A duke brutally assassinated in a convent over 700 years ago has been positively identified thanks to a modern scientific investigation. Researchers studying skeletal remains excavated in Budapest have confirmed the victim was Béla of Macsó, a Hungarian duke murdered in 1272, and have revealed disturbing details about the violent nature of his death.
Unearthing a Mysterious Skeleton
The skeleton was initially discovered in 1915 during an archaeological excavation of a Dominican convent on Margaret Island, located in the Danube River in Budapest. Researchers at the time suspected the remains belonged to Béla of Macsó, the 29-year-old grandson of King Béla IV, who had commissioned the convent’s construction. Historical records from 13th-century Austria indicated the duke was assassinated on the island in November 1272, part of a power struggle for the Hungarian throne. However, then-available technology prevented a definitive identification.
The skeleton was unfortunately lost during World War II, but remarkably resurfaced in 2018. It was found in a wooden box at the Hungarian Museum of Natural History, prompting renewed investigations using advanced techniques, including a facial reconstruction.
Evidence of a Gruesome Attack
The analysis revealed a staggering number of injuries: nine to the head and face, and an additional 17 to the rest of the body—all occurring around the time of death. Martin Trautmann at the University of Helsinki and his colleagues meticulously examined these wounds. By marking an educational model skeleton with the same injuries and simulating various scenarios, they attempted to reconstruct the sequence of the attack, describing it as “like a stop-motion movie.”
The researchers concluded that two or three assailants cornered the duke, attacking him from the front and sides. He likely attempted to defend himself, raising his arms to block the blows. Trapped with no escape, he eventually fell, cracking his skull. However, the fight continued, with the duke fiercely resisting with his left leg even while lying on his side, until a fatal stab wound pierced his spinal column. His attackers then inflicted further, multiple injuries to his head and face.
While the final blow likely proved fatal, the extent of bleeding also suggests he might have succumbed to blood loss. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the death occurred in the mid-13th century.
Insights from Diet and Genetics
Beyond the details of the attack, the study provided further insights into the duke’s life. Analysis of dental plaque revealed a luxurious diet rich in cooked wheat semolina and baked wheat bread.
Genetic analysis definitively identified the man as a fourth-generation descendant of King Béla III of Hungary and an eighth-generation relative of Dmitry Alexandrovich, a 13th-century regional Russian prince. These findings strongly aligned with historical records detailing the duke’s lineage.
Further genetic investigation also revealed a blend of ancestry—Eastern Mediterranean origins from his mother and Scandinavian roots from his father—consistent with historical accounts of his ancestry. Moreover, DNA analysis suggested the duke likely had dark skin, dark curly hair, and light brown eyes.
A Previously Obscure Historical Event Illuminated
The new scientific findings “shed convincing light on a poorly understood historical event,” says independent medieval historian Tamás Kádár. With no contemporary witnesses, the primary Austrian text only stated the duke was “struck down in miserable slaughter on an island near Buda” and his limbs “cut into pieces,” gathered by his sister and aunt.
Kádár, who wrote a biography of Béla of Macsó, emphasized that the brutality of the attack highlights deep-seated hostility and hatred. “The fact that his body was hacked apart, and perhaps even further mutilated after death, undoubtedly indicates great hostility and hatred,” he said. “The primary goal was to kill Béla, to eliminate him; his prompt and certain death was the main goal.”
The meticulous scientific investigation has brought a lost piece of Hungarian history to light, providing unprecedented detail about a brutal assassination and the man who was its victim.
