Description

Ladislaus IV (1262–1290), also known as Ladislaus the Cuman, was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1272 to 1290. His mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of a Cuman chieftain, and at seven, he married Elisabeth, daughter of King Charles I of Sicily. Kidnapped by a rebellious lord at nine, Ladislaus was still a prisoner when his father, Stephen V, died. During his minority, factions of barons fought for power. Declared of age in 1277, he allied with Rudolf I of Germany and played a key role in the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278.

Despite his efforts, Ladislaus struggled to restore royal power in Hungary. A papal legate, Philip of Fermo, attempted to help consolidate his authority but was shocked by the presence of pagan Cumans. When Ladislaus supported the Cumans against Philip's demands for Christianization, he was excommunicated. The Cumans imprisoned the legate, but many left Hungary after Ladislaus agreed to persuade them to submit. He defeated a Cuman invasion in 1282 and survived a Mongol invasion in 1285. Unpopular and accused of inciting the Mongols, he imprisoned his wife and lived with Cuman mistresses. His inability to control the powerful lords and bishops led Pope Nicholas IV to plan a crusade against him, but he was murdered by three Cuman assassins.