Medieval Hungary, Bela Ii (1131-1141 Ce), Denar(C)

Bela II or in Hungarian Vak Béla (Bela the Blind) was blinded as a small boy on the orders of his uncle, King Colman, he narrowly escaped the castration that was also ordered and was hidden away in a monastery, believed dead. On the death of his uncle he came out of hiding and following a struggle for power establshed himself as the legitimate king. In the second half of Béla’s reign, Hungary adopted an active foreign policy, taking Bosnia and Split. Sadly, Bela became a drunkard in his later years, at times randomly ordereing the execution of innocent men.