Description

Géza II (1130–1162) ascended to the throne of Hungary and Croatia in 1141 after his father's death, ruling under the regency of his mother Helena and her brother, Beloš. Early in his reign, he repelled a challenge from Boris Kalamanos, who briefly seized Pressburg with German mercenaries in 1146. Géza countered by defeating Henry Jasomirgott, Margrave of Austria, in the Battle of the Fischa.

Internationally, Géza aligned Hungary with European powers during the Crusades, supporting Louis VII of France and Roger II of Sicily against Conrad III of Germany and Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos. He intervened in conflicts over Kiev and waged wars to assist his allies in Serbia against the Byzantine Empire. Internal tensions surfaced with his brothers Stephen and Ladislaus seeking refuge in Constantinople, complicating Géza's rule. Géza's era also witnessed significant demographic shifts, including the arrival of Transylvanian Saxons, Western knights, and Muslim warriors from the Pontic steppes, with Géza reputedly allowing his Muslim soldiers to take concubines.