Maria Comnene (Queen of Hungary)

Maria Comnene (c. 1144–1190), Queen Consort of Hungary and Croatia.

Maria was the youngest child of "Sebastokrator" Isakios Comnenos, the elder brother of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, and his first wife, Theodore. His father was a grandson of King Ladislaus I of Hungary.

In 1153, she was engaged with Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor by his uncle, the Emperor Manuel I, but their engagement was broken off shortly afterwards. In 1156, her uncle married her to Duke Stephen who had fled to his court following an unsuccessful rebellion against his brother, King Géza II of Hungary.

After the death of King Géza II on 31 May 1162, the Emperor Manuel I prepared a campaign against Hungary in order to have her husband ascend the throne against the deceased king's son, King Stephen III. However, the Hungarian barons elected her brother-in-law, Ladislaus II king who granted one third of the Kingdom of Hungary to Maria's husband.

Following the sudden death of King Ladislaus II on 14 January 1163, her husband was proclaimed king; therefore Maria became the Queen Consort of Hungary. However, King Stephen IV was defeated on 19 June 1163 by his nephew, King Stephen III and was obliged to fleed again to the Byzantine Empire where he died while still struggling against his nephew on 11 April 1165.

Maria died in Constantinople.

Marriage

"# c. 1157:" King Stephen IV of Hungary (c. 1133 – 11 April 1165)(They did not have any children.)

Sources

* 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)