Béla IV of Hungary

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Béla IV (1206–1270) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1235 to 1270, and Duke of Styria from 1254 to 1258. He was the eldest son of King Andrew II and became king after his father’s death.

Early rule and challenges
- Béla was crowned king in 1235. He aimed to restore royal authority and reclaim royal lands that had been granted by his father.
- He governed several regions as duke before becoming king: Slavonia (Croatia and Dalmatia), Transylvania, and, in 1233, he used the title King of Cumania.
- He supported Catholic missions to the Cumans, a nomadic people east of Hungary, and promoted the church’s influence in the realm.

Mongol invasion and rebuilding
- The Mongols invaded Hungary in 1241 and crushed Béla’s army at the Battle of Mohi. Béla barely escaped and the country was devastated, with famine following in 1242–1243.
- After the invasion, Béla carried out massive rebuilding: he allowed nobles to fortify towns and build stone castles, promoted colonization to repopulate the land, and moved settlers from Germany, Poland, and elsewhere into depopulated areas.
- He encouraged the growth of towns and fortresses, including new centers along the Danube such as Buda, which became Hungary’s major commercial hub.

Foreign affairs and husbands
- Béla sought to strengthen Hungary’s borders and allied with various eastern and central European rulers. He expanded influence in the south and east and engaged in conflicts with Austria, Bohemia (Ottokar II), and other neighbors.
- In 1254 he regained some control of Styria temporarily as part of a complex series of wars; however, Bohemian king Ottokar II ultimately took control of Styria in 1261.
- He pursued dynastic marriages to form defensive alliances against the Mongols and further threats.

Civil war and division of the kingdom
- Béla’s eldest son, Stephen (often called Stephen V), grew up to challenge his father. By the mid-1260s the two were at odds, and civil war broke out.
- In 1266 the two agreed to divide Hungary along the Danube: Béla would rule the western lands, Stephen the eastern lands. The two sides continued to negotiate, and in 1267 the nobles reaffirmed their shared privileges and the arrangement.
- The division helped end direct conflict, but tension between father and son continued.

Later life and death
- Béla remained king and continued to govern with the help of his family and nobles until his death.
- He died on Rabbits’ Island near Buda on May 3, 1270, at about 63–64 years old. He was buried in Esztergom Cathedral after a period of movement between churches.
- Béla IV was remembered as the “second founder of the state” for rebuilding Hungary after the Mongol invasion. He was known for strengthening royal authority, repopulating the countryside, promoting towns and trade, and creating a fortified kingdom that could withstand future threats.

Family and legacy
- Béla was married to Maria Laskarina, a daughter of the Byzantine emperor. They had several children, including:
- Kunigunda (beatified saint)
- Yolanda (blessed)
- Margaret (saint)
- Anna, Constance, Elisabeth, Stephen (who became king after Béla)
- His daughters’ marriages created long-lasting political alliances, and his son Stephen continued to rule part of Hungary after the division.

Overall, Béla IV’s reign is seen as a turning point that saved and rebuilt Hungary after a devastating invasion, strengthened royal authority, and laid the groundwork for a more fortified and populous kingdom.