Bust of Ladislaus V.

Historiography also knows Ladislaus V as Ladislaus the Posthumous, as he was born a few months after the death of his father, the first Hungarian king from the Habsburg house, Albert, in 1440. His mother, Queen Elisabeth of Luxembourg, fled pregnant to the city of Komárom, taking with her the Hungarian crown, which she had stolen for her son with her chambermaid, Ilona Kottanner. Ladislaus was crowned king as an infant, although he was only recognized as king by the Hungarian and Bohemian orders in 1445, after the death of Ladislaus I, and János Hunyadi continued to lead Hungary as regent until 1453. This rather early rise, and the continuous complications with the Hunyadis and Cilleis, were followed by an early end: Ladislaus died at the age of seventeen. In addition to the fact that Erkel Ferenc c. Ladislaus Hunyadi became one of the main characters of the opera, he was the only Habsburg monarch who was born on Hungarian soil. ; ; All this explains the Latin inscription on the approx. 90 cm pedestal: LADISLAVS / POSTVMVS / COMAROM 1440 - PRAGA 1457 / REX / HVNGARIAE / ET / BOHEMIAE. Above the pedestal and the slightly larger-than-life bronze bust, a simple wrought iron arch structure rises, stylizing a Gothic window, on the lowest arch of which, above the head, in the middle, is a golden replica of the Hungarian royal crown - symbolizing the uncertainty of power that followed Ladislaus's short reign.