Prince of Transylvania

The Principality of Transylvania was characterized by being an elective monarchy where the high nobility of Transylvania directed this independent political-administrative unit, which existed between the 16th and 18th centuries. After the Turkish invasion of the Kingdom of Hungary, Transylvania formed a Principality, independent from 1570, with princes of Hungarian culture and language. In 1686 the Holy Roman Empire recovered the former Hungarian territories of the Ottoman Empire and subsequently expelled the Turks from the region of Transylvania. Transylvania's independence ended in 1711, leaving it under Austrian control.

Background

Gelou (dux blacorum) was the first Romanian prince (blac) who was forced to face the Hungarian invasions in the territory of Transylvania. After the peace (approximately 903) of Esculeu (today Aschileu, Romania) the Hungarians arrived in the country. The Kingdom of Hungary was founded in the year 1000 by King Saint Stephen I, who is considered the Christianizer of the Hungarians and the founder of the Hungarian State. Between 1366 and 1367, the Hungarian King Louis I the Great was the first to be forced to face the Ottoman Turkish invasions in European territory, as well as later the other Hungarian monarchs Sigismund of Hungary and Matthias Corvinus. In this way, the Ottoman threat continued to stalk the European kingdom and in 1526 the Battle of Mohács took place, where King Louis II of Hungary was killed.

By leaving no heirs who could occupy the throne, Prince Ferdinand of Habsburg, the brother of the Germanic Emperor, and the Hungarian count John Szapolyai, voivode of Transylvania, began a dispute for the crown, becoming anti-kings. The kingdom was divided into two halves, one of the Germans and the other under the control of King-Prince John I of Transylvania, who had Turkish support, since in exchange for the crown he had offered vassalage to the Ottoman Empire. Soon after the death of John I Szapolyai in 1541, Turkish armies took the city of Buda, the Hungarian royal seat, and appropriated the central territory of the kingdom, naming it the Vilayate of Buda. On the other hand, the region of Transylvania under Ottoman influence became independent after the agreement of Speyer was signed in 1570 between Emperor Maximilian II of Habsburg and John Sigismund Szapolyai, son of John I.

The infant Juan Sigismund Szapolyai was tutored by his mother Queen Isabella Jagiellon of Hungary and Archbishop Jorge Martinuzzi, who acted as regents of Transylvania. Several decades later, the Principality of Transylvania was formed, which would continue in vassalage to the Ottoman Empire, in order to preserve its independence. Throughout the 129 years of existence of the Principality of Transylvania there will be 21 Princes, who will be vassals of the Turkish sultan and will wish to recover the Hungarian territories in the hands of the Habsburgs to reunify the Kingdom of Hungary. Thus they conducted numerous wars against the Germans, often allying themselves with the Protestant Swedes, French, Czechs and Romanians, thus obtaining support against the Catholic Habsburgs. In Transylvania, Hungarian culture will survive during this period, Hungary itself, which was in crisis as it was on the one hand in the hands of the Germans and on the other in that of the Ottomans.

Annex:Princes and princess consorts of Transylvania

This section is an excerpt from Annex: Princes and Princess Consorts of Transylvania § Princes and Princess Consorts of Transylvania.[chuckles]edit]

Princes and Princess Consorts of Transylvania (1570-1711)

Image	Home	Fin	Name prince	Title(s)	Religion	Image	Name queen
	01570 1570	01571 1571	Juan Segismundo Szapolyai (01540-07-07 7 July 1540 - 01571-03-14 14 March 1571) (son of John I of Hungary and of Elizabeth of Poland)	• Prince of Transylvania • Elect King of Hungary as John II (was never crowned or reigned) (1540-1551, 1559-1570)	Unitarism		She didn't get married.
	01571-05-25 25 May 1571	01586-12-12 12 December 1586	Esteban Báthory (01527-09-27 27 September 1527-01586-12-12 12 December 1586) (son of Stephen Báthory of Somlya and Catherine Telegdi)	• Prince of Transylvania • Transylvania Voivode (1571-1576) • King of Poland, like Stephen I (1576-1586)	Catholicism		Ana de Poland (1576, no children)
	01586 1586	01598 1598	Segismundo Báthory (1 mandate) (01572 1572-01613-03-27 27 March 1613) (son of Cristóbal Báthory and Erzsébet Bocskai and nephew of Esteban Báthory)	• Prince of Transylvania (abducted by the Dukes of Opole and Ratibor) • Transylvania Voivode (1581-1586)	Catholicism		Maria Cristina of Austria (1595, without children)
	1598	1598	Transylvania is administered by imperial commissioners in the name of Rodolfo II of the Holy Roman German Empire.
	01598 1598	01599 1599	Segismundo Báthory (2nd mandate)	• Prince of Transylvania (He abdicated for his cousin Andres Báthory)	Catholicism		Maria Cristina of Austria (1595, without children)
	01599-03-29 29 March 1599	01599-11-03 3 November 1599	Andrés Báthory (01566 1566-01599-11-03 3 November 1599 (son of Andrew Báthory and Margit Majláth; nephew of Stephen Báthory and cousin of Segismundo Báthory)	• Prince of Transylvania (assisited by Székelys after his defeat by the voivode Miguel the Valiente de Valaquia in the battle of Sellemberk) • Old Cardinal	Catholicism		She didn't get married.
	01599-11-20 20 November 1599	01600-10-05 5 October 1600	Transylvania is administered by the voivoda Miguel the Valiente de Valaquia, recognized by the Diet as the imperial governor of the Rodolfo II of the Holy Roman German Empire. In addition, Michael occupied Moldova in 1600 and called himself “By the grace of God, ruler of Valaquia, Transylvania and Moldova” between June 6, 1600 and December 1,600. In his correspondence with Emperor Rodolfo II, he always called himself "locum tenens" of the emperor.
	1600	1601	Transylvania is administered by General Giorgio Enough in the name of Rodolfo II of the Holy German Roman Empire
	01601 1601	01602 1602	Segismundo Báthory (3rd mandate)	• Prince of Transylvania (he fled abroad after his defeat by General Giorgio Basta and Michael the Valiente in the battle of Goroszló, but soon returned and abdicated)	Catholicism		Maria Cristina of Austria (1595, without children)
	1601	1603	Transylvania (or parts of Transylvania) is administered by General Giorgio Enough in the name of Rodolfo II, emperor of the Holy Roman German Empire
	01603-04-14 14 April 1603	01603-07-17 17 July 1603	Moses Székely (c. 01553 1553-01603-07-17 17 July 1603 (son of János Székely)	• Prince of Transylvania (backed by the Ottoman governor of the vilayate of Timisoara defeats Giorgio Basta; having received the ahidnâme of Sultan Mehmed III, declared prince for a "Dieta en el campo militar"; dead in the ahidnâme fighting against the voivoda Radu Şerban of Valaquia and his allies Székely)	Unitarism		• unknown (1.a) • Anna Kornis (2.a) (c. 1585, a child)
	01603-07 July 1603	01603-09 September 1603	Transylvania is governed by Radu Şerban de Valaquia, who held the title of voivoda.
	01603-09 September 1603	01604-09 September 1604	Transylvania is administered by General Giorgio Enough in the name of Rodolfo II, emperor of the Holy Roman German Empire
	01605-02-21 21 February 1605	01606-12-29 29 December 1606	Esteban Bocskai (01557-01-01 1 January 1557-01606-12-29 29 December 1606) (son of George Bocskai and Krisztina Sulyok) Maternal uncle of Prince Segismund Báthory)	• Prince-elect of Hungary (1605-1606)	Calvinism		Kata Hagymássy (1583, no children)
	01607-02-11 11 February 1607	01608-03-05 5 March 1608	Segismundo Rákóczi (01544 1544-01608-12-05 5 December 1608 (son of János Rákócsi and Sára Némethy and father of Jorge Rákóczi I)	• Prince of Transylvania (He abdicated for Gabriel Báthory)	Calvinism		• Judit Bekény (1.a) (1587, 1 child) • Anna Gerendi (2.a) (1592, 3 children) • Delete Telegdy (3.a) (1596, no children)
	01608-03-07 7 March 1608	01613-10-22 22 October 1613	Gabriel Báthory (01589-08-15 15 August 1589-01613-10-27 27 October 1613) (son of Stephen Báthory and Zsuzsanna Bebek; his father was a nephew of Prince Stephen Báthory, himself a nephew of Prince Andrew Báthory)	• Prince of Transylvania • Voivoda de Valaquia (1611) (expelled by Ottoman troops who helped Gabriel Bethlen; murdered by Haitian assassins)	Catolicism, then Calvinism		Anna Palocsai-Horváth (1607, no children)
	01613-10-23 23 October 1613	01629-11-15 15 November 1629	Gabriel Bethlen (01580-11-15 15 November 1580-01629-11-15 15 November 1629) (son of Farkas Bethlen and Druzsina Lázár)	• Prince of Transylvania (elected by Ottoman assistance) • also elected king of Hungary (1620-1621) ; according to the Peace of Nikolsburg of 1621 also Duke of Opole and Ratibor in Silesia (1621-1629)According to the same peace, 7 counties (Abaúj, Bereg, Borsod, Szabolcs, Szatmár, Ugocsa and Zemplén) were united to the principality of life.	Calvinism		• Zsuzsanna Károlyi (1.o) (1605, 3 children, all dead) • Catherine of Brandenburg (1626, without children)
	01629-11-15 15 November 1629	01630-09-21 21 September 1630	Catherine of Brandenburg cedes (01604-05-28 28 May 1604-01649-08-27 27 August 1649) daughter of John Segismundo I of Brandenburg and Ana de Prussia	Prince of Transylvania, widow of Prince Gabriel Bethlen; (your right to success that your husband confirmed in his life (1626) by the Diet; it is generally known as "prince" instead of "prince"; he abdicated)	Luteranism		• Gabriel Bethlen (1.o) (1626, no children) • Francisco Carlos de Sajonia-Lauenburg (1639)
	01629-09-28 28 September 1629	01630-11-26 26 November 1630	Stephen Bethlen (01584 1584-01648-01-10 10 January 1648) (son of Farkas Bethlen and Druzsina Lázár)	• Prince of Transylvania, brother of Prince Gabriel Bethlen; chosen by the Diet, but then with the opposition of George I Rákóczi	Calvinism		• Krisztina Csáky (1.o) (3 children) • Katalin Károlyi (3 children)
	01630-12-01 1 December 1630	01648-10-11 11 October 1648	Jorge Rákóczi I (01593-06-08 8 June 1593-01648-10-11 11 October 1648) (son of Segismund Rákóczi and Anna Gerendi)	• Prince of Transylvania	Calvinism		Susana Lorántffy (1616, 4 children)
	01648-10-11 11 October 1648	01657-10-25 25 October 1657	Jorge Rákóczi II (1 mandate) (01621-01-30 30 January 1621-01660-06-07 7 June 1660) (son of George I Rákóczi and Susana Lorántffy)	• Prince of Transylvania (principe chosen by the Diet in the life of his father (1642) in recognition of his right to succession; deposed by the great Ottoman visir Mehmed Köprülü)	Calvinism		Sofia Báthory (1643, 2 children)
	01657-11-02 2 November 1657	01658-01-09 9 January 1658	Francisco Rhédey (01610 1610-01667-05-07 7 May 1667) (son of Francis Rhédey and Kata Károlyi)	• Prince of Transylvania (Prince chosen by the Diet against Jorge Rákóczi II by order of the Sublime Puerta)	Calvinism		Druzsina Bethlen (1 child)
	01658-01-14 14 January 1658	01659-03-30 30 March 1659	Jorge Rákóczi II (2nd mandate)	• Prince of Transylvania (elected again prince by the Diet; expelled by the Ottoman troops)	Calvinism		Sofia Báthory (1643, 2 children)
	01658-10-07 7 October 1658	01659 1659	Ákos Barcsay (1 mandate) (c.01610 1610-01661-07 July 1661 (son of Sándor Barcsay and Erzse Palatics)	• Prince of Transylvania (designated by the Sublime Puerta, then chosen by the Diet against Jorge Rákóczi II; While visiting the Ottoman governor of the vilayate of Temesvár, his opponent returned to the Principality)	Calvinism		• Erzsébet Szalánczy (1.a. without children)
	01659-09-27 27 September 1659	01660-05-22 22 May 1660	Jorge Rákóczi II (3rd mandate)	• Prince of Transylvania (elected again prince by the Diet; defeated and killed in a battle in Szászfenes)	Calvinism		Sofia Báthory (1643, 2 children)
	01660-05-22 22 May 1660	01660-12-31 31 December 1660	Ákos Barcsay (2nd mandate)	• Prince of Transylvania (after being spared with Ottoman aid, she resigned that same year; she was murdered at the next few months)	Calvinism		• Izabella Bánffy (2nd, 1660, no children)
	01661-01-01 1 January 1661	01662-01-22 22 January 1662	Juan Kemény (01607-12-14 14 December 1607-01662-01-22 22 January 1662) (son of Balthasar Kemény and Zsofia Tornyi)	• Prince of Transylvania	Calvinism		• Zsuzsa Kállai (1.a) (1632, a son) • Anna Lónyai (1659, a son)
	01661-09-14 14 September 1661	01690-04-15 15 April 1690	Miguel Apafi I (01632-11-03 3 November 1632-01690-04-15 15 April 1690) (son of George Apafi and Borbála Petki)	• Prince of Transylvania	Calvinism		Ana Bornemissza (9 children)
	01690-06-10 10 June 1690	01701 1701	Miguel Apafi II (01676-10-13 13 October 1676-01713-02-01 1 February 1713) (son of Miguel Apafi I and Ana Bornemissza)	• Prince of Transylvania Prince elected by the Diet in the life of his father (1681) in recognition of his right to succession; never installed, since he was taken to force in 1696 to Vienna because of his marriage without the prior approval of Leopoldo I of the Holy German Empire; he abstained from his title in 1701.	Calvinism		Countess Kata Bethlen (1694, no children)
	01690-09-22 22 September 1690	01690-10-25 25 October 1690	Emérico Thököly (01657-09-25 25 September 1657-01705-02-13 13 February 1705) (son of Count Stephen Thököly and Mária Gyulaffi)	• Prince of Transylvania • Prince of the High Hungary Declared vassal king of Principality of Upper Hungary (High Hungary) by Sultan Mehmed IV, never elected and crowned.[chuckles]required]	Calvinism		Countess Helena Zrínyi (1683, 2 children)
	01704-07-08 8 July 1704	01711-02 February 1711	Francisco Rákóczi II (01676-03-27 27 March 1676- 01735-04-08 8 April 1735) (son of Francisco Rákóczi I and Helena Zrínyi	• Prince of Transylvania Prince of Hungary	Catholicism		Carlota Amalia de Hessen-Rheinfels-Wanfried (1694, 4 children)

Clarifications:

• Gaspar Békés was appointed by John Segismund in his will in 1571 as a prince, but was rejected by the nobles who chose Stephen Báthory. He was defeated in the subsequent civil contest and ended up under his victor.
• When Stephen Báthory was elected king of Poland in 1586 he left Transylvania but did not resign as Prince. Then he placed his older brother Cristóbal Báthory as a transylvania regent who ruled in his name between 1576 and 1581.
• Francis Rákóczi I, the son of Jorge Ráckózi II, was elected prince (1654-1660) in his father's life but never ruled de facto. His son Francisco Rákóczi II had a great role in leading an independent war against the Habsburgs.