarian military leaders Hungarian assassins Hungarian military personnel killed in action Hungarian exiles Oligarchs of the Kingdom of Hungary Hungarian prisoners of war