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21.09.

1235: Hungarian Crusader King Andrew II

1235: Hungarian Crusader King Andrew II
Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons

Story Highlights

  • Historical event:
  • 21 September 1235
  • This day marked the death of Hungarian King Andrew II of the Arpad dynasty. The king is perhaps best known for his participation in the Fifth Crusade. He set forth in August 1217 and landed in Acre, an important port where Galilee (the land where Jesus Christ spent his youth) reaches the Mediterranean Sea.

Hungarian and Croatian king Andrew II of the Arpad dynasty died on this day in 1235.



The king was a prominent crusader leader and personally led his men during the Fifth Crusade. Andrew II was the son of King Bela III, while his mother was Agnes of Antioch, daughter of Crusader leader Raynald of Châtillon, Prince of Antioch.

Bela III had allegedly already planned on joining a crusade, but didn’t manage to do it before his death. He thus passed on the obligation to his son. And indeed, Andrew II joined the Fifth Crusade in August 1217 and landed in Acre, an important port where Galilee (the land where Jesus Christ spent his youth) reaches the Mediterranean Sea.

Andrew II at first had great success in his campaign against the Muslims; he defeated Egyptian sultan Al-Adil I, younger brother of the famous Saladin, the man who re-conquered Jerusalem from the Crusaders some thirty years earlier.

However, Andrew’s victory was short-lived, and he didn’t manage to hold on to his conquests. He eventually returned to Hungary.




Upon returning home, he found his kingdom in poor shape, and the royal treasury empty. He was forced to make a compromise with his nobles – in 1222 he signed the Golden Bull of Andrew II, which granted them many privileges (including the so-called ius resistendi, the right to rebel against the king if he did not fulfill his obligations towards them).

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