Stephen IV (Hungarian: IV. István, Croatian: Stjepan V., Slovak: Štefan IV.), (c. 1133 – 11 April 1165, Zemun), king of Hungary and Croatia (1163-1165).
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Early years
Stephen was the third son of king Béla II of Hungary and his wife, Helena of Raška. When king Béla II died on 13 February 1141, his brother Géza II ascended the throne. In 1152, the king organised a separeted ducal household for Stephen and his brother, Ladislaus. However, the two younger brothers' relationship with the king got worsened, because Géza II wanted to ensure the succession of his son, Stephen. In 1157, Stephen lead a conspiracion against the king supported by their maternal uncle, Beloš. Although Géza II could overcome their conspiracy, Stephen managed to fleed to the court of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Géza II sent his envoys to the emperor and promised to help him with troops agains Milan; therefore Frederick I denied any support from Stephen who fled to Constantinople. Stephen was wellcomed by Emperor Manuel I Komnenos who arranged Stephen's marriage with his niece Maria Comnene. Stephen was followed to Constantinople in 1159 by his brother, Ladislaus, who also had conspired against Géza II.
Struggle for the throne
When he was informed that king Géza II had died on 31 May 1162 and his son Stephen III had been crowned, Emperor Manuel I decided to make a campaign against Hungary in order to have Stephen ascended the throne. On hearing the Emperor's demand, the Hungarian barons sent an embassy to his camp and offered to accept, instead of Stephan, the rule of his brother, Ladislaus, pursuant to the Hungarian costums which gave precedence to the eldest member of the royal family over a deceased king's son. The Emperor accepted the barons' offer and sent Ladislaus and Stephen to Hungary. By the time they arrived to Székesfehérvár, their nephew, king Stephen III had escaped to Bratislava (Pozsony), and Ladislaus was proclaimed king. After his coronation, Ladislaus II granted Tercia pars Regni (i.e. one third of the kingdom of Hungary) to Stephen. On 14 January 1163 Ladislaus died and Stephen was proclaimed king. However, Lukas, Archbishop of Esztergom, who remained loyal to Stephen III and had been arrested by Ladislaus II, denied his coronation; therefore Stephen was crowned by Mikó, Archbishop of Kalocsa. Archbishop Lukas did not want to accept Stephen's reign and excommunacated him; therefore Stephen prohibited any correspondence between the Hungarian bishops and the Holy See and he was accused of aspiring the Hungarian Church to be separated from Rome. Stephen supported the claims of the Byzantine Empire without compromise which resulted in growing indignation among the Hungarian barons. In the beginning of 1163 the members of the gens (clan) Csák rebelled against him, but they were defeated. However, in the meantime, the young Stephen III sought assistance of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, and leading the troops sent by the emperor to him he defeated his uncle on 19 June 1163 at Székesfehérvár. During the battle Stephen caught captivity, but the young king, following Archbishop Lukas' advice, set him free. Following his release Stephen fled again to the Byzantine Empire.
Last years
The dethronised Stephen had a meeting with Emperor Manuel I in Sofia, where he promised to accept openly the supremacy of the Byzantine Empire in case he were restored. The Emperor made a campaign against Hungary, but at the end of the year concluded peace with Stephen III under which he promised that he would not support Stephen's claim. Disappointed by the Byzantine Emperor, Stephen sent his envoys to Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, but the Western Emperor also acknowledged the rule of Stephen III. Emperor Manuel I appointed him to governor of the fortress of Zemun (Zimony) and Stephen invaded several times the neighbouring territories of Hungary. In the beginning Hungarian troops laid siege to Zemun, and the defenders of the fortress poisoned him before surrender. He was buried in a church of Zemun, but later his body was transferred to Székesfehérvár.
Marriage
# c. 1157: Maria Comnene (c. 1144 – 1190), daughter of Isakios Comnenos and his first wife, Theodora. (Stephen did not father any children.)
Sources
- Engel, Pat. Realm of St. Stephen : A History of Medieval Hungary, 2001
- 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)
- G. Vég, Magyarország királyai és királynői, Maecenas, 1990.
- Magyarország Történeti Kronológiája I. – A kezdetektől 1526-ig, főszerkesztő: Benda Kálmán (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1981)
- (primary source) The Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle, A. West, trans., Corvina, 1969.
- (primary source) John Kinnamos, Deeds of John and Manuel Comnenus, C.M. Brand, trans., Columbia University Press, 1976.
| Preceded by Ladislaus II | King of Hungary | Succeeded by Stephen III |
