Stephen Arpados

Stephen Arpados (Greek: Στέφανος Αρπαδοσ, Stephanos Arpados; Hungarian: István Árpád; born c. 1272) is a Byzantine general and provincial military governor (Doux), as well as the head of the Arpados family and the most senior male claimant to the inheritance of the Árpád dynasty of Hungary.
==Biography==
Stephen is the son of Emeric Árpad, protosebastos, and his wife Eugenia Kantakouzene Palaiologina. Through his father, he is the grandson and male line heir of King Emeric of Hungary and Maria Laskarina, who was emperor Theodore II Laskaris' aunt, making Stephen a cousin of the ruling Laskarid dynasty. Through his mother, Stephen is related to the powerful Kantakouzenos and Palaiologos families, as well as being a nephew of George Mouzalon. Through his sister Maria Kantakouzene Arpadina, Queen of Hungary, Stephen is brother-in-law to King Wenceslaus II.
Stephen joined military service in his adolescence and quickly rose to the ranks, due to both his family connections and personal competence. He was elevated to the rank of general in the Western army and became one of the rotative military governors of the Byzantine themes, mostly in the European side of the Byzantine Empire. Around 1300, Stephen was Doux of Epiros. By 1311, he was Doux of Arbanon. During the partition of Serbia, Stephen unilaterally opposed the Nemanjics in his capacity as Doux of Arbanon and consistently provided support and aid to the Serbian rebels and the Venetians. Stephen was later charged with a campaign to extend Byzantine territory to Lake Skandar. The campaign's failure resulted in his removal from office.
Category:Byzantine people