Ottokar III King of Hungary "Bela V": Imprisoned

Ottokar III King of Hungary

Ottokar... on his Way
to Hungarian Rule

The former 12-yr old ruler of Hungary, Wenceslaus III, had inherited Bohemia and at the age of 16 left Hungary... and renounced his throne away, to Ottokar.

Already 44, born in 1261, Royalty was nothing new to Ottokar, because he had already been Duke of Lower Bavaria for 22 years. Otto had even engaged in a vicious battle at Golheim, over electoral princes. Where his side, ruled by King Adolf of Nassau, died by the hands of the Albert I of Habsburgs army. Later Albert I was renamed Albert the One-Eyed due to injuries..

Ottokar was also of Hungarian royal blood. The son of Henry XIII & Elizabeth of Hungary (1236 – 24 October 1271, daughter of King Béla IV and Maria Laskarina. Most likely due to his age, he was disputed.

Crown of Hungary

To be Crowned

He traveled a dangerous distance under a commoners disguise to become King. Venturing, to Buda (pest), acting and clothed like a merchant for protection because of the Hapsburg soldiers near the border.

In Buda, he was officially crowned as "King of Hungary", by the Holy Bishops of Veszprém and Csanád.
Along with being given title rule over the lands of Croatia.

Some new Silver denar coins were also minted.

While Hungary was essentially given to Ottokar in 1305, his Monarchy as "Bela V", wasn't an easy keep.

He held the title as the Hungarian King for only 4 years, with the enchanting & symbolic golden crown of Hungary "St. Stephan", from Kings of the past eras.

Charles I
Ottokar's Opponent
& Successor to Hungary

 

However, during his reign, Charles I was unstoppable, and called Ottokar out as the "Anti-King"

Charles I became Otto's ousting successor.

Ambitious Charles was determined to become King, siding with nobles who preferred his methods.

 

Captured in Transylvania

To further his predicament, Ottokar was captured during a visit into the wealthy lordship lands of Transylvania. He was imprisoned for a year by the "Voivode of Transylvania," "Ladislaus Kán".

However, Ladislaus did not remove Ottokar from his Sovereignty though. Instead, Ladislaus merely held Ottokar, away from being able to rule as King. Leaving the status of the kingdom in limbo.

Abdication of His Throne To Charles I

Ladislaus eventually freed Ottokar, who quickly escaped away back into Bavaria. At that point, Ottokar abdicated the throne to Charles in 1308.

So, it wasn't until, 1308 that Charles actually received the status along with the "believable" King of Hungary crown. & another 10 -12 yrs until he seized Hungary by force away from regional lords, that Hungary truly became his keep.

Burghausen Castle (Ottokar's Domain)
& the Longest castle in the world

His Sparse Home-life

Born in being a Bavarian Duke, his path was set into politics. However, he lived much of his adult life without a spouse. He lost 2 infant sons and was then his wife Catherine of Habsburg died, where he then became a widow for 23 yrs.

Not until he married Agnes Glogau of Bavaria, was Otto a father again: to his daughter Agnes of Wittelsbach and Henry XV, Duke of Bavaria. Ottokar died at the age of 51, just a few years after his children were born, in the German Bavarian town of Landshut

Conclusion

Even with coins and an illustrious royal crown, someone can still call into question who is to be the ruler of a Kingdom.
All in all, the disfavor of Ottokar, being the son of a Duke of Bavaria, plus his own rule of Bavaria must have gone against him. Not only with his opponent Charles, but in the eyes of others.

The Hungarian nobles would have still wanted warrior leaders, Kings who looked ready to fight; like famous Kings in Hungarian history. Charles fit the "look" of a younger conquering spirit, increasing his popularity, no doubt.

In truth, most of the people didn't have a choice of which King, it could have been an 8 yr old boy or a 95 yr old man. Charles simply was naturally suited, with his "brawn", to effect himself as a capable knight, rather than being just a less active political leader. By appearing ready to fight with his armies, it would have allowed for idolization and favoritism by the people.

Genealogy Notes

Issue with his ascending children linking through from Burgandy or Naples. Some data has changed since.
Mary of Hungary's line is confirmed through Blanche D'Anjou, & later Bela IV, but Ottokar the "Anti-King" is in question if he's a real ancestor or not.
General Links:
Wiki: Otto III : Bela V
and Dukes of Bavaria

Andrew II of Hungary: "The Braided King"

Andrew II King of Hungary

Manly King Andrew II, Braids & All

A leader of the wicked Crusades? Beginning with a murky tale of succession after Béla the III died.

Béla's son, Emeric, became King of Hungary and ruled for 8 years.
During which time Andrew convinced Emeric to forfeit his lands of "Dalmatia and Croatia", and title them to his name.

Then, Emeric became quite ill and died, leaving the Kingdom of Hungary to his 4-5 yr old son Ladislas the III.
Ladislas the III, died within 6 months of his "child rule", and immediately, thereafter: Andrew became King of Hungary.

Statue of Andrew II

Árpád Dynasty King at 28 Years Old

Now, if Andrew was dedicated to the "Throne", and exceedingly ambitious, he very well could have secretly ordered the death of the young boy. "A boy king?"
The chances are quite high Ladislas was poisoned.

Not much is said though, about the upstaging "all of a sudden" from Andrew.
After all, Andrew was a true descendant of Béla, just known to be pushy for land and titles with his older brother Emeric.
Therefore, thoughts can't help but to linger towards if the boy was assassinated in a quest for power.

It was power too, Andrew reigned from 1205 to 1235, 30 years as King.
He built an army of 15,000 men with horses, & countless infantry, all requiring food, housing and provisions. Andrew and his army traversed, and claimed: Halych and Lodomeria in the Rus territories after many failed battles.

Andrew's father, Béla the III
John of Gaunt, England
being his descendant look-a-like.

To the Crusades

However, Andrew's father, Béla the III had wanted the Crusades to take hold. So, in effect Andrew eventually followed his father's orders.

The dutiful son fulfilling his destiny off to the Holy Land, the 5th historical Crusade for a military coup d'etats. He had been fighting for years prior so he may have already experienced too much sadness from war and by losing his first Queen. Not alone in this quest, Leopold of Austria, The Templars, Teutonic Knights, & The Emperor of Constantinople, John of Brienne

In Jordan and Andrew achieved only a mild success, when the Egyptian Sultan Al-Adil I, Sultan of Egypt forfeited. Andrew became more intrigued though, by the local trinkets and after a years time returned to Hungary.

Returning to Hungary, finding disquieted nobles demanding freedoms from non-paid Military duty and over-taxation.

The Golden Bull

In 1222, he decreed "the Golden Bull", to include some limits to his power, increasing nobility power in the counties, plus freeing the elites from taxation and being in the military without a hefty pay scale. Surely, he was pushed to it, the expenditure of running his kingdom was costly, constantly having to sell his lands and castle quests, in order to maintain his "powerful stance in the public eye".

By creating his "rich coup of noble friends" they were given a trump card, to look lightly upon him with favoritism in the immediate future.

The Golden Bull was essentially the same as the rich guise under to this day. Using corporate leveraging to remove themselves from being drafted, and lobbyists to increase their business powers. The free taxation in our today's time is "Golden Bull" given to certain businesses: agriculture, forestry, weaponry, gas & oil and other tax-free and tax-reduced government granted subsidies.

What a tangle of the rich to keep, since 1222.

Queen Gertrude of Hungary
Mother of Béla the IV
Murdered by Peter

Andrew's Wives

During his campaign of Galicia in the Kingdom of Ruthenia, from the North Sea to the Black Sea. "When the cats away, the mice will play", and his Gertrude*, lost her life.
In 1213, The Lords of Hungary murdered his wife Queen Gertrude of Merania & most of her courtiers, due to her & her court, siding with the Germans. Upon his return Andrew had the murderer, "Peter, son of Töre" was executed, and Andrew left the other lords, to be named as perverts.

There was quite a bit of murderous fallout with the Germans, even between the Germans themselves at the time. The group of Lords feared a German takeover, and apparently not the wrath nor chance of death from Andrew, upon his return.

What can be said about the year 1213, a despicable number 13. Raining itself throughout history.

Three years past, and he married again, to Yolanda de Courtenay later to Beatrice d'Este in 1233.

Andrew's Age-gap Wives

1. Queen Gertrude (Merania) was 8 yrs younger.
2. Yolanda de Courtenay was 23 years younger.
3. & Beatrice d'Este was 38 yrs younger.

Andrew's End

Andrew died shortly after his trip to Vienna, in 1235. At the age of 58.

In the Summer of 1235, he made a trip of demands to Austria, to retrieve indemnification costs from Duke Frederick, whose troops had recently caused damages when they raided Hungary.

Béla the IV King of Hungary
Son of Andrew II & Gertrude

Andrew's Son: The next King of Hungary, "Béla the IV"

*During Gertrude's short life, before being murdered in the Pilis Hills, on 28 September 2013, Queen Gertrude of Merania, bore Andrews' Royal son, Béla. He became the next King of Hungary, "Béla the IV" immediately after Andrew's death. Béla, was named ruler of Hungary at the age of 29, and ruled for 35 years. A larger Army than his father, of 60,000, with many battles away from Hungary, and yet he was known more for being defeated by the Mongols.

Son of Béla III of Hungary. Andrew reigned during 1205 to 1235, 30 years. King of Jerusalem, Hungary and Croatia.

Genealogy Notes

*My ancestral Queen from Andrew's wives: Queen Gertrude.
link to wiki: Andrew II
xlsx sheet link: 10 "Andrew II" Crowns:
Mother’s Ancestry side: Baker, Thomas (4), Sevey (2), Vaux (2), Williams
or the Kings of Europe Chart: Ancestry Kings Chart

Theme Gardens: Japanese Shofuso with Zen

A Serene Garden

Zen, Shofuso & Ikebano

The Tranquil, "Pine Breeze Villa", Flower arrangements on a grand scale.
Imagine walking into your own backyard, and it was a real forest scene with delicate formed topiaries of azaleas with thick green carpets of clovers and mosses.

A large pond or waterfall hosting fish, with tall pines to nest the birds.
Poetic, quiet, and serene.

Pond with Floral Bushes

Japanese Garden House

Well, the option to create a little Japanese house that borders the garden edge would be more official-looking. Yet, it's not necessary. A few Japanese-looking screens, and occasional lanterns along the side of the house area will help fit the Japanese style.

How Popular Are They?

The sanctuary garden effect is really for the home-owner to experience every day. However, they're such interesting gardens, that you might attract a bunch of curious people, who would love to see your "Japanese Forest"

Smaller Shofuso Garden

Backyard Spaces: Large & Small

The conversion would take some effort, but even a smaller garden can accommodate the theme., A few basic items help to define the space as a Shofuso:

1. Pine trees
2. Water feature: waterfall, pond or brook (river)
3. Floral bushes
4. Calm ground-covers
5. Delicate Pathways
6. A Bridge, with or without a small island.
7. Large Garden Ornament(s), boulders
8. Low maintenance, once established.

Oddly, planting varieties are much more minimal in retrospect to a typical English Cottage Garden. The bushes tamed into rounded forms, with ground-cover which takes up most of the ground space.

The sky itself is often an important interplay, where clouds chance the mirror upon the water.

However, it's not for everyone to have an open garden look. If left too-open, the garden could be appear as "amusement-park tacky", like a disneyland with it's very open sky, waiting for a giant costumed creature to shake your hand.
The trusty trees are a mandatory planting, in order to create the "symbolic refuge effect".

Shofuso River Look

Waterfalls & Rivers

The meandering river directly off from a back porch would be amazing. Water intensive though, an easier garden in rainy regions, especially.

Desert gardeners, the re-circulation process can be done, even filtered gray water sent from the house to create a humid environment. In drought areas, ponds & mini-rivers would need to be replenished with water often. i.e., an average desert region pond requires a refill once a week during the summer of approx 10 - 20%.

Waterfall with Koi Fish

Believe it or not, some states do not allow the plumbers to re-route gray water, so, gray-water is an Ecological Political issue.
Converted, Laundry and shower water (botanical soaps) can bring thousands of gallons into a garden space from an avergae sized house. If you do it yourself, it may effect your property re-sell values. The thousands of gardening gallons are there, they're simply going into the sewer systems. Another political fight on the eco-table.

Mosquitoes are an issue, but with fish the larvae doesn't late long, and becomes their dinner. I prefer to include the mosquito dunks & recirculating the water as a precaution.

Water features of course also attract, small mammals, birds, amphibians (toads, frogs and salamanders), snakes and even turtles.

Philadelphia Shofuso Gardens

Famous Japanese Gardens

There are the Shofuso in Philadelphia and The Huntington Botanical in Los Angeles. As well as a few other notables like the busy Japanese Tea Gardens in San Francisco, with it's steep bridge.

The Huntington using more of the Ikenobo technique which can look a bit more wilded. Allowing for large decorative grasses.

Huntington Botanical Gardens

Note, the size of the Huntington, which in the image, is actually the same as a typical backyard (rear garden) space in the USA.
 
Showing that given the chance, the delicate theme of a Zen directional garden, from Japan can exist on most plots of property.
 

List of Japanese Gardens
in the United States.

Cherry Blossoms & Geta's

Don't forget your Geta's !
Fun wooden sandals worn by men and women.
Ready to pour tea,
while resting into the ideal of a respected space.

Japanese Geta Garden Shoes

Waterfall's Plethera

Cherry blossoms to Weeping pines
bringing the Japanese motif into reality.
Imagine the birds, as they stop over,
 

"What is this magnificence,
the land of Nature's Utopia?
I must stay & rest my idle hours,
to ponder my journey's next."