'Andrew III' (''Endre'',
Croatian: ''Andrija II.'') of the
Arpad dynasty (c.
1265,
Venice,
Italy –
14 January 1301) was king of
Hungary 1290-1301 and the last male of the Arpads to hold the throne.
He was a grandson of
Andrew II of Hungary (reigned 1205-35), being the only son of Andrew II's youngest and posthumous son (possibly illegitimate) who was born of the old king's third marriage with Beatriz D'Este.
After the death of
Ladislaus IV of Hungary, the elderly Andrew of the Árpáds was recalled from
Italy to Hungary and made king.
Andrew was married hastily with a Polish princess, Fenenna of
Kujavia. They had a child who, however, was a baby when Andrew died.
Due to the continuing rule of the oligarchs, total anarchy arose in the country in the late 1290s. Andrew III with the support of the clergy tried to introduce reforms, adding more power to the Diet to balance the power of the oligarchs.
The pope had set another prince, Andrew's cousin's grandson
Charles Martel of Anjou (died 1295) as candidate for the throne in 1290. He and his partisans attempted to oust Andrew.
The death of Andrew III on
January 14,
1301, ended the male line of the Árpáds.
Legacy
Andrew's only daughter Elizabeth died in the
Dominican monastery in
Töss (
Switzerland) on
6 May,
1338.
An interregnum followed Andrew's death.
Otto III, Duke of Bavaria (''Bela V''), the future
Venceslas III of Bohemia and
Charles Robert of Anjou (''Charles I'') were proclaimed kings by different factions.
After a short interregnum the
Angevin dynasty seized power and
Charles Robert (grandson of
Maria of Hungary, sister of
Ladislaus IV of Hungary, and son and heir to Charles Martel) became the recognized king.
See also
★
List of Hungarian rulers