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Béla II (the Blind)

Type Figure Region Hungary Time c. 1110–1141 Also known as Béla II、Béla the Blind、贝拉二世、Vak Béla

Béla II (c. 1110–1141), king of Hungary of the Árpád dynasty, was blinded in childhood along with his father Álmos by Coloman, hence his epithet 'the…

Timeline

  1. c. 1110–1129Esztergom · HungaryBéla was the son of Duke Álmos. Around 1113 King Coloman had Álmos and the young Béla blinded to eliminate a threat to the throne. Béla grew up in captivity and exile, and around the late 1120s married Helena of Raška.
  2. 1131–1132Székesfehérvár · HungaryAfter Stephen II died without issue, the throne that had passed from St Stephen I fell to Béla. He was crowned at Székesfehérvár in 1131; because of his blindness he governed with the assistance of Queen Helena and her brothers, and ruthlessly purged the remnants of Coloman's faction.
  3. 1132–1141Esztergom · HungaryIn 1132 he defeated the claimant Boris (Coloman's illegitimate son) and Polish reinforcements near the Sajó River, thereafter conducting diplomacy with Byzantium and Poland. He died on 13 February 1141; his young son Géza II succeeded him with Helena as regent.

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