Béla I the Champion or the Bison (Hungarian: I. (Bajnok/Bölény) Béla; c. 1016 – 11 September 1063) was King of Hungary from 1060 until hsi death. He descended from a younger branch of the Árpád dynasty and spent seventeen years in exile, probably in the court of the Kings of Poland. He came back to Hungary at the request of his brother, King Andrew I who assigned him the government of one third of the kingdom. However, Béla did not want to accept...
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Béla I the Champion or the Bison (Hungarian: I. (Bajnok/Bölény) Béla; c. 1016 – 11 September 1063) was King of Hungary from 1060 until hsi death. He descended from a younger branch of the Árpád dynasty and spent seventeen years in exile, probably in the court of the Kings of Poland. He came back to Hungary at the request of his brother, King Andrew I who assigned him the government of one third of the kingdom. However, Béla did not want to accept the hereditary rights of his brother's son, Solomon to the throne and he rebelled against his brother. Although, he managed to ascend to the throne after defeating King Andrew, he could not strengthen his reign and ensure his sons' succession.
Béla was the second son of Duke Vazul, a cousin of Stephan I, 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 customs.
After their father's tragic death, the three brothers were obliged to...
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