Royalty. Born the eldest son of Charles Martel of Anjou and Clementine of Habsburg. He succeeded his father as titular King of Hungary and Croatia in 1295. After the death of András III of Hungary he succeeded him in Croatia, but in Hungary he was contested by Wencelaus I of Bohemia. After Wencelaus' death and with the support of the pope he was able to draw more hungarian nobles to his side, but still had to fight for the crown against Otto of Bavaria. In 1310 he was finally crowned at Székesfehérvár. He allied himself with Wladyslaw I against John of Luxemburg who, as successor of Wencelaus, claimed the thrones of Hungary and Poland for himself. Charles married Wladyslaws daughter Elisabeth to strengthen their alliance. In 1333 he invited John of Luxemburg and Casimir III of Poland to Visegrad where a long lasting alliance between the two kingdoms was founded. Casimir, who had no male heir named Charles and his son Louis as his successors. Although the pope had denied him his succession rights for the Kingdom of Naples he fought his uncle Robert for more than two decades for the rights. In 1333 they signed a contract in which his son Andreas was to be married to Roberts granddaughter and heir Joanna.
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