Background
Andrew was the second son of King Béla III and Béla's first wife, Agnes of Antioch. The year of Andrew's birth is not known, but modern historians agree that he was born around 1175- 1177.
Andrew was the second son of King Béla III and Béla's first wife, Agnes of Antioch. The year of Andrew's birth is not known, but modern historians agree that he was born around 1175- 1177.
Andrew succeeded László III, his elder brother’s son, on the throne in 1205. Powerful landed interests forced Andrew to spend royal funds so recklessly that the crown was soon impoverished and dependent on the feudatories, who soon reduced Hungary to a state of near anarchy.
Objecting to the prodigality of the German followers of Andrew’s first wife, Gertrude of Meran, rebellious nobles murdered her in 1213.
Four years later, with an army of 15, 000 men, Andrew set off on an ill-fated Crusade to the Holy Land.
After his return the barons forced him to agree to the Golden Bull, which became an important source of the Hungarian constitution.
It limited royal rights and prerogatives, confirmed basic rights of smallholders and nobles, guaranteed justice for all, and promised to improve the coinage. Under it, nobles had the right to resist by force any royal decree.
During Andrew’s reign the Teutonic Knights, who had occupied parts of Transylvania for 14 years, came into conflict with both royal and ecclesiastical authority, and the order was expelled from Hungary in 1225.
Danilo Romanovich laid siege to Halych, and Andrew's youngest son died during the siege in the autumn of 1234. However, Andrew stormed Austria in the summer of 1235, forcing Duke Frederick to pay an indemnification for damages that his troops had caused while raiding Hungary.
Upon Andrew's demand, Pope Gregory declared on 31 August that Andrew and his sons could only be excommunicated by the authorization of the Holy See.
Andrew died on Septembe 21, 1235.
Andrew's first wife, Gertrude of Merania, was born around 1185. Their first child, Mary, was born in 1203 or 1204. She became the wife of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria. Andrew's eldest son, Béla, was born in 1206. He later succeeded his father as king. Béla's younger sister, Elisabeth, was born in 1207. She married Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia. She died in 1231 and was canonized during Andrew's life. Andrew's second son, Coloman, was born in 1208. His third son, Andrew, was born around 1210. Coloman and Andrew each ruled the Principality of Halych for a short period.
Two years after his first wife was murdered, Andrew married Yolanda de Courtenay, who was born around 1198. Their only child, Yolanda, was born around 1219 and married James I of Aragon.
Andrew's third wife, Beatrice D'Este, was about twenty-three when they married in 1234. She gave birth to a son, Stephen, after Andrew's death. However, Andrew's two older sons, Béla and Coloman, accused her of adultery and considered her child to be a bastard. Her grandson, Andrew, became the last monarch of the House of Árpád.
(1148 – 23 April 1196)
(1154 – c. 1184)
(1215 – before 8 May 1245)
(1185 – 28 September 1213)
(1200 – June 1233)
(1215 – 1251)
( 7 July 1207 – 17 November 1231)
(1204–1237)
(29 November 1206 – 3 May 1270)
(1208 – 1241)
( 1210 – 1233 or 1234)
