Emeric of Hungary
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- There was also a Hungarian prince and saint named Emeric of Hungary (died 1031).
Emeric I. (Hungarian: I. Imre, Croatian: Mirko/Emerik, Slovak: Imrich I.), (1174 – 30 September/30 November 1204), king of Hungary and Croatia (1182-1204), duke of Croatia and Dalmatia (1194-1196).
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[edit] Crown prince
Emeric was the eldest son of king Béla III of Hungary and his first wife, Agnes of Antioch. His father had Emeric crowned on 16 May 1182 in order to ensure his succession. Emeric was betrothed to Agnes, the daughter of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, but her premature death in 1184 prevented their marriage.
Emeric was crowned again in 1194, and his father appointed him to duke of Croatia and Dalmatia. In his last will, king Béla III left his kingdom unportioned to Emeric, while his younger son, Andrew inherited a large amount of money in order to fulfill his father's Crusader oath.
[edit] Struggles with his brother
On 23 April 1196, king Béla III died and Emeric ascended the throne. Shortly afterwards, Emeric and his brother, Andrew began to quarrel, because the latter used the money he had inherited from his father to recruit followers among the barons. Andrew also sought the assistance of Leopold V, Duke of Austria, and they defeated Emeric in the Battle of Mački (Macsek) in December 1197. Following the battle, Emeric transferred the government of the duchies of Croatia and Dalmatia to his brother.
Emeric married Infanta Constance of Aragon probably in 1198. Duke Andrew still continued his organizing activities against Emeric. The king could count on the support of Pope Innocent III who persuaded the duke to fulfill his father's last will and lead a Crusader to the Holy Land. The discordance in the royal family resulted in the donation of the royal estates and revenues both by the king and his brother, e.g. Emeric granted the tithe of the royal revenues to the Archbishop of Esztergom and he also transferre the royal palace in Esztergom to the Archbishop.
When Emeric was informed that Boleszlo, Bishop of Vác had been conspiring with duke Andrew, he personally arrested the bishop on 10 March 1199. Afterwards, he devprived his brother's followers (e.g. Palatine Mog) of their dignities. In the summer of 1199, in the Battle of Rád, Emeric defeated his brother who fled to Austria. The two brothers made peace with the mediation of the papal legate Gregory, and Andrew was granted the government of Croatia and Dalmatia again.
[edit] Wars in the Balkans
Persuaded by Pope Innocent III, who wanted to suppress Bogomilism in the Balkans, Emeric, in 1201, made a campaign against grand prince Stefan II of Serbia whom he expelled from his country where his brother Vukan II acquired the power under the supremacy of Emeric, who took the title "king of Serbia". Emeric also defeated Ban Kulin of Bosnia who had been supporting the Bogumils in his province. During 1202, Emeric made a campaign against Kaloyan of Bulgaria, who was supporting Stefan II of Serbia to reconquer his country, but the Bulgarian troops avoid any battle and Emeric could not defeat them.
In the meantime, a new conflict was emerging, when the city of Zadar in Dalmatia, which had formerly been under the Republic of Venice, but which recognised Emeric as protector in 1201, became the first object of the Fourth Crusade. The Crusaders, on behalf of the Venetians, took the city on 24 November 1202, despite the prohibition of Pope Innocent III. Although, on Emeric's request the Pope Innocent III excommunicated the Venetians and the Crusaders, but the Hungarian troops could not reoccupy the city.
On 8 April 1203, Ban Kulin officially declared his allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church and confirmed his fidelity to the king of Hungary in the congress of Bilino Polje. In 1203, Emeric hindered Cardinal Leo, who was carrying the royal crown Pope Innocent III had bestowed on Kaloyan of Bulgaria.
[edit] Last years
In 1203, duke Andrew began to conspire against Emeric again. Emeric lead his armies to his brother's duchies. Emeric, when he realised that the duke's troops outnumbered his armies, went unarmed, wearing only the crown and the sceptre, to his brother's camp near Varaždin (Varasd) and Andrew surrendered voluntarily on the spur of the scene. Emeric had his brother arrested, but Andrew managed to escape shortly afterwards.
Emeric, who had become more and more ill, had his young son, Ladislaus crowned on 26 August 1204. Then he was reconciled with his brother whom he appointed to govern the kingdom during his son's minority.
Emeric was buried in the Cathedral of Eger.
[edit] Marriage and child
# c. 1167: Infanta Constance of Aragon (c. 1179 – 23 June 1222), daughter of King Alfonso II of Aragon and his wife, Infanta Sancha of Castile
- King Ladislaus III of Hungary (c. 1200 – 7 May 1205)
[edit] Ancestors
[edit] Legacy
When Emeric died, his infant son briefly became king but died in 1205. Emeric's brother Andrew became king. Constance, meanwhile, fled to Vienna and eventually married the Emperor Frederick II.
[edit] 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)
- Ostrogorski, Georgjie. History of the Byzantine State, 1986
- Magyarország Történeti Kronológiája I. – A kezdetektől 1526-ig, főszerkesztő: Benda Kálmán (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1981)
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de:Emmerich (Ungarn)eo:Emeriko (Hungario) fr:Imre de Hongrie hr:Emerik, hrvatsko-ugarski kralj it:Emerico d'Ungheria hu:Imre magyar király nl:Emmerik van Hongarije ja:イムレ1世 pl:Emeryk Arpadowicz pt:Emerico da Hungria
