Medieval Hungary (997 - 1096)

<>The first Hungarian King is Stephen.  He becomes Kende or Chief Prince in 997.  In 1000, he receives a crown and an investiture of Kingship from Pope Sylvester II.  He moves against his uncle, the Transylvanian gyula.   In 1003, he captures the gyula, and adds Transylvania to the Hungary.  He reduces the offices of gyula and harka to court officials and assumed complete and sole control over the Hungarian kingdom.  In 1002, Stephen also allies himself with Henry II, the Holy Roman Emperor and attacks Boleslas the Brave of Poland.  In the ensuing war, he loses Slovakia to Poland (Treaty of Posen, 1005).  He regains the cities of Bratislava and Nitra, in another war allied with Otto III, the new Holy Roman Emperor from 1015 - 1018 (Treaty of Budysin or Bautzen, 1018).   <> Stephen then subdues a pagan revolt lead by his nephew, Vaszoly (Vazul).  Vaszoly is blinded and imprisoned, and his sons, Andrew, Bela, and Levante flee to Poland and Russia.  Stephen dies in 1038, and appoints his nephew, Peter, son of his sister and the Doge of Venice, king.

<>The Hungarian nobility elects Samuel Aba king, and Peter flees to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III for protection.  Henry invades and conquers Hungary, placing Peter on the throne as his vassal.  Another pagan revolt ensues, and Peter is killed by the tribal chieftain, Vata, in 1048.  Vaszoly's sons are recalled by the nobility, and Andrew I (1048 - 1050) ascends the Hungarian throne.  Bela, his brother, puts down the pagan revolt and defeats Henry III, restoring Hungarian independence.  Bela then challenges Andrew I for the throne, and in the ensuing fight, Andrew is killed and Bela I (1050 - 1053) is crowned as his successor.  <>After the death of Bela I, Solomon (1053 - 1074), son of Andrew I, is crowned king.  His reign is spent in dynastic struggles with Bela's two sons, Gejza and Ladislas.  Finally, Gejza and Ladislas force Solomon from the throne, and he flees for protection to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, who is his brother-in-law.  Gejza I (1074 - 1077) is king for a few short years, during which the last of the Poles are expelled from Slovakia. 

Ladislas (1077 - 1096) is invited to assume the crown of Croatia, and is opposed by the Venetians and the Byzantines, who succeed in expelling the Hungarians only for a short time.  His son, Coloman, is confirmed King of Croatia by the Pope in 1102, and extends Hungary into the Balkans, at the expense of the Byzantine Empire.