ducate, Béla I, Géza I

Nyitra - Castle hill
Coin with the representation of Prince Géza on it
Béla obtains the crown
Prince Béla
Coin with the representation of Prince Béla on it
King Géza and Prince Ladislaus
Ducate

A special governorship extending over one third of the country in the 11th century, was established by king Andrew I around 1048 for his younger brother, prince Béla. As counties Nyitra and Bihar definitely belonged to it, we can conjecture that its territory of unknown size may have contained two bigger blocks. During the fights for the throne in the 11th century the princes who owned the ducate usually acted as rivals of the king. Therefore in the beginning of the 12th century king Coloman liquidated it. During the reign of Ladislaus II it was reorganised for a short time, then it finally came to an end.

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Béla I

He was the youngest son of prince Vazul, born around 1115-20. As a child, he lived in exile in Bohemia and Poland. He married Richeza (Adelhaid), the daughter of the Polish emperor. They had three sons (Géza, Ladislaus, Lampert) and four girls (Zsofia, Euphemia, Ilona, unknown). He returned to Hungary around 1048, where he became the leader of the ducate till 1060. He died on 11 September 1063, from an injury suffered during an accident. He was buried in a Benedictian monastery at Szekszárd, which was founded by himself.

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Géza I

Son of later Béla I; he was born in Poland around 1040. Between 1064 and 1074 he was the governor of the ducate, then he became king. His sons (Coloman, Álmos) were born in his marriage to Zsófia. He did not have any children from his second marriage to Synade, Byzantian princess (around 1074). He died on 25 April, 1077. He was buried at Vác. The sources mention him as Magnus, too.

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