Editing Ladislaus IV of Hungary (section)

===Last years (1285–1290)===

The [[Mongols]] of the [[Golden Horde]] [[Second Mongol invasion of Hungary|invaded Hungary]] under the command of Khans [[Talabuga]] and [[Nogai Khan|Nogai]] in January 1285.{{sfn|Sălăgean|2005|p=238}} According to the ''Illuminated Chronicle'', they "spread a terrible devastation of fire throughout the whole country" to the east of the Danube.{{sfn|Bárány|2012|p=357}} Local forces resisted the invaders at many places, including, for example, at [[Regéc]].{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=177}} The invasion lasted for two months before the Mongols withdrew.{{sfn|Bárány|2012|p=357}}

Ladislaus's favoritism towards the Cumans made him so unpopular that many of his subjects accused him of inciting the Mongols to invade Hungary.{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=109}} In fact, Ladislaus employed Mongol prisoners of war, known as ''nyögérs'', when he subjugated a rebellion in the Szepesség in September 1285.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=178}} The king preferred the Cumans' way of life, including their costumes and hairstyle, and took Cuman girls as his mistresses.{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=109}}{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=174}} According to [[Lodomer]], archbishop of [[Esztergom]], Ladislaus copulated with his favorite concubine, Aydua, whom the archbishop described as a "poisonous [[Viperidae|viper]]", in public.{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=174}}

[[File:Chronicon Pictum P129 IV. László és gyilkosai.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Assassination of Ladislaus |Cuman assassins murder Ladislaus in [[Körösszeg]] (Cheresig, Romania) on 10 July 1290]]

In September 1286, Ladislaus imprisoned his wife and granted all her revenues to his mistress.{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=174}}{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=178}} Archbishop Lodomer liberated the queen the following September.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=178}} The archbishop summoned the prelates, the barons, and the noblemen to an assembly in Buda and excommunicated Ladislaus.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=178}} In response, the infuriated king stated that "beginning with the archbishop of Esztergom and his [[suffragan bishop|suffragans]], I shall exterminate the whole lot right up to Rome with the aid of Tartar swords", according to Archbishop Lodomer.{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=109}}{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=176}}

The barons captured Ladislaus in the Szepesség in January 1288.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=179}} Although his partisans soon liberated him, he acquiesced in concluding an agreement with Archbishop Lodomer.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=179}} The archbishop absolved Ladislaus on condition that the king would live in accordance with Christian morals.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=179}} However, Ladislaus broke his promise.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=179}} He abducted his sister, [[Elizabeth of Hungary, Queen of Serbia|Elizabeth]], prioress of the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] Monastery of the Blessed Virgin on Rabbits' Island, and gave her in marriage to a Czech aristocrat, [[Záviš of Falkenstein]].{{sfn|Klaniczay|2002|p=262}} According to Archbishop Lodomer, Ladislaus even stated, "If I had 15 or more sisters in as many cloistered communities as you like, I would snatch them from there to marry them off licitly or illicitly; in order to procure through them a kin-group who will support me by all their power in the fulfillment of my will".{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=176}}

Ladislaus spent the last years of his life wandering from place to place.{{sfn|Sălăgean|2005|p=239}} Hungary's central government lost power because the prelates and the barons ruled the kingdom independently of the monarch.{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=109}}{{sfn|Kontler|1999|p=84}} For example, Ivan Kőszegi and his brothers waged wars against [[Albert I of Germany|Albert I]], [[Duke of Austria]], but Ladislaus did not intervene, although the Austrians captured at least 30 fortresses along the western borders.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=180}}{{sfn|Kristó|Makk|1996|p=281}}

The Kőszegis offered the crown to Andrew the Venetian, who arrived in Hungary in early 1290.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=181}} One of their opponents, [[Arnold III Hahót|Arnold Hahót]], captured the pretender, however, and surrendered him to Duke Albert.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=181}}{{sfn|Bartl|Čičaj|Kohútova|Letz|2002|p=34}} Ladislaus appointed [[Mizse]], who had recently converted from Islam to Christianity, palatine.{{sfn|Érszegi|Solymosi|1981|p=181}}{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=128}} [[Pope Nicholas IV]] was even planning to proclaim a crusade against Ladislaus.{{sfn|Berend|2001|pp=174–175}}{{sfn|Kontler|1999|pp=83–84}} However, Ladislaus, who had always been partial towards his Cuman subjects, was assassinated by three Cumans, named Arbuz,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rásonyi |first=L. |date=1967 |title=Les anthroponyms Comans de Hongrie |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23682109 |journal=Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=135–149 |jstor=23682109 }}</ref> Törtel, and Kemence, at the castle of [[Körösszeg]] (now Cheresig in Romania) on 10 July 1290.{{sfn|Engel|2001|p=109}}{{sfn|Kristó|Makk|1996|p=281}} Mizse and the Cuman Nicholas, who was the brother of Ladislaus's Cuman lover, took vengeance for Ladislaus's death, slaughtering the murderers.{{sfn|Kristó|Makk|1996|p=281}}

Upon Pope Nicholas IV's orders, an inquiry was carried out to find out "whether the king died as a Catholic Christian".{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=177}} The results of the investigation are unknown, but the ''[[Buda Chronicle|Chronicon Budense]]'' writes that Ladislaus was buried in the cathedral of [[Csanád]] (now Cenad in Romania).{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=177}}{{sfn|Kristó|Makk|1996|p=281}} His successor, Andrew the Venetian, and [[Pope Benedict VIII]] recalled Ladislaus as "of renowned memory".{{sfn|Berend|2001|p=177}}