One of the greatest Hungarian medieval king’s remains were identified

The remains of several Hungarian rulers, including King Saint László, have been identified. Researchers from the University of Szeged (SZTE) discovered them among the bone finds in Székesfehérvár. 

Researchers found the remains of King St. László

So far, archeologists identified the bones of Anna of Antioch III. (1154-1184), the first wife of the Hungarian King Béla, as well as the bones of Endré Halicsi II. (1210-1234), the third-born son of Hungarian King Andrew and the remains of King St. László (1040-1095). – reports Blikk. Although all of these findings are of great importance, the discovery of the remains of St. László is an archaeological sensation. Several relics have survived to this day that can be associated with St. László, for instance, the St. László herma in the Győr Basilica or the Right Hand which is preserved in the Franciscan monastery in Dubrovnik.

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DNA samples were taken from 400 human remains

The project was led by Endre Neparáczki, the director of the Archegenetics Research Group of the Hungarian Research Institute, a staff member of the Genetics Department of the Biology Institute of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Information Technology of SZTE. As 444.hu reports, they took DNA samples from 400 human remains examined at SZTE. Following that, the bones were also subjected to carbon isotope dating, which revealed that the Székesfehérvár cemetery was used for burials between the 9th and 16th centuries. As King Béla’s DNA sample was found previously, scientists could use that as a starting point. – writes Telex.

What is King St. László famous for?

Saint László is remembered as a Hungarian king who embodied the medieval ideal of chivalry. In addition, he also devotedly tried to consolidate the position of the Christian religion. He followed a policy of conquest and occupied most of Croatia in 1091, thus he began expanding the borders of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary. However, St. László was also known for his strict rules. Losing an ear, nose or hand was quite common during his reign. If someone was caught stealing in the act, they were hanged. Although these measures might seem extreme, they brought safety and order to the Kingdom of Hungary.

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Source: blikk.hu, 444.hu, Telex