I. Béla ascended to the Hungarian throne in 1060 following the death of his brother, I. András. He was crowned in Székesfehérvár and was considered a wise and just ruler who always put the country's peace and security first. During his short reign, Hungary continued to develop economically and culturally. Prior to his reign, Béla ruled over territories in the eastern part of the country, beyond the Carpathians. He placed great emphasis on stabilizing the country's internal affairs, strengthening state institutions, and increasing the role of the church during his reign. He earned the nickname "Champion" after his stay in Poland, where his courage and human character were considered exemplary. He was also granted the title of Duke of Poland and married a princess from the Piast dynasty, Richeza. However, his reign was short-lived, lasting only three years, as he died in 1063. Following his death, Hungary was divided into three parts: his elder son, Géza, took control of the central territories, while his younger son, László, ruled over the eastern and western regions. During his reign, Hungary achieved significant progress, including the development of state institutions and improvement of foreign relations. However, after Béla's death, the country faced periodic turmoil until his sons were able to consolidate power in Hungary. His nephew, Salamon, succeeded him on the throne. Nevertheless, I. Béla's life and reign remain an important part of Hungarian history.

The most common coins of I. Béla (1059-1063) were the so-called denars, on which the name of the ruler was inscribed on the circumference.