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Sensational discovery! The tomb of Andrew II and his wife found?
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This is a sensation in Hungary because apart from the Habsburg kings and queens of the country who rest in Vienna, there are only a few Hungarian monarchs whose grave or tomb is preserved or even known. Details below.
Important discovery
According to index.hu, archaeologists found the basement of the tombs of Andrew II (1205-1235) and his wife, the Yolanda of Courtenay (1200-1233) of Constantinople near Egres (Igris, Romania).
The archaeologist Péter Langó, professor of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, thinks that it is very probable that the two tombs of the king and queen were in the basement they found.
“I laugh and cry at the same time because it seems that we could find the place of the tomb of one of our kings of the Árpád-dynasty, but it is very likely that
we will never find their mortal remains”
– he added.
Regarding the tombs, Langó said that they could only be sure that they found the ones belonging to the royal couple when the excavation of the Cistercian monastery is finished. Up to now, only 10 pc of the local church has been scanned.
Where are the tombs and graves of the other Hungarian monarchs?
The first Catholic King of Hungary, Stephen I (997-1038) was buried in Székesfehérvár together with his father, Grand Prince Géza (962-997). However, this did not become a tradition then.
Péter Orseolo (1038-1041 and 1044-1046) was buried in the cathedral of Pécs, his original tomb was probably found in July, but the bones are missing though in this case, the leader of the excavations is optimistic about finding them. According to the chronicles, Samuel Aba (1041-1044) rested in Abasár, but his tomb is yet undiscovered. Andrew I (1046-1060) was buried in the benedictine monastery of Tihany where
his tomb was preserved and can be visited.
Béla I (1060-1063) was buried in Szekszárd but his tomb was never found while Géza I‘s (1063-1076) was probably discovered in Vác but researchers did not have enough money to analyse each bone in and around it without which nothing sure can be said. King Solomon (1063-1074) had to flee Hungary
and died in Pula (today Croatia) where his mortal remains rest in the main altar
of the cathedral and his tombstone can be seen in the local museum.
