Euphrosyne of Kiev

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Euphrosyne of Kiev, (c. 1130 – c. 1193), Queen Consort of Hungary.

Euphrosyne was the first daughter of Grand Prince Mstislav I of Kiev and his second wife, Liubava Dmitrievna. In 1146, she was married to King Géza II of Hungary, who had come of age shortly before.

During his husband's reign she did not intervene in the politics of the kingdom, but after his death on 31 May 1162, her influence strengthened over their son, King Stephen III. The young king had to struggle against his uncles Ladislaus and Stephen to save his throne, and Euphrosyne took an active part in the struggles. She persuaded King Vladislaus II of Bohemia to give military assistance to her son against the invasion of the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos.

Euphrosyne's favourite son was the youngest, Duke Géza. Therefore, when King Stephen III died on 4 March 1172, she was planning to ensure his succession against her older son, Béla who had been living in the court of the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. However, Béla came back, and he was crowned on 13 January 1173 although the Archbishop Lukas of Esztergom denied his coronation. Shortly afterwards, King Béla III had his brother arrested which increased the tension between Euphrosyne and his son. Although, Duke Géza managed to escape from his captivity soon, probably with Euphrosyne's help, but in 1177 he was again arrested.

In 1186, Euphrosyne tried to release his younger son again, but she failed. King Béla III ordered to arrest his mother and kept her confined in the fortress of Barancs (Serbian: Braničevo). Shortly afterwards, Euphrosyne was set free but she was obliged to leave the kingdom for Constantinople. From Constantinople she moved to Jerusalem where he lived as a nun in the convent of the Hospitallers and then in the Basilian monastery of Saint Sabbas.


[edit] Marriage and children

# 1146: King Géza II of Hungary (1130 – 31 May 1162)

[edit] Sources

  • Soltész, István: Árpád-házi királynék (Gabo, 1999)
  • Kristó, Gyula - Makk, Ferenc: Az Árpád-ház uralkodói (IPC Könyvek, 1996)
Preceded by
Helena of Raška		 Queen Consort of Hungary
1146–1162		 Succeeded by
Maria Comnene
Preceded by
Helena of Raška		 Queen Consort of Croatia
1146–1162		 Succeeded by
Maria Comnene