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Stefan Batory

Stefan Batory, King of Poland, Prince of Transylvania, Grand Duke of Lithuania was Prince Prince

The term prince , from the Latin [i] root princeps [i], when used for a member of the highest aristocracy [i] ... 

 of Transylvania Transylvania

Transylvania is a historical region [i] in the center of Romania [i]. ... 

 , then King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . Born Istvn Bthory to a powerful Hungarian Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked [i] country in Central Europe [i], ... 

 noble Nobility

Nobility is a traditional hereditary status that exists today in many countries.... 

, likewise named Istvn Bthory, younger Batory succeeded John II Zapolya as Prince of Transylvania in 1571 and held this position until 1575, afterwards turning it over to his elder brother Christopher Bathory. That year Batory became the ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, also known as the "Republic of the Two Nations" or "Commonweal... 

, reigning as Stefan Batory.

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Stefan Batory, King of Poland, Prince of Transylvania, Grand Duke of Lithuania was Prince Prince

The term prince , from the Latin [i] root princeps [i], when used for a member of the highest aristocracy [i]... 

 of Transylvania Transylvania

Transylvania is a historical region [i] in the center of Romania [i]. ... 

 , then King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . Born István Báthory to a powerful Hungarian Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked [i] country in Central Europe [i], ... 

 noble Nobility

Nobility is a traditional hereditary status that exists today in many countries.... 

, likewise named István Báthory, younger Batory succeeded John II Zapolya as Prince of Transylvania in 1571 and held this position until 1575, afterwards turning it over to his elder brother Christopher Bathory. That year Batory became the ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, also known as the "Republic of the Two Nations" or "Commonweal... 

, reigning as Stefan Batory.

Biography


Stefan Batory was born September 27, 1533, in Somlyo, Transylvania Transylvania

Transylvania is a historical region [i] in the center of Romania [i]. ... 

, to the local branch of the ancient Bathory family, now extinct, but originally almost coeval with the Hungarian monarchy. Istvan Bathory spent his early years at the court of the emperor Ferdinand I Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor

Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor [i], was born in Madrid [i], the son of Juana the Mad, Queen of Castile [i] ... 

, subsequently attached himself to John Zapolya, and won equal renown as a valiant lord-marcher, and as a skillful diplomat at the imperial court. Zapolya rewarded him with the voivodeship Voivodeship

A Voivodeship, also spelled Voivodship, Voivodina or Vojvodina, is a geographical unit of administration [i] ... 

 of Transylvania, and as the loyal defender of the rights of his patrons' son, John Sigismund, he incurred the animosity of the emperor Maximilian II of Austria Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian II of the Habsburg [i] dynasty was king of Bohemia [i] from 1562, king of Hungary [i] from 1 ... 

, who kept him in prison for two years. On May 25 of 1571, on the death of John Sigismund, Bathory was elected prince of Transylvania by the Hungarian estates, despite the opposition of the court of Vienna Vienna

Vienna is the capital [i] of Austria [i], and also one of the nine States of Austria [i]. ... 

 and contrary to the wishes of the late prince, who had appointed Gaspar Bekesy his successor. Bekesy insisting on his claims, a civil war ensued in which Bathory ultimately won by driving his rival out of the country the following year.

After the heirless death of King Sigismund II of Poland in 1572, his spinster sister Anna Jagiellonka became the sole heir to the Crown of Poland Crown of the Polish Kingdom

Crown of the Polish Kingdom, or just colloquially the Crown is the archaic name, used in the times... 

. Due to the conflict with her late brother , she remained single and became one of the most influential personalities in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, also known as the "Republic of the Two Nations" or "Commonweal... 

. During the Sejm Sejm

The Sejm is the lower house [i] of the Polish [i] parliament [i].
... 

 of April of 1573, she strongly supported the election of a French candidate. She convinced almost 50,000 members of the szlachta Szlachta

Szlachta was the noble [i] class [i] in Poland [i] and the ... 

 and finally Henri de Valois Henry III of France

Henry III, born Alexandre-douard, was a member of the Valois Dynasty [i], King of France [i] from ... 

 was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, under the name of Henryk III Walezy. The couple was to become married, which was to further strengthen the legitimisation of Henry's rule. However, in less than a year after his coronation, Henry fled to Paris where he was crowned king of France Henry III of France

Henry III, born Alexandre-douard, was a member of the Valois Dynasty [i], King of France [i] from ... 

.

The period of interregnum lasted for roughly one and a half years. It was not until December 12, 1575 that the Sejm Sejm

The Sejm is the lower house [i] of the Polish [i] parliament [i].
... 

, convinced by the Papal Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome [i], and, as Successor [i] of Saint Peter [i], is t ... 

 nuncio agreed to elect a new monarch. Although at first Maximilian Habsburg Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian II of the Habsburg [i] dynasty was king of Bohemia [i] from 1562, king of Hungary [i] from 1 ... 

 was elected, mostly due to strong support of the Catholic church and the Pope himself, after three days the szlachta Szlachta

Szlachta was the noble [i] class [i] in Poland [i] and the ... 

 threatened the senate with civil war and demanded a Piast king Piast dynasty

The Piast dynasty is a line of Kings and dukes that ruled Poland [i] from its beginnings as an independe... 

, that is a king of Polish ethnicity. After a heated discussion, it was decided that Anna Jagiellonka be elected king of Poland. The same day the Sejm chose Stefan Batory as her husband and de facto successor of Henry III. Among the strongest supporters of his candidacy were the Protestants , who feared that an ultra-Catholic monarch like a Habsburg Habsburg

Habsburg was an important ruling house [i] of Europe [i] and is best known as the ruling Ho ... 

 could overthrow the principles of the Warsaw Confederation and support Counter-Reformation Counter-Reformation

The Counter-Reformation or Catholic Reformation was a movement within the Catholic Church [i] ... 

. On the other hand, Bathory had the merit of being a ruler of Transylvania, a state where freedom of religion was introduced already in 1568. On May 1, 1576 Batory married Anna Jagiellonka and became the ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, also known as the "Republic of the Two Nations" or "Commonweal... 

, at the time the largest and one of the most populous states in Europe. Upon coronation, his official titles were Stefan, by the grace of God King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Grand Duchy of Lithuania

[i] /[[13th century]... 

, Duke of Ruthenia, Prussia Prussia

Prussia was, most recently, a historic state originating in Brandenburg [i], an area which for centuries ... 

, Masovia Masovia

Masovia is a geographical and historical region [i] situated in ea ... 

, Samogitia Samogitia

Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic [i] regions of Lithuania [i]. ... 

, Kiev Land Kijów Voivodeship

... 

, Volhynia Volhynia

Volhynia comprises the historic region in western Ukraine [i] located between the rivers Pripyat [i] ... 

, Podlachia Podlachia

Podlachia, Podlesia, or Podlasie is a historical region in eastern part of Poland [i] and we ... 

 and Livonia Livonia

Livonia once was the land of the Finnic [i] Livonians [i], but came in the Middle Ages to designate a m ... 

, as well as Prince of Transylvania Transylvania

Transylvania is a historical region [i] in the center of Romania [i]. ... 

.



Stefan Batory proved to be a wise king, despite the fact that the country he became a ruler of was badly damaged by the troubles of the interregnum. At first his position was extremely difficult mostly because of internal opposition, financed by Maximilian Habsburg and Muscovy Muscovy

Muscovy is a traditional Western name for the Russia [i]n state that existed from the 14th century [i] ... 

. However, the sudden death of the emperor Maximilian at the very moment when that potentate, in league with Muscovy, was about to invade the Commomwealth, completely changed the face of things, and though Stefan's distrust of the Habsburgs remained invincible, he consented at last to enter into a defensive alliance with the Holy Roman Empire Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire was a mainly Central Europe [i]an conglomeration of lands [i] in the Middle Ages [i] ... 

 which was carried through by the papal nuncio on his return to Rome Rome

Rome is the capital [i] of Italy [i] and of its region, called Latium [i]. ... 

 in 1578.

All armed opposition collapsed with the surrender of the hanse Hanseatic League

The Hanseatic League comprised an alliance [i] of trading [i] guild [i]s that e ... 

atic city of Gdansk Gdansk

Gdansk is the sixth-largest city in Poland [i], and also its principal seaport [i] and the capital of t ... 

 . The city, encouraged by its immense wealth and almost impregnable fortifications, as well as by the secret support of Denmark Denmark

The Kingdom of Denmark is the smallest and southernmost of the Nordic countries [i].... 

 and the emperor, had backed Emperor Maximilian II Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor

Maximilian II of the Habsburg [i] dynasty was king of Bohemia [i] from 1562, king of Hungary [i] from 1 ... 

 and shut her gates against the new monarch. The opposition of the city was reduced only after a six months siege and a fierce battle of December 16, 1577, in which its army of 5,000 mercenaries was utterly defeated in open field. Nevertheless, Batory's armies were too weak to take the city by force and a compromise was reached. Bathory had to accept that Gdansk continued to hold some of its privileges and the city recognised him as ruler of Poland and paid an enormous sum of 200,000 guldens in gold as an "apology". Báthory confirmed the privileges of Gdansk in 1577. Gdansk later was loyally serving the Kingdom during the war with Sweden and Muscovy, providing help when requested.



This victory gave Batory a chance to devote himself to foreign affairs and a strong position at home. With the help of his chancellor Jan Zamoyski Jan Zamoyski

Jan Zamoyski 1542-1605, was a Polish [i] szlachcic [i], magnate [i], 1st Ordynat [i] of the Zamosc [i] ... 

, Stefan Batory managed to completely reorganise the Polish Army. Among his genuine inventions was the piechota wybraniecka semi-professional infantry formation, composed of peasants trained in both infantry warfare and engineering. Batory also reorganised the judiciary branch of power by formation of legal tribunals and also founded the Academy of Vilna Vilnius University

Vilnius University is one of the oldest Universities in Eastern Europe [i] ... 

, the third university University

[i], which grants [[academic degree]... 

 in the Commonwealth and a predecessor of the modern Vilnius University. Both Batory and Zamoyski were skilled politicians who were able to win several factions of the Polish gentry Szlachta

Szlachta was the noble [i] class [i] in Poland [i] and the ... 

 for strengthening of the royal authority. This was done mostly by means of better taxation of crown lands and royal property leased to the gentry. He was also notable as the monarch to order Samuel Zborowski to be executed for treason and murder, a verdict that could not be carried out for roughly a decade.


In external relations, Batory sought peace through strong alliances. The difficulties with the Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , is also sometimes known in the West [i] as the Turkish Empire. ... 

 were temporarily adjusted by a truce signed on November 5, 1577. The Sejm Sejm

The Sejm is the lower house [i] of the Polish [i] parliament [i].
... 

 gathered in Warsaw Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital [i] of Poland [i] and its largest city. ... 

 was persuaded to grant Stefan subsidies for the inevitable war against Muscovy. Two campaigns of wearing marches, and still more exhausting sieges ensued, in which Batory, although repeatedly hampered by the parsimony of the Sejm, was uniformly successful, his skilful diplomacy at the same time allaying the suspicions of the Ottomans and the emperor.

Batory, with his chancellor Jan Zamoyski, led the army of the Commonwealth in a brilliant decisive campaign against the invading forces of Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV of Russia

Ivan IV Vasilyevich was the Grand Duke of Muscovy [i] from 1533 [i] to 1547 [i] and was the first ruler... 

 during the Livonian War. The Russians had invaded Livonia and took Dorpat Tartu

Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia [i], with a population of 101,297 and an area of 38.8 km. ... 

 from the vassal of the Commonwealth, Duchy of Courland Courland

Courland is an historical Baltic [i] province [i] now part of Latvia [i]. ... 

. The Commonwealth army under Bathory routed the Russian force at Velikiye Luki. In 1581 Stefan penetrated to the very heart of Muscovy and, on August 22, laid siege to the city of Pskov Siege of Pskov

The Siege of Pskov, known as the Pskov Defense in Russia [i] took place between August of 1581 and ... 

, whose vast size and imposing fortifications filled the little Commonwealth army with dismay. But the king, despite the murmurs of his own officers, and the protestations of the papal nuncio, Possevino, whom the curia, deluded by the mirage of a union of the churches, had sent expressly from Rome to mediate between the tsar Tsar

Tsar , occasionally spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English [i] ... 

 and the king of Poland, closely besieged the city throughout a winter of arctic severity, till, on the December 13, 1581, Ivan the Terrible, alarmed for the safety of the third city in his empire, concluded peace treaty in Jam Zapolski , thereby ceding Polatsk Polatsk

Polatsk is a historical city in Belarus [i], situated on the Dvina [i] river.... 

 and the whole of Livonia Livonia

Livonia once was the land of the Finnic [i] Livonians [i], but came in the Middle Ages to designate a m ... 

 back to the Commonwealth.

With the problems at the eastern borders settled, Stefan Batory planned a Christian alliance against the Ottoman Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , is also sometimes known in the West [i] as the Turkish Empire. ... 

s. He proposed an anti-Ottoman alliance with Muscovy, which he considered a necessary step for his anti-Ottoman crusade. However, Russia was on its way to the Time of Troubles Time of Troubles

The Time of Troubles was a period of Russian history [i] comprising the years of interregnum [i] ... 

, so he could not find a partner there. The project of a Polish-Lithuanian-Muscovite Commonwealth was dissipated by his sudden death, on December 12, 1586 in Hrodna Hrodna

*Disputed territories of Baltic States [i]
... 

 .

When Stefan Batory died, there was a one year interregnum. Emperor Maximilian's brother Maximilian III Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria

Maximilian III, Archduke of Further of Austria, also known as Maximilian der Deutschmeister was the ... 

 tried to claim the Polish-Lithuanian throne but was defeated at Byczyna, and Batory was succeeded by Sigismund III Vasa Sigismund III Vasa

ing Sigismund III Vasa of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth [i], Sigismund of Sweden [i] , was the ... 

.

Notes


Reference


See also

  • History of Poland History of Poland

    In the period following its emergence in the 10th century, the Polish nation [i] was led by a series of ...