Miklós Zrínyi ( hr, Nikola Zrinski, hu, Zrínyi Miklós; 5 January 1620 – 18 November 1664) was a
Croatian and
Hungarian military leader, statesman and poet. He was a member of the
House of Zrinski, a
Croatian-
Hungarian noble family.
[ Full e-text available at ] He is the author of the first
epic poem, ''
The Peril of Sziget'', in
Hungarian literature.
[Encyclopædia Britannica Online: Miklós Zrínyi](_blank)
/ref>
Biography
Miklós was born in Csáktornya, Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coronation of the Hungarian monarch, c ...
(now Čakovec, Croatia
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, anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
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) to the Croatian Juraj V Zrinski
Juraj V Zrinski ( hu, V. Zrínyi György; 31 January 1599 – 28 December 1626) was a Croatian Ban (viceroy), warrior and member of the Zrinski noble family.
Biography
Juraj V Zrinski was born in Csáktornya Kingdom of Hungary (today Čakovec, ...
and the Hungarian Magdolna (Magdalena) Széchy. At the court of Péter Pázmány, he was an enthusiastic student of Hungarian language and literature, although he prioritized military training. From 1635 to 1637, he accompanied Szenkviczy, one of the canons of Esztergom
Esztergom ( ; german: Gran; la, Solva or ; sk, Ostrihom, known by alternative names) is a city with county rights in northern Hungary, northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom County, on the right bank of the river ...
, on a long educative tour through the Italian Peninsula.
Over the next few years, he learned the art of war in defending the Croatian frontier against the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
, and proved himself one of the most important commanders of the age. In 1645, during the closing stages of the Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of batt ...
, he acted against the Swedish troops in Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The ...
, equipping an army corps at his own expense. At Szakolcza he scattered a Swedish division and took 2,000 prisoners. At Eger he saved the Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand III, who had been surprised at night in his camp by the offensive of Carl Gustaf Wrangel.
Although he was not enthusiastic about having to fight against fellow Hungarians, subsequently he routed the army of George I Rákóczi, Ottoman-backed Prince of Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the A ...
, on the Upper Tisza
The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa, is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. Once, it was called "the most Hungarian river" because it flowed entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national borders.
The Tisza be ...
. For his services, the emperor appointed him captain of Croatia. On his return from the war he married the wealthy Eusebia Drašković.
In 1646 he distinguished himself in the actions against Ottomans. At the coronation of Ferdinand IV of Austria, King of the Germans, King of Hungary, Croatia
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and Bohemia, he carried the sword of state, and was made ban
Ban, or BAN, may refer to:
Law
* Ban (law), a decree that prohibits something, sometimes a form of censorship, being denied from entering or using the place/item
** Imperial ban (''Reichsacht''), a form of outlawry in the medieval Holy Roman ...
and captain-general of Croatia. In this double capacity he presided over many Croatian diets.
During 1652–1653, Zrínyi was continually fighting against the Ottomans – nevertheless, from his castle at Csáktornya ( Čakovec) he was in constant communication with the intellectual figures of his time; the Dutch scholar, Jacobus Tollius, even visited him, and has left in his ''Epistolae itinerariae'' a lively account of his experiences. Tollius was amazed at the linguistic resources of Zrínyi, who spoke Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, Ottoman Turkish and Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
with equal ease. Zrínyi's Latin letters (from which it was gathered that he was married a second time, to Sophia Löbl) are, according to the ''Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is a 29-volume reference work, an edition of the '' Encyclopædia Britannica''. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. S ...
'' of 1911, "fluent and agreeable, but largely interspersed with Croatian and Magyar expressions". In a Latin letter from 1658 to friend Ivan Ručić expressed his consciousness of being an ethnic Croat and Zrinski ("Ego mihi conscius aliter sum, etenim non degenerem me Croatam et quidem Zrinium esse scio").
In 1655, he made an attempt to be elected Palatine of Hungary (''nádor''); in spite of support by the petty nobility, his efforts failed. The king, reacting to Zrínyi's good connections to Protestants and the Hungarians of Transylvania, nominated Ferenc Wesselényi
Count Ferenc Wesselényi de Hadad et Murány (1605 – Zólyomlipcse ( Slovenská Ľupča), 23 March 1667) was a Hungarian military commander and the palatine of the Royal Hungary.
Life
He was the son of István Wesselényi, royal court counsel ...
instead.
Activities in 1664
The last year of his life was also a culmination of his efforts and prestige. In 1663, the Ottoman army, led by Grand Vizier Köprülü Ahmed, launched an overwhelming offensive against Royal Hungary, ultimately aiming at the siege and occupation of Vienna
en, Viennese
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. The imperial army failed to put up any notable resistance; the Ottoman army was eventually stopped by adverse weather conditions. As a preparation for the new Ottoman onslaught due next year, German troops were recruited from the Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
and aid was called from France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, and Zrínyi, under the overall command of the Italian Raimondo Montecuccoli, leader of the Imperial army, was named commander-in-chief of the Hungarian army.
As a preparation for campaigns planned for 1664, Zrínyi set out to destroy the strongly fortified Suleiman Bridge (the '' Osijek ( Hungarian: Eszék) bridge'') which, since 1566, had linked Darda to Osijek (across the Drava and the marshes of Baranya). Destruction of the bridge would cut off the retreat of the Ottoman Army and make any Turkish reinforcement impossible for several months. Re-capturing strong fortresses (Berzence, Babócsa, the town of Pécs, etc.) on his way, Zrínyi advanced 240 kilometers on enemy territory and destroyed the bridge on 1 February 1664. However, the further pursuance of the campaign was frustrated by the refusal of the Imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texas
...
generals to co-operate. The court remained suspicious of Zrínyi all the way, regarding him as a promoter of Hungarian secessionist ideas and accusing him of having disturbed the peace by building his castle, Novi Zrin
Novi Zrin ( hu, Zrínyiújvár or Új-Zrínyivár) was a fortress of the Zrinski ( Zrínyi in Hungarian) noble family built near the Donja Dubrava village in the northernmost part of Croatia (at the border village of Őrtilos in Hungary) on ...
( Hungarian: ''Új-Zrínyivár'' or ''Zrínyi-Újvár'', English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
: '' New Zrin'' or ''Zrin-Newcastle''), erected in 1661 at his own expense, in the theoretically de-militarised zone between the two empires. Zrínyi's siege of Kanizsa, the most important Turkish fortress in Southern Hungary, failed, as the beginning of the siege was seriously delayed by machinations of the overly jealous Montecuccoli, and later the Emperor's military commanders (apart from Hungarian and Croatian leaders), unwilling to combat the Grand Vizier's army hastily coming to the aid of Kanizsa, retreated.[Sándor Szilágyi: ''A magyar nemzet története'']
Despite the failed siege, the expedition made his name famous and praised throughout Europe. According to the 1911 ''Britannica'', "it was said that only the Zrínyis had the secret of conquering the Turks". Emperor Leopold
Leopold I (Leopold Ignaz Joseph Balthasar Franz Felician; hu, I. Lipót; 9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, by his first wife, Maria A ...
offered him the title of prince, while Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII ( it, Alessandro VII; 13 February 159922 May 1667), born Fabio Chigi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 April 1655 to his death in May 1667.
He began his career as a vice-papal legate, an ...
struck a commemorative medal with the effigy of Zrínyi as a field marshal, the Spanish King Philip IV sent him the Order of the Golden Fleece, and France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
's King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
Louis XIV
Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
created him a Peer
Peer may refer to:
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* Peer, an equal in age, education or social class; see Peer group
* Peer, a member of the peerage; related to the term "peer of the realm"
Computing
* Peer, one of several functional units in the same layer of a ne ...
.
After relieving Kanizsa, the Grand Vizier turned against Novi Zrin
Novi Zrin ( hu, Zrínyiújvár or Új-Zrínyivár) was a fortress of the Zrinski ( Zrínyi in Hungarian) noble family built near the Donja Dubrava village in the northernmost part of Croatia (at the border village of Őrtilos in Hungary) on ...
. The Imperial troops under Raimondo Montecuccoli remained inactive while Zrínyi hastened to relieve the castle, refusing all assistance, with the result that the fortress fell. The Viennese court concentrated all its troops on the Hungarian-Austrian border, sacrificing Novi Zrin to hold back the Turkish army. The Turkish army, ultimately, was stopped in the Battle of Saint Gotthard (1664). The Turkish defeat could have offered an opportunity for Hungary to be liberated from the Turkish yoke. However, the Habsburg court chose not to push its advantage in order to save its strength for the brewing conflict with France over the Spanish succession. The Peace of Vasvár laid down unfavourable terms, including a tribute to the Sublime Porte (which would never be paid) against a few presents from the Ottomans - all despite the fact that Austrian-Hungarian troops maintained the upper hand.
Zrínyi rushed to Vienna
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to protest against the treaty, but his view was ignored; he left the city in disgust, after assuring the Venetian
Venetian often means from or related to:
* Venice, a city in Italy
* Veneto, a region of Italy
* Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area
Venetian and the like may also refer to:
* Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
minister, Sagridino, that he was willing at any moment to assist the Republic against the Ottoman Empire with 6,000 men. Zrínyi then returned to Csáktornya ( Čakovec). It is widely accepted that he, despite being a loyal supporter of the court before, participated in launching the conspiracy which later became known as the Wesselényi conspiracy, aimed at the restoration of the independent Kingdom of Croatia and Kingdom of Hungary. However, on November 18, he was killed in a hunting accident in a place called Kursanecz (today Kuršanec, Croatia), by a wounded wild boar. To this day, rumors persist that he was assassinated on the order of the Imperial Court. While no conclusive evidence has ever been found to support this claim; however, it remains true that both the Habsburgs and the Ottomans lost their mightiest adversary in Hungary due to his death. The village where he died was renamed ''Zrínyifalva'' in Hungarian to commemorate him.
Works
Beside being a leading military figure of 17th-century Croatia and Hungary, Zrínyi is well known for his literary works, also reflected in his often-recited epithet ''Zrínyi Miklós, a költő hadvezér és politikus'' (Hungarian for ''Miklós Zrínyi, the poet the general and the politician''). He is the author of the first epic poem in Hungarian literature.
Zrínyi's most significant literary work, The '' Peril of Sziget'' (''Szigeti veszedelem'' or ''Zrínyiász''), an epic poem written in the Göcsej dialect of Hungarian, was written in the winter of 1648–1649, and was published, together with a few miscellaneous pieces of poetry, under the title of ''The Siren
Siren or sirens may refer to:
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* Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies
* Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology
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* Siren, Wiscon ...
of the Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to th ...
'' (''Adriai tengernek Syrenája'') in Vienna in 1651. The epic was composed in the manner of the classic epic poets, such as Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...
and their 16th century successor Torquato Tasso.
The subject is the heroic but unsuccessful defence of Szigetvár by the author's great-grandfather, Nikola IV Zrinski ( hu, Zrínyi Miklós (hadvezér)). Many criticized the indiscriminate use of foreign words and seemingly careless metres of the work; however, it was also much praised for its poetic strength, which made Zrínyi the most notable Hungarian poet of the 17th century. The work also earned him praise due to its fundamental idea (the strength of Hungarian/Croatian valour to overthrow Ottoman rule, with the help of God), and to its enthusiastic tone. The Peril of Sziget has drawn comparisons with the other Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
epics of the period and despite its obsolete language being difficult to interpret to the average reader remains, to this day, one of the few pre-19th century Hungarian literary works still widely known to the public. The epic was translated to Croatian by Miklós's brother, Petar Zrinski ( hu, Zrínyi Péter) who, while Miklós was a master of Hungarian, excelled in Croatian.
Beside his poetic works, Zrínyi is also a forerunner of Croatian and Hungarian political thinking and military science. In his essays and manifestos, such as ''Ne bántsd a magyart – Az török áfium ellen való orvosság'' (''Do not hurt the Hungarians - An antidote to the Turkish poison'') or ''Mátyás király életéről való elmélkedések'' (''Reflections on the life of King Matthias'') he makes a case for a standing army, moral renewal of the nation, the re-establishment of the national kingdom, the unification of Royal Hungary with Transylvania, and, of course, the ousting of the Turkish occupants.
Honors
Postage stamps issued: Miklós Zrínyi Stamps were issued by Hungary on 1 January 1943, 1 May 1945, 18 June 1966, 18 August 2000 in Hungarian History series, and 5 September 2008.
See also
* List of Bans of Croatia
* István Gyöngyösi
* Magnate conspiracy
Notes
References
*
Further reading
* Paczolay, Gyula. 2019. ''Kőzmondások, szólások Zryínyi i Miklós írásaiban.'' Proverbs, Sayings in the Writings of Miklos Zrinyi. Budapest: Tinta Kőnyvkiadó.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zrinski, Nikola
1620 births
1664 deaths
17th-century Croatian people
17th-century Hungarian people
Bans of Croatia
17th-century Croatian nobility
History of Čakovec
Deaths due to boar attacks
Epic poets
Field marshals
Miklos
17th-century Hungarian poets
Hungarian soldiers
Hunting accident deaths
Knights of the Golden Fleece
Hungarian male poets
Military commanders of Croatian kingdoms
People of the Austro-Turkish War (1663–64)
Generals of the Holy Roman Empire
Accidental deaths in Croatia
Croatian people of Hungarian descent
Hungarian people of Croatian descent
ca:Miklós Zrínyi