Héder

Héder, also Hedrich, Heindrich and Henry (; died after 1164) was a German knight possibly from the Duchy of Swabia, who, alongside his brother Wolfer, settled down in the Kingdom of Hungary and became a member of the Hungarian nobility. Héder was also eponymous co-founder of the powerful Héder clan and ancestor of the Hédervári family.

Origin and arrival

According to the Illuminated Chronicle, "[After that] Wolfger [Wolfer] came from Germany [to Hungary] alongside his younger brother Henry [Héder] with three-hundred armored war-horses and forty armored knights; They belong to the Counts of Hainburg. Grand Prince Géza donated [to Wolfer] the Mountain of Küszén and an island in Győr's neighborhood, where he built a wood castle and founded an abbey, he was buried there. The Héders' genus originates from them".

Between 1150 and 1158, Héder held the dignity of Judge royal, the second-highest secular position after the Palatine. In this capacity, he persuaded Raphael, the abbot of Pannonhalma to borrow 40 silver denari to the king, who planned to visit Henry II, Duke of Austria with his court and a large number of escorts. Raphael had to sell a church estate in order to obtain sum. When Géza invaded the Byzantine Empire and laid siege to Braničevo in late 1154, plausibly Héder and his brother also participated in the campaign alongside other German knights, as Greek historian John Kinnamos referred to them "Saxon" mercenaries. In fear of being seized and executed by King Géza II, his brother, the rebellious Duke Stephen sought refuge in the Holy Roman Empire in the summer of 1157. Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, was willing to arbitrate the conflict between Géza II and Stephen, and dispatched his envoys to Hungary. In response, Géza sent delegates to the Emperor, Judge royal Héder and Gervasius, Bishop of Győr. At the Diet of Regensburg in January 1158, Héder and Gervasius rejected the accusations of Stephen and successfully reached the Emperor withdrew his support from the pretender. After that Stephen left for Constantinople.

Following the death of Géza II, Héder supported the 15-year-old Stephen III, who was crowned on 31 May 1162. Héder was appointed Palatine soon and because of the King's young age, also functioned as de facto regent. Stephen III's two uncles, Ladislaus and Stephen, who had joined the court of the Byzantine Empire, challenged his right to the crown, and the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos launched an expedition against Hungary. Fearing an invasion by Manuel, the Hungarian magnates, also Héder, agreed to accept Ladislaus, as a "compromise candidate" in July 1162. After Ladislaus' death Stephen III was restored and overturned the other pretender Stephen IV's army. Héder held the office of Palatine until 1164, when he was replaced by the skilled military leader Ampud.