Beloš Vukanović

Beloš (Serbian: Белош^[a]; fl. 1141–1163), a member of the Vukanović dynasty of Serbia, was the Regent of Hungary 1141-1146 alongside his sister Helena of Raška, who was married to Béla II with whom she had a son, Géza II, still an infant. He held the title of dux, and was the viceregal (Ban) of Croatia 1142-1158 and 1163. Beloš, as a member of the Serbian dynasty, was the Grand Prince of Serbia in 1162. Beloš received the title of comes palatinus, the highest court title. He lived during a period of Serbian-Hungarian alliance, amid a growing threat from the Byzantines, who had earlier been the overlords of Serbia.

Background

Life

Origin

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). He had two brothers, Uroš II Primislav and Desa, and two sisters, Helen and Maria. Zavida, the father of future Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, is possibly a fourth brother, this is however undisclosed.

Hungarian Regency

Helen

Géza II

His sister Helen, married the Hungarian heir apparent, Béla II in 1129. In 1131, Béla II was crowned the King of Hungary, succeeding the child-less Stephen II. Beloš joined his sister at the Hungarian court, and received the title of dux (Duke, Herzog). 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. The brother and sister governed the Kingdom of Hungary until Géza II's coming of age, in September 1146. In 1145, he received the title of comes palatinus (Count palatine), the highest court title of the Kingdom. 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.

Croatia and Serbia

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. When Manuel I had removed his brother Uroš II in 1161, Beloš came to rule briefly in 1162, then gave the throne to his younger brother Desa. He returns to Croatia, once again serving as Ban of Croatia. After the death of Géza II in 1162, Byzantines wanted to instate a member of the dynasty, Stephen IV, who had lived in Constantinople. Beloš ousts Stephen IV after he briefly rules, taking him as prisoner. He releases Stephen IV to the Byzantines after an agreement.

Later years and legacy

He married his daughter to the Russian Knyaz Vladimir Dolgorukov in 1150. 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. Throughout his tenure in Hungary, he maintained excellent relations with Serbia, which was ruled by his brothers. After 1163 there are no more mentions of him.

See also

Notes

References

Sources

• Kalić, J. 1997, "Le joupan Belos", Zbornik radova Vizantološkog instituta, no. 36, pp. 63–81.
• V. Klaić, Hrvatski bani za Arpadovića (1102—1301), u Vjesniku kraljevskog zemaljskog arhiva, l (1899), 129—138;
• Dr. M. Wertner, Ungarns Palatine und Bane im Zeit-alter der Arpaden (Ungarische Revue, 14, 1894, 129—177).