Individual Details
Andras II King of Hungary
(1176 - 26 Oct 1235)
Andras was born in 1176, the son of Bela III, king of Hungary, and Agnes of Antioch. He succeeded his nephew, the infant Ladislas III, in 1205. By his reckless generosity he impoverished the crown and made the monarchy dependent on the great feudatories, who reduced Hungary to a state bordering on anarchy. Before 1203 he married Gertrud von Meran, daughter of Berthold VI von Andechs, duke of Meran and Dalmatia, and Agnes von Nieder-Lausitz. They had five children of whom three would have progeny, including his son Bela IV and daughter Elisabeth (who would be canonised as St. Elisabeth). Gertrud had made herself hated by her frequent interferences in Hungary's politics, supporting German influence, and by her greed. On 24 September 1213 when her husband was absent, she was murdered by Hungarian noblemen. In 1215 Andras married Yolande de Courtenay, daughter of Pierre II de Courtenay, emperor of Constantinople, and his second wife Yolande of Flanders. They had a daughter Violante who would marry Jaime I 'the Conqueror', king of Aragón, and have progeny.
In 1217 Andras II set out for the Holy Land with an army of 15,000 men, about 10,000 of whom sailed from Venice to Acre. One prize he captured was a large earthenware jar, which was believed to be one of the water pots used at the marriage at Cana, when Christ had miraculously turned the water it held into wine. King Andras, who acquired this relic, was as delighted with it as if he had captured Jerusalem itself. However he was getting more and more bored with the life in Acre. Welcoming the news that Boemund IV, prince of Antioch was planning to marry Melisande de Lusignan, the half-sister of Hugues I de Lusignan, king of Cyprus, he went off happily to join the wedding party in Tripoli. But the festivities were cut short just after the New Year of 1218 by the sudden and unexpected death of Hugues. This was too much for King Andras; he returned to Acre, gathered his men together and, having made arrangements with the Seljuk sultan of Rum for safe passage through his land, marched them home again through Anatolia.
On his return, the barons extorted from him the Golden Bull, which has been called the Hungarian Magna Carta. Andras died on 26 October 1235, aged about 69. He was succeeded by his son Bela IV, then aged 29.
Source: Leo van de Pas
In 1217 Andras II set out for the Holy Land with an army of 15,000 men, about 10,000 of whom sailed from Venice to Acre. One prize he captured was a large earthenware jar, which was believed to be one of the water pots used at the marriage at Cana, when Christ had miraculously turned the water it held into wine. King Andras, who acquired this relic, was as delighted with it as if he had captured Jerusalem itself. However he was getting more and more bored with the life in Acre. Welcoming the news that Boemund IV, prince of Antioch was planning to marry Melisande de Lusignan, the half-sister of Hugues I de Lusignan, king of Cyprus, he went off happily to join the wedding party in Tripoli. But the festivities were cut short just after the New Year of 1218 by the sudden and unexpected death of Hugues. This was too much for King Andras; he returned to Acre, gathered his men together and, having made arrangements with the Seljuk sultan of Rum for safe passage through his land, marched them home again through Anatolia.
On his return, the barons extorted from him the Golden Bull, which has been called the Hungarian Magna Carta. Andras died on 26 October 1235, aged about 69. He was succeeded by his son Bela IV, then aged 29.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1176 | ||||
| Marriage | Bef 1203 | Gertrud von Meran | |||
| Marriage | 1215 | Yolande de Courtenay, Princess of Constantinople | |||
| Death | 26 Oct 1235 |
Families
| Spouse | Yolande de Courtenay, Princess of Constantinople (1200 - 1233) |
| Child | Princess Violante of Hungary (1216 - 1251) |
| Spouse | Gertrud von Meran (1175 - 1213) |
| Child | Béla IV King of Hungary (1206 - 1270) |
| Child | St. Elisabeth of Hungary (Erzsébet) (1207 - 1231) |
| Father | Béla III King of Hungary (1148 - 1196) |
| Mother | Ágnes de Chatillon ( - ) |
| Sibling | Princess Margit of Hungary (1175 - 1224) |