Ulrich II of Celje

Timeline

1. 1451–1454Buda · Kingdom of HungaryAround 1451, Ulrich II, leveraging his kinship with the young King Ladislaus V (his mother being a Habsburg princess), actively contested the position of regent at the Hungarian court. His principal rival was the powerful Hunyadi János (John Hunyadi). The political struggle between the two determined command of Hungary's war against the Ottoman Empire and profoundly shaped the political landscape of Central Europe.
2. 1455–1456Belgrade · Frontier of the Kingdom of HungaryIn 1456 Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II led a large army to besiege Belgrade. Ulrich arrived with King Ladislaus V and co-directed the defense alongside Hunyadi János. On July 22 Hunyadi won a decisive victory, repelling the Ottoman forces. Yet during this period Ulrich still sought to exploit the moment to weaken the Hunyadi family's influence, sparking sharp political friction. Hunyadi died of plague shortly afterward (August 11), and Ulrich attempted to seize the opportunity to gain full control of Hungarian politics.
3. 1456Belgrade Fortress · Frontier of the Kingdom of HungaryOn November 9, 1456, while meeting László Hunyadi (eldest son of Hunyadi János) at Belgrade Fortress, Ulrich II was suddenly attacked and assassinated by the latter and his attendants. With Ulrich's death the Counts of Celje died out, and their lands passed into Habsburg hands according to a prior agreement. The event triggered a chain reaction: King Ladislaus V executed László Hunyadi (March 1457), causing an uproar in Hungary that directly shook the foundations of Habsburg rule there.