Stephen II of Hungary

Stephen II, Hungarian István II, Croatian Stjepan II, (c. 1101; † April 3, 1131 ) from the House of Árpád dynasty was from 1116 King of Hungary, Croatia and Dalmatia. He was the son and successor of Coloman.

Stephen's reign was without major events, but was characterized by a policy of alliance with Bohemia against Poland. 1123, however, he supported by a campaign together with Polish and Czech troops the Russian domestic opposition to Vladimir Monomakh. The siege of the city of Vladimir broke the Hungarian troops but prematurely because their commander Stephan threatened to choose another king, if he would not quit the campaign. It is the first recorded case of a successful alliance of the Hungarian Great against the king.

King Stephen was married to Christiane of Capua and Adelheid von Ried castle. Since both marriages remained childless, he determined at the end of his reign his cousin Béla II, whom his father had blinded, as his successor.