Background
Beloš was the middle son of Uroš I, the Grand Prince of Serbia (r ca 1112-1145), and Anna Diogenissa, the granddaughter of Romanos IV Diogenes, the Byzantine Emperor (r 1068–1071).
Beloš was the middle son of Uroš I, the Grand Prince of Serbia (r ca 1112-1145), and Anna Diogenissa, the granddaughter of Romanos IV Diogenes, the Byzantine Emperor (r 1068–1071).
Beloš held the title of duke (dux), and served as the viceregal (ban) of Croatia in 1142-1158 and briefly in 1163. He lived during a period of Serbian-Hungarian alliance, amid a growing threat from the Byzantines, who had earlier been the overlords of Serbia. Zavida, the father of future Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, is possibly a fourth brother, this is however undisclosed.
In 1131, Béla II was crowned the King of Hungary, succeeding the child-less Stephen World War II Béla II died on 13 February 1141, and the eldest son and heir Géza II was still a child, thus Helen and Beloš became regents in his place.
In 1145, he received the title of comes palatinus (Count palatine), the highest court title of the Kingdom. Beloš received the title of Ban of Croatia and Dalmatia (the latter is later given to a younger son of the dynasty), as a viceroy in Croatia, in 1142.
In 1149, Géza II and Beloš aids Uroš II in the attacks of Emperor Manuel I on Serbia. In 1154, he assists Ban Borić of Bosnia to conquer Braničevo from the Byzantines.
In 1158 he leaves Hungary and returns to Serbia.
He returns to Croatia, once again serving as Ban of Croatia. Beloš ousts Stephen IV after he briefly rules, taking him as prisoner. He releases Stephen IV to the Byzantines after an agreement.
He founded a monastery in present-day Banoštor (then known as Kewe), which made the locals call the town Banov manastir (Ban"s Monastery, Hungarian: Ban monostra), hence the modern name Banoštor.
After 1163 there are no more mentions of him.
During his time as tutor to Géza II, the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus attacked Hungary, supporting the rival Boris Kalamanos (son of Coloman), however Beloš successfully managed to defend Hungary.
Beloš, as a member of the Serbian Vukanović dynasty, also briefly ruled his patrimony as the Grand Prince of Serbia in 1162. After the death of Géza II in 1162, Byzantines wanted to instate a member of the dynasty, Stephen IV, who had lived in Constantinople.