István Kendi de Szarvaskend (''Kendy''; ? – c. 1628)Markó 2006, p. 112. was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as

Chancellor of Transylvania The following is the list of chancellors of Transylvania during the Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711) and the (Grand) Principality of Transylvania (1711–1867). List of chancellors Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711), Principali ...

from 31 March 1608 to 20 March 1610.

Biography

He was the only son of

Sándor Kendi Sándor Kendi de Szarvaskend (''Kendy''; ? – 30 August 1594)Markó 2006, p. 113. was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, member of the Royal Council, who served as Governor of Transylvania for the underage voivode Sigi ...

, a member of the Transylvanian Royal Council. He had three sisters: Zsuzsanna (wife of

Balthasar Báthory Balthasar Báthory de Somlyó (; 1560 – 11 September 1594) was a Transylvanian politician from the Báthory, Báthory family, and like his brother, Prince of Transylvania, prince Andrew Báthory, an opponent of the House of Habsburg, Habsbu ...

), Krisztina (second wife of

Farkas Kovacsóczy Farkas Kovacsóczy de Körtvélyfa (c. 1540 – 11 September 1594)Markó 2006, p. 113. was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from Summer 1578 to 28 August 1594. His son, Istvá ...

) and Zsófia. His father was executed without any trial by

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

Sigismund Báthory Sigismund Báthory (; 1573 – 27 March 1613) was Prince of Transylvania several times between 1586 and 1602, and Duchy of Racibórz, Duke of Racibórz and Duchy of Opole, Opole in Silesia in 1598. His father, Christopher Báthory, ruled Transy ...

in 1594. He regained his father's confiscated estates and property in October 1600. István Kendi married twice: his first wife was Zsuzsanna Csapy, stepdaughter of Prince

Sigismund Rákóczi Sigismund Rákóczi (, ; 15445December 1608) was Prince of Transylvania from 1607 to 1608. He was the son of János Rákóczi, a lesser nobleman with estates in Upper Hungary. Sigismund began a military career as the sword-bearer of the wealth ...

, the second one was Anna Horváth de Palocsa since 1618. He had a daughter.

Career

After his father's death, he functioned as

Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ov ...

(Count; ''comes'') of

Doboka County Doboka County was a county in 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, ...

since 1595. He participated in the uprising of Mózes Székely in 1603 and was captured by General

Giorgio Basta Giorgio Basta, Count of Huszt, Gjergj Basta or Gheorghe Basta (1550 – 1607) was an Kingdom of Naples, Italian general, diplomat, and writer of Arbëreshë people, Arbëreshë Albanian origin, employed by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II to com ...

for a short time. He acted as lieutenant and mediator of the diplomatic affairs for

Stephen Bocskay Stephen Bocskai or Bocskay (, ; 1 January 155729 December 1606) was Prince of Transylvania and Hungary from 1605 to 1606. He was born to a Hungarian noble family. His father's estates were located in the eastern regions of the medieval Kingdom ...

in 1605. He served again as head of Doboka County from 1605 to 1610 and elected member of the Transylvanian Royal Council. After the resignation of János Petki, he was appointed Chancellor of Transylvania by Prince

Gabriel Báthory Gabriel Báthory (; 15 August 1589 – 27 October 1613) was Prince of Transylvania from 1608 to 1613. The Ottomans nicknamed him "Deli Kiral" (Mad King). Born to the Catholic Church, Roman Catholic branch of the Báthory family, he was closely ...

from whom he received the castle of

Szamosújvár Gherla (; ; ) is a municipiu, municipality in Cluj County, Romania (in the historical region of Transylvania). It is located from Cluj-Napoca on the river Someșul Mic, and has a population of 19,873 as of 2021. Three villages are administered by ...

(today: ''Gherla, Romania'') as a donation in 1609. Soonly he involved in the conspiracy against the prince for family reasons. He made a contact with Michael Weiß, judge (mayor) of Brassó (today: ''Brașov, Romania''). On 20 March 1610, Boldizsár Kornis, the Captain General of the

Székelys The Székelys (, Old Hungarian script, Székely runes: ), also referred to as Szeklers, are a Hungarians, Hungarian subgroup living mostly in the Székely Land in Romania. In addition to their native villages in Suceava County in Bukovina, a ...

, and he tried to kill his guest, Báthory with an assassin in his estate,

Szék Sic (; ) is a commune in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Sic. A former salt-mining town, the commune is located in the eastern part of the county, in the Transylvanian Plain, south of Gherla and northeast ...

(today: ''Sic, Romania''), however the hired man exposed them. Korni was executed and Kendi escaped to the area 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 ...

from the revenge of the Prince. Kendi was sentenced to death ''in absentia''. He resided in Kassa (today: ''Košice, Slovakia''). Kendi received amnesty from the new Transylvanian ruler

Gabriel Bethlen Gabriel Bethlen (; 1580 – 15 November 1629) was Prince of Transylvania from 1613 to 1629 and Duke of Opole from 1622 to 1625. He was also King-elect of Hungary from 1620 to 1621, but he never took control of the whole kingdom. Bethlen, sup ...

and became again a member of the Royal Council in March 1614. However he had to fled Transylvania in the end of the year. As one of the several pretender to the throne, he attacked the principality in 1615 but Bethlen could keep his seat. Kendi married Anna Horváth de Palocsa, widow of

, in 1618. He died around 1628 in Hungary. There are opinions that he had no successor, while according to others the Cégény branch (''cégényi'') of the Kende family can be derived from him.

References

Sources

* Markó, László: A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig – Életrajzi Lexikon ''p. 112.'' ''(The High Officers of the Hungarian State from Saint Stephen to the Present Days – A Biographical Encyclopedia)'' (2nd edition); Helikon Kiadó Kft., 2006, Budapest; . * Trócsányi, Zsolt: Erdély központi kormányzata 1540–1690. Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1980. ''p. 106. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kendi, Istvan Hungarian nobility in Transylvania Hungarian politicians Hungarian soldiers Chancellors of Transylvania Istvan