Peter, King of Hungary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter the Venetian
From the Illuminated Chronicle
King of Hungary
Reign	15 August 1038 – September 1041
Coronation	1038, Székesfehérvár
Predecessor	Stephen I
Successor	Samuel
Reign	5 July 1044 – 30 August 1046
Predecessor	Samuel
Successor	Andrew I
Born	1011 Venice
Died	30 August 1046 or 1059 (aged 35 or 48) Székesfehérvár, Hungary
Burial	Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Pécs
Spouse	According to Cosmas : Judith of Schweinfurt (m. 1055–1058)
House	Orseolo
Father	Otto Orseolo
Mother	Grimelda of Hungary
Religion	Chalcedonian Christianity

Peter Orseolo, also known as Peter the Venetian, was the King of Hungary two times. He was born in 1010 or 1011 and died in 1046, or possibly later in the 1050s.

He first became king in 1038, taking over from his uncle, King Stephen I. However, Peter showed too much favor to his foreign friends and advisors. This made the Hungarian people unhappy, leading to a revolt. He was removed from power in 1041.

Peter got his throne back in 1044 with help from Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor. During his second time as king, he agreed to be under the Emperor's rule. His second reign ended in 1046 because of a rebellion by people who followed old pagan religions.

Most Hungarian historical writings say that Peter was killed by order of the next king, Andrew I. But one writer, Cosmas of Prague, mentioned Peter getting married around 1055. This makes some historians think Peter might have survived and lived longer after being removed from power the second time.

Life of Peter the Venetian

Early Years (Before 1038)

Peter was born in Venice. He was the only son of Otto Orseolo, who was the leader of Venice, called a Doge. His mother, Grimelda, was the sister of Stephen I, the first King of Hungary. Historians believe Peter was born in 1010 or 1011.

In 1026, the people of Venice rebelled and removed Peter's father, Otto Orseolo, from power. Otto fled to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. But Peter did not go with his father. Instead, he went to Hungary, where his uncle, King Stephen I, made him the leader of the royal army.

In 1031, King Stephen's only son, Emeric, died in an accident. Stephen's cousin, Vazul, had the strongest claim to become king next. However, King Stephen chose Peter as his heir instead. Soon after, Vazul was blinded on Stephen's orders. Vazul's three sons—Levente, Andrew, and Béla—were sent away from the country. This made Peter's claim to the throne even stronger. King Stephen also asked Peter to promise to respect the property of his wife, Queen Giselle. This suggests that Peter and his aunt did not get along well.

First Time as King (1038–1041)

Peter, King of Hungary (Nádasdy Mausoleum, 1664)

King Stephen I died on August 15, 1038, and Peter became the new king. He quickly started to get involved in other countries' affairs. Hungarian soldiers attacked Bavaria in 1039 and 1040. They also went into Bohemia in 1040 to help Duke Bretislav I against the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III.

Hungarian historical writings say that Peter liked to be around Germans and Italians. This made him unpopular with his own Hungarian people. He also started new taxes and took money from the Church. He even removed two bishops from their positions.

Peter boldly took Queen Giselle's property and held her captive. She asked Hungarian lords for help. These lords blamed one of Peter's favorite advisors, Budo, for the king's bad actions. They demanded that Budo be put on trial. When Peter refused, the lords captured and killed Budo. In 1041, they removed Peter from power. The lords then chose a new king, Samuel Aba, who was a relative of King Stephen I.

In Exile (1041–1044)

After being removed from power, Peter first went to Austria. He sought protection from his brother-in-law, Margrave Adalbert. Peter then asked Emperor Henry III for help against Samuel Aba.

The new Hungarian king, Samuel Aba, attacked Austria in February 1042. But Adalbert's soldiers defeated Aba's troops. Emperor Henry III launched his first attack against Hungary in early 1042. His forces moved north of the Danube River. The Emperor wanted to put Peter back on the throne. However, the local people strongly opposed this. So, the Emperor appointed another member of the Hungarian royal family to rule those areas instead.

The Emperor returned to Hungary in the early summer of 1044. Many Hungarian lords joined him as he advanced. The main battle happened on June 5 at Ménfő, near Győr. Samuel Aba's forces were defeated there. Aba managed to escape from the battlefield, but Peter's supporters soon caught and killed him.

Second Time as King (1044–1046)

After Samuel Aba's death, Emperor Henry entered Székesfehérvár and put Peter back on the throne. Peter brought Bavarian laws into Hungary. This suggests that Hungary became a territory ruled by the Emperor. Peter accepted the Emperor's authority in 1045. He gave his royal spear to the Emperor, who then returned to Hungary.

Several plans to remove Peter from power show that he was still not popular. Two of King Stephen I's cousins, Bolya and Bonyha, plotted against Peter in 1045. But the King had them arrested and executed. Bishop Gerard of Csanád invited Vazul's exiled sons back to Hungary.

An uprising by common people who followed old pagan religions ended Peter's second rule in 1046. Peter planned to escape to the Holy Roman Empire again. But Vazul's son Andrew, who had returned to Hungary, invited Peter to a meeting. Peter soon realized that Andrew's messengers actually wanted to arrest him. He fled to a strong manor house at Zámoly. However, his opponents' supporters captured it and Peter three days later.

All Hungarian historical writings from the 1300s say that Peter was blinded, and this caused his death. But Cosmas of Prague, a writer from around that time, says something different. He wrote that Judith of Schweinfurt, a widow who was removed by her son, fled to Hungary. She married Peter around 1055 "to insult" her son and the Czech people. If this report is true, Peter survived being blinded and died later in the 1050s. He was buried in the cathedral of Pécs. His original tomb was found in June 2019.

Family

We do not know the name of Peter's wife. Historian Gyula Kristó believes she was from Germany. Historians discuss whether the report from Cosmas of Prague about Peter's second marriage to Judith of Schweinfurt is true. Lisa Wolverton, who translated Cosmas's writings, thinks Cosmas might have misunderstood his sources. She believes the sources were actually describing the marriage of Judith of Swabia to King Solomon of Hungary. However, Kristó writes that Cosmas's report could mean Peter survived his blinding.

The following family tree shows Peter the Venetian's ancestors and relatives mentioned in this article:

*A Khazar, Pecheneg or Volga Bulgarian woman.
**Samuel Aba might have been Géza's grandson instead of his son-in-law.

See also

• Vata pagan uprising