Megjegyzések III. Béla székesfehérvári temetkezéséhez
Notes on the funeral of Béla III in Székesfehérvár

Author(s): Endre Raffay
Subject(s): Architecture, Visual Arts, History of Art
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Művészeti Kar Művészettörténet Tanszék
Keywords: Béla III; Byzantine influence; royal burial; Székesfehérvár; red marble; medieval Hungary; royal representation; Holy Crown; Esztergom; funerary art
Summary/Abstract: King Béla III of Hungary, who spent part of his youth in Byzantium as the heir apparent of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, adopted many elements of Byzantine culture, politics, and representation. The study examines whether Byzantine influence can also be identified in the artistic and funerary representation connected to Béla III after his return to Hungary as king. Particular attention is devoted to the Porta Speciosa of the Esztergom Cathedral, whose decoration and iconography were once considered Byzantine in character. The author argues, however, that the architectural and sculptural features of the monument are primarily linked to masters trained in Parma and Modena, with Provençal artistic connections. The paper also discusses theories concerning the transformation of the Hungarian Holy Crown and the possibility that Béla III intended to imitate Byzantine imperial crowns. Special emphasis is placed on the symbolism of red marble, which may have served as a substitute for imperial Byzantine porphyry associated with royal and sacred representation. The study analyzes the burial place of Béla III and Queen Anna of Antioch in Székesfehérvár, describing the red-marble-lined graves discovered in 1848. According to the author, these tombs were not true sarcophagi but carefully constructed burial pits lined with marble slabs and assembled with metal clamps. The article further reconstructs the possible burial ritual, suggesting that the king may have been ceremonially re-crowned in death before the grave was sealed. The author concludes that although the artistic forms of Béla III’s age were mainly Western European in origin, Byzantine-inspired ideas of royal representation strongly influenced the symbolism, materials, and funerary concepts associated with the Hungarian king.

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