Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian
nobleman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
and leader of the
Rákóczi's War of Independence
Rákóczi's War of Independence (1703–1711) was the first significant attempt to topple the rule of the Habsburgs over Royal Hungary, Hungary. The war was conducted by a group of noblemen, wealthy and high-ranking progressives and was led by F ...
against the
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
s in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
. He was also
Prince of Transylvania
The Prince of Transylvania (, , , Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 77.) was the head of state of the Principality of Transylvania from the late-16th century until the mid-18th century. John Sigismund Zápolya was the first to adopt the title in 1 ...
, an
Imperial Prince
Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (, , cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised by the Holy Roman Emperor.
Definition
Originally, possessors of the princely title bore it as immediate vassal ...
, and a member of the
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...
. Today he is considered a national hero in
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
.
His name is historically also spelled Rákóczy, in , in , in , in (, ), in , in .
Although the Hungarian parliament offered Rákóczi the royal crown, he refused it, choosing instead the temporary title of the "Ruling Prince of Hungary". Rákóczi intended to bear this military-sounding title only during the anti-Habsburg war of independence. By refusing the royal crown, he proclaimed to Hungary that it was not his personal ambition that drove the war of liberation against the Habsburg dynasty.
Childhood
He was the richest landlord in the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
and the count (''comes perpetuus'') of the ''Comitatus Sarossiensis'' (in Hungarian ''
Sáros''), now in northeastern
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
, from 1694 on. He was the third of three children born to
Francis I Rákóczi, elected ruling prince of
Transylvania, and
Ilona Zrínyi
Countess Ilona Zrínyi (Croatian language, Croatian: ''Jelena Zrinska'', Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zrínyi Ilona'') (1643, Ozalj – 18 February 1703, Izmit) was a noblewoman and heroine. She was one of the last surviving members of th ...
, who was the daughter of
Petar Zrinski,
Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia () was the title of local rulers or office holders and after 1102, viceroys of Croatia. From the earliest periods of the Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Ban (title), bans as a ruler's representative (viceroy) and sup ...
, and niece of Petar's older brother,
Miklós Zrínyi. His paternal grandfather
George Rákóczi II and great-grandfather
George I Rákóczi were also
princes of Transylvania. He had a brother, George, who died as a baby before Francis was born, and a sister, Julianna Rákóczi, later Countess of
Aspremont-Lynden, who was four years older than Francis. His father died when he was four months old.
Upon Ferenc I's death, his widow requested guardianship of her children; however, the advisors of
Emperor Leopold I insisted that he retain guardianship of both Ferenc and his sister, especially as Francis I had willed this before death. Despite further difficulties, Zrínyi was able to raise her children, while the Emperor retained legal guardianship. The family lived in the
castle of Munkács (today ''Mukacheve'', in
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
),
Sárospatak
Sárospatak (; ; Serbian language, Serbian: Муд Стреам; Slovak language, Slovakian: ''Šarišský Potok, Blatný Potok)''
History
The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by Emeric ...
and
Regéc until 1680, when Ferenc's paternal grandmother,
Sofia Báthory, died. Then, they moved permanently into the castle of Munkács. Rákóczi retained strong affection for this place throughout his life. Aside from his mother, Rákóczi's key educators were
György Kőrössy,
castellan
A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1 ...
to the family, and János Badinyi.
End of the Thököly uprising
Zrínyi's second husband,
Imre Thököly, took little interest in Rákóczi's education, as he was by then heavily involved in politics. However, the failure of the Turks to capture the Habsburg capital in the
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on 1683 after the city had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months. The battle was fought by the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarchy) and the Polish–Li ...
in 1683 frustrated Thököly's plans to become King of
Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary (, "Upland"), is the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia. The region has also been called ''Felső-Magyarország'' ( literally: "Upper Hungary"; ).
During the ...
. When the Turks began to grow suspicious of his intentions, Thököly proposed sending the young Rákóczi to
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
as a guarantee of his goodwill. But Rákóczi's mother opposed this plan, not wishing to be separated from her son.
In 1686
Antonio Carafa Antonio Carafa may refer to:
*Antonio Malizia Carafa (died 1437)
*Antonio Carafa (cardinal) (1538–1591)
*Antonio Carafa (general) (1642–1693)
*Antonio Carafa (bishop of Ugento) (died 1704)
{{hndis, Carafa, Antonio ...
besieged their residence, the castle of Munkács. Zrínyi successfully led the defence of the castle for three years, but capitulated in 1688. The two Rákóczi children fell again under the guardianship of
Leopold I, and moved to
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
with their mother. They regained their possessions, but could not leave the city without the Emperor's permission.
At the age of 17, the Emperor emancipated Rákóczi from his mother, thereby allowing him to own property. His sister Julianna had interceded for him after marrying a powerful Austrian, General Aspremont. Rákóczi lived with the Aspremonts until his marriage in September 1694, to 15-year-old Princess
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Wanfried, daughter of
Charles, Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried
Charles of Hesse-Wanfried (19 July 1649 — 3 March 1711), was a Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried. He was the second son of Landgrave Ernest, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels, Ernest of Hesse-Rheinfels and Maria Eleonore of Solms-Lich.
Life
After an inh ...
and a descendant of Saint
Elizabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary (, , ; 7 July 120717 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia.
Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her hus ...
. The couple moved to the
Rákóczi
The House of Rákóczi (older spelling Rákóczy) was a Hungarian nobility, Hungarian noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary between the 13th century and 18th century. Their name is also spelled ''Rákoci'' (in Slovakia), ''Rakoczi'' and ''Rako ...
castle at Sárospatak, where Rákóczi began to manage his properties.
The
Treaty of Karlowitz
The Treaty of Karlowitz, concluding the Great Turkish War of 1683–1699, in which the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the Holy League at the Battle of Zenta, was signed in Karlowitz, in the Military Frontier of the Habsburg Monarchy (present-day ...
on 26 January 1699, forced
Thököly and Zrínyi into exile. Rákóczi remained in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
under the Emperor's supervision. Relying on the prevalent anti-Habsburg sentiment, remnants of Thököly's peasant army started a new uprising in the
Hegyalja region of Northeastern present-day Hungary, which was part of the property of the Rákóczi family. They captured the castles of
Tokaj
Tokaj () is a historical town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, 54 kilometers from county capital Miskolc. It is the centre of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine district where Tokaji wine is produced.
History
The wine-growing area ...
,
Sárospatak
Sárospatak (; ; Serbian language, Serbian: Муд Стреам; Slovak language, Slovakian: ''Šarišský Potok, Blatný Potok)''
History
The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by Emeric ...
and
Sátoraljaújhely
Sátoraljaújhely (German language, German: ''Neustadt am Zeltberg''; Slovak language, Slovak: ''Nové Mesto pod Šiatrom;'' Yiddish: ''איהעל'') is a border town located in Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén County, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hu ...
, and asked Rákóczi to become their leader, but he was not eager to head what appeared to be a minor peasant rebellion. He quickly returned to Vienna, where he tried his best to clear his name.
Rákóczi then befriended
Count Miklós Bercsényi, whose property at
Ungvár (today ''Ужгород (Uzhhorod)'', in
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
), lay next to his own. Bercsényi was a highly educated man, the third richest man in the kingdom (after Rákóczi and
Simon Forgách), and was related to most of the Hungarian aristocracy.
Rákóczi uprising
As the
House of Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...
was on the verge of dying out in Spain, France was looking for allies in its fight against Austrian hegemony. Consequently, they established contact with Rákóczi and promised support if he took up the cause of Hungarian independence. An Austrian spy seized this correspondence and brought it to the attention of the Emperor. As a direct result of this, Rákóczi was arrested on 18 April 1700, and imprisoned in the fortress of
Wiener Neustadt (south of Vienna). It became obvious during the preliminary hearings that, just as in the case of his grandfather
Péter Zrínyi, the only possible sentence for Ferenc was death. With the aid of his pregnant wife Amelia and the prison commander, Rákóczi managed to escape and flee to
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. Here he met with Bercsényi again, and together they resumed contact with the French court.
Three years later, the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
caused a large part of the Austrian forces in the Kingdom of Hungary to temporarily leave the country. Taking advantage of the situation,
Kuruc
Kuruc (, plural ''kurucok''), also spelled kurutz, refers to a group of armed anti- Habsburg insurgents in the Kingdom of Hungary between 1671 and 1711.
Over time, the term kuruc has come to designate Hungarians who advocate strict national inde ...
forces began a new uprising in Munkács, and Rákóczi was asked to head it. He decided to invest his energies in a war of national liberation, and accepted the request. On 15 June 1703, another group of about 3000 armed men headed by
Tamás Esze joined him near the Polish city of
Ławoczne. Bercsényi arrived too, with French funds and 600 Polish mercenaries.

Most of the Hungarian nobility did not support Rákóczi's uprising, because they considered it to be no more than a peasant rebellion. Rákóczi's famous call to the nobility of
Szabolcs County seemed to be in vain. He did manage to convince the
Hajduk
A hajduk (, plural of ) is a type of Irregular military, irregular infantry found in Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and parts of Southeast Europe from the late 16th to mid 19th centuries, especially from Hajdú–Bihar Count ...
(Hungarian soldiers) (emancipated peasant warriors) to join his forces, so his forces controlled most of
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
to the east and north of the
Danube
The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
by late September 1703. He continued by conquering
Transdanubia
Transdanubia ( ; , or ', ) is a traditional region of Hungary. It is also referred to as Hungarian Pannonia, or Pannonian Hungary.
Administrative divisions Traditional interpretation
The borders of Transdanubia are the Danube River (north and ...
soon after.
Since the Austrians had to fight Rákóczi on several fronts, they felt obliged to enter negotiations with him. However, the victory of Austrian and British forces against a combined French-Bavarian army in the
Battle of Blenheim on 13 August 1704, provided an advantage not only in the War of the Spanish Succession, but also prevented the union of Rákóczi's forces with their French-Bavarian allies.
This placed Rákóczi into a difficult military and financial situation. French support gradually diminished, and a larger army was needed to occupy the already-won land. Meanwhile, supplying the current army with arms and food was beyond his means. He tried to solve this problem by creating a new copper-based coinage, which was not easily accepted in Hungary as people were used to silver coins. Nevertheless, Rákóczi managed to maintain his military advantage for a while – but after 1706, his army was forced into retreat.
A meeting of the Hungarian
Diet (consisting of 6 bishops, 36 aristocrats and about 1000 representatives of the lower nobility of 25 counties), held near
Szécsény (
Nógrád County) in September 1705, elected Rákóczi to be the "vezérlő fejedelem" – (ruling) prince – of the Confederated Estates of the Kingdom of Hungary, to be assisted by a 24-member
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. Rákóczi and the Senate were assigned joint responsibility for the conduct of foreign affairs, including peace talks.
Encouraged by England and the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, peace talks started again on 27 October 1705 between the Hungarians and the Emperor. Both sides varied their strategy according to the military situation. One stumbling block was the sovereignty over
Transylvania
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
– neither side was prepared to give it up. Rákóczi's proposed treaty with the French was stalled, so he became convinced that only a declaration of independence would make it acceptable for various powers to negotiate with him. In 1706, his wife (whom he had not seen in 5 years, along with their sons József and György) and his sister were both sent as peace ambassadors, but Rákóczi rejected their efforts on behalf of the Emperor.
In 1707 during the
Great Northern War
In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
he was one of the candidates to the throne of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, supported by
Elżbieta Sieniawska.
On Rákóczi's recommendation, and with Bercsényi's support, another meeting of the Diet held at Ónod (
Borsod county) declared the deposition of the
House of Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...
from the Hungarian throne on 13 June 1707. But neither this act, nor the copper currency issued to avoid
monetary inflation
Monetary inflation is a sustained increase in the money supply of a country (or currency area). Depending on many factors, especially public expectations, the fundamental state and development of the economy, and the transmission mechanism, it ...
, were successful.
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
refused to enter into treaties with Prince Rákóczi, leaving the Hungarians without allies. There remained the possibility of an alliance with
Imperial Russia
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* ...
, but this did not materialize either.
At the
Battle of Trencsén (German: ''Trentschin'', Latin: ''Trentsinium'',
Comitatus Trentsiniensis, today Trenčín in
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
), on 3 August 1708 Rákóczi's horse stumbled, and he fell to the ground, which knocked him unconscious. The Kuruc forces thought him dead and fled. This defeat was fatal for the uprising. Numerous Kuruc leaders transferred their allegiance to the Emperor, hoping for clemency. Rákóczi's forces became restricted to the area around Munkács and
Szabolcs County. Not trusting the word of János Pálffy, who was the Emperor's envoy charged with negotiations with the rebels, the Prince left the Kingdom of Hungary for
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
on 21 February 1711.
Peace agreement
In Rákóczi's absence,
Sándor Károlyi was named Commander-in-Chief of the Hungarian forces, and quickly negotiated a peace agreement with
János Pálffy. Under its provisions, 12,000 rebels laid down their arms, handed over their flags and took an oath of allegiance to the Emperor on 1 May 1711 in the fields outside
Majtény, in
Szatmár county.
The
Peace of Szatmár did not treat Rákóczi particularly badly. He was assured clemency if he took an oath of allegiance to the Emperor, as well as the freedom to move to Poland if he wanted to leave the Kingdom of Hungary. He did not accept these conditions, doubting the honesty of the Habsburg court, and he did not even recognize the legality of the Peace Treaty, as it had been signed after the death of the Emperor
Joseph I on 17 April 1711, which terminated the plenipotential authority of János Pálffy. Subsequently, his Hungarian properties, Munkács and its castle, Szentmiklós (today
Palanok Castle
The Palanok Castle or Mukachevo Castle (; or ; ) is a historic castle in the city of Mukacheve in the western Ukrainian oblast
An oblast ( or ) is a type of administrative division in Bulgaria and several post-Soviet states, including Belaru ...
,
Mukacheve and
Chynadiyovo,
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) and 200 villages were confiscated (and, in 1726, given by
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI (; ; 1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death, succeeding his elder brother, Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph I. He unsuccessfully War of ...
to Elector-Archbishop
Lothar Franz von Schönborn who had helped to defeat Rákóczi).
Exile
Rákóczi was offered the Polish Crown twice, supported by Tsar
Peter I of Russia
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned jointly with his half-brother Ivan V until 1696. From this year, ...
. He turned the offers down, though, and remained in Poland until 1712, where he was the honored guest of the Polish aristocracy. For a while he lived in
Gdańsk
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
under the pseudonym of ''Count of Sáros''.
He left Gdańsk on 16 November 1712, and went to England, where
Queen Anne, pressured by the Habsburgs, refused to receive him. Rákóczi then crossed the Channel to France, landing in
Dieppe
Dieppe (; ; or Old Norse ) is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, northern France.
Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to Newhaven in England ...
on 13 January 1713. On 27 April he handed a memorandum to
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
reminding him of his past services to France and asking him not to forget Hungary during the coming peace negotiations for the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
. But neither the
Treaty of Utrecht
The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaty, peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vac ...
in 1713 nor the
Treaty of Rastatt
The Treaty of Rastatt was a peace treaty between Kingdom of France, France and Archduchy of Austria, Austria that was concluded on 7 March 1714 in the Margraviate of Baden, Baden city of Rastatt to end the War of the Spanish Succession between bo ...
in 1714 made any mention of Hungary or Rákóczi. No provisions were even made to allow Rákóczi's two sons, who were kept under surveillance in Vienna, to rejoin their father.
Prince Rákóczi, although not recognized officially by France, was much in favour in the French court. But after the death of
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
on 1 September 1715, he decided to accept the invitation of
the Ottoman Empire (still at war with the Habsburgs) to move there. He left France in September 1717, with an entourage of 40 people. and landed at
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east.
Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...
on 10 October 1717. He was received with honors, but his desire to head up a separate Christian army to help in the fight against the Habsburgs was not under serious consideration.

The
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
signed the Peace
Treaty of Passarowitz with Austria on 21 July 1718. Among its provisions was the refusal of the Turks to extradite the exiled Hungarians. Two years later, the Austrian envoy requested that the exiles be turned over, but the
Sultan
Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
refused as a matter of honor. Rákóczi and his entourage were settled in the town of
Tekirdağ
Tekirdağ () is a city in northwestern Turkey. It is located on the north coast of the Sea of Marmara, in the region of East Thrace. The city forms the urban part of the Süleymanpaşa district, with a population of 186,421 in 2022.
Tekirdağ ...
(Rodostó in
Hungarian), relatively distant from the
Ottoman capital, and a large Hungarian colony grew up around this town on the
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara, also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, is a small inland sea entirely within the borders of Turkey. It links the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea via the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, separating Turkey's E ...
. Bercsényi, Count Simon Forgách, Count Antal Esterházy, Count Mihály Csáky, Miklós Sibrik, Zsigmond Zay, the two Pápays, and Colonel Ádám Jávorka were among many who settled there, sharing the sentiment of the writer
Kelemen Mikes, who said, "I had no special reason to leave my country, except that I greatly loved the Prince."
Rákóczi lived in the Turkish town of
Tekirdağ
Tekirdağ () is a city in northwestern Turkey. It is located on the north coast of the Sea of Marmara, in the region of East Thrace. The city forms the urban part of the Süleymanpaşa district, with a population of 186,421 in 2022.
Tekirdağ ...
for 18 years. He adopted a set routine: rising early, attending daily Mass, writing and reading in the mornings, and carpentry in the afternoons; visited occasionally by his son, György Rákóczi. Further military troubles in 1733 in Poland awakened his hopes of a possible return to Hungary, but they were not fulfilled. Rákóczi was 59 years old when he died on 8 April 1735.
Rákóczi's last will, dated 27 October 1733, left something to all his family members as well as to his fellow exiles. He left separate letters to be sent to the Sultan and to France’s Ambassador to Constantinople, asking them not to forget about his fellow exiles. His internal organs were buried in the Greek church of
Rodosto, while his heart was sent to France. After obtaining the permission of the Turkish authorities, Rákóczi's body was taken by his faithful chamberlain Kelemen Mikes to
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
on 6 July 1735 for burial in
Saint-Benoît (then Jesuit) French church in
Galata
Galata is the former name of the Karaköy neighbourhood in Istanbul, which is located at the northern shore of the Golden Horn. The district is connected to the historic Fatih district by several bridges that cross the Golden Horn, most nota ...
, where he was buried, according to his last wishes, next to his mother Ilona Zrínyi.
His remains were moved on 29 October 1906 to the
St. Elisabeth Cathedral in
Kassa,
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
(today Košice,
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
), where he is buried with his mother Ilona and his son.
Personal life
On 26 September 1694 in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
, he married
Landgravine
Landgrave (, , , ; , ', ', ', ', ') was a noble title, rank of nobility used in the Holy Roman Empire, and its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), and ' ("count palatine") are of roughly equal rank, subordinate to ' ("du ...
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Wanfried, member of the
Hesse-Wanfried branch of the
House of Hesse
The House of Hesse is a European dynasty, directly descended from the House of Reginar, House of Brabant. They ruled the region of Hesse, one branch as prince-electors until 1866, and another branch as grand dukes until 1918.Burke's Peerage, Bur ...
, eldest daughter of
Charles, Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried
Charles of Hesse-Wanfried (19 July 1649 — 3 March 1711), was a Landgrave of Hesse-Wanfried. He was the second son of Landgrave Ernest, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels, Ernest of Hesse-Rheinfels and Maria Eleonore of Solms-Lich.
Life
After an inh ...
by his second wife, Countess Alexandrine Juliane of
Leiningen-Dagsburg (1651-1703). They had:
*Lipót Lajos György Rákóczi (1696-1699)
*
József Rákóczi, Duke of
Munkács (1700-1738), never married but had an illegitimate daughter:
**Maria Elisabeta (1736-1786), a nun (Sister Josephine Charlotte), lived and died in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
* György Rákóczi, Duke of
Makovica (1701-1752), married firstly Marquise de
Béthune
Béthune ( ; archaic and ''Bethwyn'' historically in English) is a town in northern France, Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department.
Geography
Béthune is located in the Provinces of Fran ...
and had one son; married secondly Marguerite Suzanne Pinthereau de Bois I’Isle (1702-1768).
**György Rákóczi(1740-1743)
*Sárolta Rákóczi (1706-1706)
Works
* ''Confession d'un pécheur'', translated from Latin by Chrysostome Jourdain. Critical edition produced under the direction of Gábor Tüskés. Foreword by Jean Garapon, studies by Ferenc Tóth, Gábor Tüskés, Ildikó Gausz, Csenge E. Aradi and Zsuzsanna Hámori-Nagy. Prepared and reviewed by Michel Marty
Paris, Honoré Champion, 2020.* ''Mémoires du prince François II Rákóczi sur la guerre de Hongrie depuis 1703 jusqu'a sa fin'', translated by István Vas. Afterword and commentary by Béla Köpeczi; text established and critical apparatus by Ilona Kovács
Budapest, Akadémiai, 1978. (Archivum Rákóczianum)* ''Testament politique et moral du prince François II Rákóczi'', translated by Nándor Szávai and Ilona Kovács. Study and commentary by Béla Köpeczi; Latin text by István Borzsák; French texts and critical apparatus by Ilona Kovács
Budapest, Akadémiai, 1984. (Archivum Rákóczianum)* ''Méditations'' ''du prince François II Rákóczi'', Latin text established and annotated by Balázs Déri; French text established and annotated by Ilona Kovács; with a study and summaries by Gábor Tüskés
Budapest: Balassi, 1997.(Archivum Rákóczianum)
* ''Aspirations du prince François II Rákóczi'', Latin text edited and annotated by Balázs Déri; French text edited and annotated by Ilona Kovács; translated by Gáspár Csóka and Balázs Déri; notes by Lajos Hopp
Budapest, Akadémiai, Balassi, 1994. (Archivum Rákóczianum)
* Ferenc Rákóczi II: ''Confessio Peccatoris. The confession of a sinner'', translated by Bernard Adams, preface by Robert Evans, essay by Gábor Tüskés
Budapest, Corvina, 2019.
* Ferenc Rákóczi II: ''Memoirs'', translated by Bernard Adams, essay by Gábor Tüskés
Budapest, Corvina, 2019.
* ''Correspondance de François II Rákóczi et de la Palatine Elżbieta Sieniawska 1704-1727'', publ. with collaboration of Gábor Tüskés by Ilona Kovács and Béla Köpeczi, Budapest, Balassi Kiadó, 2004.
Bibliography
* Horváth, Réka, ''Agents in the News: English Envoys and Imperial Diplomats in the London Periodical Press during the Peace Negotiations of Rákóczi’s War of Independence (1704–06)'', Journal of European Periodical Studies 9 : 2 (2025) pp. 77-90.
* Takács, László, ''Some Important Corrections in the Manuscript of Rákóczi's Confessio Peccatoris before and after Accusation of Jansenism'', In: Tüskés, Gábor; Christoph Schmitt-Maaß; Michel Marty (Hrsg.), ''Jansenisms and Literature in Central Europe / Jansenismen und Literatur in Mitteleuropa / Jansénismes et littérature en Europe centrale'', Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Peter Lang, 2023, pp. 495-504.
* Csatáry, György, ''Military supplies and the population at the beginning of the Rákóczi war of independence (1703–1704)'', Ukraine: Cultural Heritage National Identity Statehood 35 (2022) pp. 25-38.
* Csatáry, György, ''The Rákóczi war of independence (1703–1711) and its cult in Berehove, Transcarpathia (Ukraine)'', Ukraine: Cultural Heritage National Identity Statehood 34 (2021) pp. 13-27.
* Tüskés, Gábor, ''The Re-Evaluation of Ferenc Rákóczi II's Confessio peccatoris'', Neulateinisches Jahrbuch – Journal of Neo-Latin Language and Literature 23 : 2021, pp. 279-289.
* Tüskés, Gábor, ''Ferenc Rákóczi II: Mémoires'', In: Ferenc Rákóczi II, ''Memoirs'', Budapest, Corvina, 2019, pp. 225-240.
* Tüskés, Gábor, ''Ferenc Rákóczi II and Confessio peccatoris'', In: Ferenc Rákóczi II, ''Confessio peccatoris'', Budapest, Corvina, 2019, pp. 367-387.
* Tóth, Ferenc, ''Emigré or Exile? Francis Rákóczi II and His Exile in France and Turkey'', In: Philip, Mansel; Torsten, Riotte (ed.), ''Monarchy and Exile: The Politics of Legitimacy from Marie de Médicis to Wilhelm II'', London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, pp. 91-102.
* Tóth, Ferenc (ed.), Europe and Hungary in the Age of Ferenc II Rákóczi, Budapest, Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem, 2006.
Timeline

*Early life
** 27 March 1676 – Rákóczi is born.
** 26 January 1699 –
Treaty of Karlowitz
The Treaty of Karlowitz, concluding the Great Turkish War of 1683–1699, in which the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the Holy League at the Battle of Zenta, was signed in Karlowitz, in the Military Frontier of the Habsburg Monarchy (present-day ...
forces
Emmeric Thököly and Ilona Zrínyi into exile.
** 11 February 1701 – Negotiations begin with
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
concerning the Hungarian struggle for independence.
** February, 1701 – Correspondence is seized by an Austrian spy. Rákóczi is jailed, but escapes being sentenced to death.
* The War of Independence
** 15 June 1703 – Rákóczi meets Tamás Esze and his army on the Hungarian border.
** 26 September 1703 – Large portions of Hungary are under Rákóczi's control.
** 13 August 1704 – The Habsburgs (with British help) defeat the combined French-Bavarian army, thus depriving Rákóczi of an important ally.
** 15 May 1705 – Death of
Emperor Leopold I, accession of
Joseph I to the throne.
** 20 September 1705 – The Diet of
Szécsény proclaims Rákóczi as the ruling Prince and establishes a governing structure for the country.
** 27 October 1705 – Peace negotiations begin.
** 13 June 1707 – The Diet of
Ónod deposes the
House of Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...
from the Hungarian throne.
* End of the war, peace treaty
** 3 August 1708 – Kuruc defeated at the Battle of
Trencsén.
** 22 January 1710 – Battle of
Romhány, one of the last battles of the war (a Kuruc loss, or a draw).
** 21 February 1711 – Rákóczi goes into exile.
** 1 May 1711 – Hungarian forces surrender near
Szatmár.
* Exile
** 13 January 1713 – Rákóczi arrives in
Dieppe
Dieppe (; ; or Old Norse ) is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, northern France.
Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to Newhaven in England ...
, France.
** 10 October 1717 – Rákóczi arrives in
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
.
** 8 April 1735 – Dies in
Tekirdağ
Tekirdağ () is a city in northwestern Turkey. It is located on the north coast of the Sea of Marmara, in the region of East Thrace. The city forms the urban part of the Süleymanpaşa district, with a population of 186,421 in 2022.
Tekirdağ ...
.
Memory
Francis II is remembered a Hungarian national hero, and is honored in various ways by modern Hungarians.
Memorials
His equestrian statue with the famous motto ''Cum Deo Pro Patria et Libertate'' ("With God for
Fatherland
A homeland is a place where a national or ethnic identity has formed. The definition can also mean simply one's country of birth. When used as a proper noun, the Homeland, as well as its equivalents in other languages, often has ethnic nation ...
and
Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
") written on its red marble base was erected in front of the
Hungarian Parliament Building
The Hungarian Parliament Building ( , ), also known as the Parliament of Budapest after its location, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, a notable landmark of Hungary, and a popular tourist destination in Budapest. It is situated o ...
on
Lajos Kossuth Square in 1937, the work of
János Pásztor. In the 1950s, the first two words, ''Cum Deo'' (i.e., "With God"), were removed for ideological reasons; in 1989, they were restored.
When, after 1945, the great Millennium Monument on
Heroes' Square was purged of statues of the
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
kings of Hungary, the best Hungarian sculptor of the period,
Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl, made a new statue of Rákóczi instead of
King Lipót II. It was erected in 1953 together with a relief on the base depicting the meeting of Rákóczy and
Tamás Esze.
Places and institutions
There are 11 Rákóczi streets and 3 Rákóczi squares in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
(see:
Public place names of Budapest), including one of the most prominent avenues, named ("Rákóczi Avenue"), forming the boundary between Districts VII and VIII.
[Budapest City Atlas, Szarvas-Dimap, Budapest, 2011, ] The street was named after him on 28 October 1906 when his remains were brought back to Hungary from
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and a long funeral march went along the street to the
Eastern Railway Station. , in District VIII, was also named after him in 1874.
A bridge on the Danube at Budapest is named
Rákóczi Bridge after him.
In Hungary two villages bear the name of Rákóczi.
Rákóczifalva in
Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County was established in 1883 on the former estate of Rákóczi where the Prince had a hunting lodge. The neighbouring
Rákócziújfalu became an independent village in 1950 (before that it was part of Rákóczifalva).
The village of
Zavadka, today in
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
next to the
Veretski Pass (Hungarian: ''Vereckei-hágó'') where Rákóczi arrived at Hungary in the beginning of the uprising in 1703 and where he said goodbye to his followers in 1711 going into exile was renamed Rákócziszállás in 1889. The neighbouring village of Podpolóc (today
Pidpolozzya) where Rákóczi spent a night in 1703 was renamed that year Vezérszállás. After 1918 the two villages got back their former names.
Mount Bovcar (today
Bovtsars'kyy Verkh in present-day
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) and the neighbouring Bovcar Spring was named by the local
Rusyn people after Rákóczi who drank from the spring on 18 February 1711. () means "the Tsar was here" in
Rusyn language
Rusyn ( ; ; )http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2781/1/2011BaptieMPhil-1.pdf , p. 8. is an East Slavic language spoken by Rusyns in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, and written in the Cyrillic script. The majority of speakers live in Carpathian Rut ...
.
The library of
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county in
Miskolc
Miskolc ( , ; ; Czech language, Czech and ; ; ; ) is a city in northeastern Hungary, known for its heavy industry. With a population of 161,265 as of 1 January 2014, Miskolc is the List of cities and towns in Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, ...
() is named after him.
The house in which he lived has been transformed into
Rákóczi Museum, Tekirdağ, open to the visitors every day except Mondays.
Banknotes
Rákóczi's portrait can be found on Hungarian banknotes. Before it was withdrawn from circulation, it was on the 50-
forint note. Since then it has been transferred to the 500-forint note.
Rákóczi March
A well-known patriotic tune of the 18th–19th centuries (composer unknown) is named after Rákóczi, as it was reputed to be his favourite, although actually it was composed only in the 1730s.
Hector Berlioz
Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...
orchestrated the piece, and it was also used by
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...
as the basis of his
Hungarian Rhapsody No.15. The Rákóczy March remains a popular piece of Hungarian state and military celebrations.
See also
*
Executioner's Bastion
*
Rákóczi's sculpture in Košice
*
Count of St. Germain
The Count of St. Germain (French language, French: ''Comte de Saint Germain''; ; – 27 February 1784) whose real name and origins remain unknown, was a European adventurer who had interests and achievements in science, alchemy, philosophy, ...
theorized as son
References
External links
The Prince Who Never Had a HomeA KURUCZ VILÁG ÉS II. RÁKÓCZI FERENCZ KORA ge of the kurucs and Ferenc Rákóczi II In: "Szilagyi, Sándor
ditor:A magyar nemzet története
istory of the Hungarian nation. Hetedik kötet. Hatodik könyv.
eventh volume, 6th bookBudapest.1898. Atheneum"
*Simonyi, Erno:
Angol diplomatiai iratok II. Rákóczi Ferencz korára">nglish diplomacy documents in the age ofII. Rákóczi Ferencz korára. Pest, 1871
*
II. Rákóczi Ferencz fejedelem emlékiratai a magyar háborúról, 1703-tól végéig (1711)
emoirs of Ferenc Rákóczibr>
II. Rákóczi Ferencz
Marki, Sandor: Nagy Péter czár és II. Rákóczi Ferencz szövetsége 1707-ben : székfoglaló értekezés
bout Peter the Great and Ferenc Rákóczi negotiations in 1707 1913. https://archive.org/details/nagypterczr00mr/page/58/mode/2up
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rakoczi, Francis 02
1676 births
1735 deaths
18th-century rebels
Princes of Transylvania
People from Trebišov District
Francis 02
Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain
17th-century Hungarian people
18th-century Hungarian people
Rebel princes
Rákóczi's War of Independence