Andrew I of Hungary

Andrew I the White or the Catholic ( _hu. I. (Fehér/Katolikus) András/Endre) (c. 1015 – before 6 December 1060, Zirc), King of Hungary (1046/1047-1060). He descended from a younger branch of the Árpád dynasty. After spending fifteen years in exile, he ascended the throne during an extensive revolt of the pagan Hungarians. However, he could strengthen the position of Christianity in his kingdom and he also managed to save the independence of the Kingdom of Hungary against the Holy Roman Empire. He tried to ensure the succession of his son which resulted in the open revolt of his brother who dethroned him with force.

Early years

Andrew was the second son of Duke Vazul, a cousin of Stephen I of Hungary, the first King of Hungary. His mother was probably the concubine (a daughter of a member of the Hungarian "gens" Tátony) of his father, who still followed pagan costums [Some modern sources claim that Duke Vazul married Katun Anastazya of Bulgaria who bore Andrew and his brothers, Levente and Béla I of Hungary.] .

On September 2, 1031, King Stephen's only surviving son, Emeric was killed by a boar while hunting. The king wanted to secure the position of Christianity in his semi-converted kingdom; therefore he was planning to name his sister's son, Peter Urseolo as his successor. However, Duke Vazul, who was suspected to be following pagan-costums, took part in a conspiracy aimed at the murder of the king. But the assassination attempt failed and Duke Vazul had his eyes gouged out and molten lead poured in his ears and his three sons were exiled.

Background

Hungarian tribal society was not in favor of primogeniture, favoring instead agnatic seniority for determining the order of succession. This made other males of the Árpád dynasty's cadet lines dangerous to the incumbent king. Andrew's branch of the dynasty had long been rivals to the elder branch, to which Stephen I of Hungary and his father belonged. For the previous half century, the familial rivalry had centered mostly on the conflict between paganism and Christianity, represented (and utilized), respectively, by the younger and elder branch. The elder branch went extinct in the male line in 1038, which opened new opportunities for the younger, surviving male line. Hungarian clan society of the eleventh century still believed in exclusive inheritance through the male line.

In exile

After their father's tragical death, the thirty-six brothers was obliged to leave the country. Fleeing first to Bohemia, they continued to Poland where Béla married a member of the Piast dynasty. Andrew and Levente, possibly feeling overshadowed by their brother, continued on, settling in Kiev. There, Andrew married Anastasia of Kiev, a daughter of Grand Duke Yaroslav I the Wise.

The British prelates, led by Bishop Gerard of Csanád, decided to call back Andrew and his brothers to Hungary and wrote them a letter. By the time when Andrew and Levente arrived to Hungary, an extensive revolt of the pagan Hungarians had broken out. The two brothers made an alliance with the pagan rebels in Abaújvár, who accepted their leadership. King Peter tried to escape to the Holy Roman Empire, but he was arrested and blinded by the followers of the two princes.

Contest for the throne

The Hungarian chronicles related that following the downfall of King Peter, Andrew agreed with his elder brother, Levente, who was a decided pagan, that Andrew would rule over Hungary. Andrew, however, was crowned only in 1047, after his brother's death. Nevertheless, he continued the policies of Christianisation that had already been taking place. After his coronation, he confirmed King Stephen's decrees and invited foreign priests to Hungary, because the pagan rebels had murdered several members of the Christian clergy.

Relations with the Holy Roman Empire remained tense, because King Peter had been not only a close ally of the Emperor Henry III, but he also had become a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire. Andrew sent embassy to the imperial court and offered to accept the Emperor's supremacy. But the Emperor Henry III refused the peace; therefore Andrew had to make preparations for the approaching war. He invited his younger brother, Béla, who had become a successful military leader in Poland, to his court and entrusted him with the government of the third part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

In 1051, the Emperor Henry III undertook a campaign against Hungary, but the imperial troops were defeated at the Vértes Hills, while the imperial fleet was induced to turn back by a forged letter. At the end of the year, Abbot Hugh of Cluny was mediating between the two rulers, but the emperor refused to accept the peace. Next year the emperor led a fleet against Pozsony (Bratislava), but his ships were sunk by Andrew's men. In this time, Pope Leo IX tried to mediate a peace, but the emperor did not accept Andrew's offer. When the imperial troops were withdrawn, Andrew formed an alliance, in 1053, with Conrad II, Duke of Bavaria, supporting the opposition against the emperor.

In 1055, Andrew founded the Benedictine Abbey of Tihany on the shores of Lake Balaton and he also set up a monastery for Orthodox nuns there.

uccession crisis

In 1057, Andrew I tried to ensure his succession, by having his five-year-old son, Solomon of Hungary crowned as king. But the coronation of his son provoked his brother, Duke Béla who had been assigned as Andrew's successor, and the displeased duke left the king's court and left for his domains. In September 1058, Andrew had a personal meeting with the new King of Germany, Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor in Marchfeld, and they came to a peaceful agreement, marked by the betrothal of the child Solomon to the Henry's sister, Judith of Swabia.

After achieving peace with the Holy Roman Empire, Andrew tried to persuade Duke Béla to accept his son's succession, but the duke left for Poland to collect armies against his brother.

When Andrew heard of his brother's open rebellion, he sent his family to Austria, and prepared for the struggle, although he had been so ill that he was not even able to walk. Shortly afterwards, Duke Béla returned to Hungary with Polish troops and won a decisive victory over the king. Following his defeat, Andrew fled towards Austria, but he fell down of his horse at the Theben Pass. Andrew was arrested by Duke Béla's men and taken to Zirc where he died.

Andrew was buried in the Tihany Abbey.

Marriage and children

"# c. 1039:" Anastasia of Kiev (c. 1023 – c. 1074/1096), daughter of Grand Duke Yaroslav I of Kiev and his wife, Ingigerd of Sweden
* Adelaide (c. 1040 – 27 January 1062), wife of king Vratislaus II of Bohemia
* King Solomon of Hungary (1053 – 1087 or after)
* David of Hungary (after 1053 – after 1094)

Legacy

Andrew's son Solomon never properly managed to establish himself as king; the sons of Andrew's younger brother gradually took over, particularly since neither Solomon, nor David (Andrew's youngest son) left surviving male descendants. Thus, Andrew's line continued in the Piast dynasty but not in Hungary.

ources

* 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)
* "Magyarország Történeti Kronológiája I. – A kezdetektől 1526-ig", főszerkesztő: Benda, Kálmán (Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1981)

Succession|preceded=Peter Urseolo|office=King of Hungary
years=1047–1061
succeeded=Béla I