Stephen Báthory of Ecsed (, ; ; 1430–1493) was a
Hungarian commander, 'dapiferorum regalium magister' (1458–?),
judge royal
The judge royal, also justiciar,Rady 2000, p. 49. chief justiceSegeš 2002, p. 202. or Lord Chief JusticeFallenbüchl 1988, p. 145. (,Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 72. ,Zsoldos 2011, p. 26. , ), was the second-highest judge, preceded only by the Palati ...
(1471–1493), and
voivode of Transylvania
The Voivode of Transylvania (;Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 77. ;Zsoldos 2011, p. 36. ; ) was the highest-ranking official in Transylvania within the Kingdom of Hungary from the 12th century to the 16th century. Appointed by the King of Hun ...
(1479–1493). He rose to power under King
Matthias Corvinus
Matthias Corvinus (; ; ; ; ; ) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia from 1458 to 1490, as Matthias I. He is often given the epithet "the Just". After conducting several military campaigns, he was elected King of Bohemia in 1469 and ...
of
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 ...
and after the king's death sided with
Vladislav Jagiellon of Bohemia and later together with
Pál Kinizsi
Pál Kinizsi ({{langx, la, Paulus de Kenezy; {{langx, ro, Paul Chinezu; 1432–1494) was a Hungarian general in the service of Hungarian army under king Matthias Corvinus. He was the Count of Temes County (in the historical Banat region, in the ...
defeated Prince
John Corvin in the Battle of Csonthegy (1493). As a result of his cruelty 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, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
, especially against 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 ...
, he was deposed by the King in 1493 and died shortly afterwards.
Family history
The
Báthory family was a powerful and influential Hungarian noble family from the 14th to 17th century. The two branches of the family produced many voivodes, Transylvanian princes and a king, (
Stephen Báthory of Poland
Stephen or Steven is an English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is widely regarded as the firs ...
). Báthory belonged to the powerful family of
Gutkeled, of the
Ecsed branch. The name Báthory and the family coat-of-arms were granted in 1325.
Career

In 1467, he took part in Matthias' bitter defeat against Moldavia at the
Battle of Baia
The Battle of Baia (; ) was fought on December 15, 1467, between Moldavian prince Stephen the Great and the Hungarian king, Matthias Corvinus. Corvinus invaded Moldavia as a consequence of Stephen's annexation of Chilia—a fortress and harb ...
. In 1476, Corvinus decided to support
Vlad III Dracula
Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler ( ) or Vlad Dracula (; ; 1428/31 – 1476/77), was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian hi ...
in reclaiming his
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
n throne from
Basarab Laiotă.
[Dracula: Prince of many faces - His life and his times p. 170] He therefore made Báthory supreme commander over an army of 8,000 infantry and 13,000 cavalry,
but since Báthory was rather inexperienced in military leadership, "the actual leadership was shared by Dracula and the
Serbian
Serbian may refer to:
* Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular
**Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans
** Serbian language
** Serbian culture
**Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
despot Vuk Brancovic.
Before this, Dracula and Báthory had waged war in
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
, where Báthory was sent by Corvinus to free a certain Bosnian king whose name was also Matthias.
[Mehmed the Conqueror and his time p. 245] The new campaign would involve Hungarian,
Moldavia
Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...
n, and Wallachian troops, with the assistance of a small Serbian contingent.
Dracula wrote to his cousin, Prince
Stephen III of Moldavia
Stephen III, better known as Stephen the Great (; ; died 2 July 1504), was Voivode (or Prince) of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II, who was murdered in 1451 in a conspiracy organized by his brother an ...
, to wait for him so that the two could merge their armies, but the merging failed due to delayment in movement of the Hungarian troops, which resulted in Stephen's defeat at the
Battle of Valea Albă
The Battle of Valea Albă, also known as the Battle of Războieni or the Battle of Akdere, was an important event in the medieval history of Moldavia. It took place at Războieni, also known as ''Valea Albă'', on 26 July 1476, between the Mo ...
on 26 July 1476.
[Dracula: Prince of many faces - His life and his times p. 171] On 18 August, the two armies merged and helped Stephen get rid of the Turks in Moldavia.
After a consultation that took place in the city of
Brașov
Brașov (, , ; , also ''Brasau''; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the county seat (i.e. administrative centre) of Brașov County.
According to the 2021 Romanian census, ...
, Dracula, Báthory, and Brancovic invaded Wallachia from southern Transylvania with an army of 35,000, whereas Stephen would aid them by attacking eastern Wallachia with 15,000 men.
[Dracula: Prince of many faces - His life and his times p. 172] Dracula's offensive began in early November 1476 and defeated Laiotă's 18,000 strong army at
Rucăr
Rucăr is a commune located in the north-eastern part of Argeș County, Romania, situated in the Carpathian Mountains. The commune is composed of two villages, Rucăr and Sătic, and its population as of 2021 was 5,259. Historically important for ...
, at the Wallachian-Transylvanian border.
Both armies lost around 10,000 men.
On 8 November, Dracula captured the capital of
Târgoviște
Târgoviște (, alternatively spelled ''Tîrgoviște'') is a Municipiu, city and county seat in Dâmbovița County, Romania. It is situated north-west of Bucharest, on the right bank of the Ialomița (river), Ialomița River.
Târgoviște was ...
where he met with Stephen.
The two swore eternal allegiance to one another and when at the presence of Báthory, the two pledged as well to pursue a great crusade against the Turks.
By 11 November, Báthory reported to the town officials of
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles th ...
that most of Wallachia was in Dracula's hands and added that "all the
boyar
A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Bulgaria, Kievan Rus' (and later Russia), Moldavia and Wallachia (and later Romania), Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. C ...
s aside from two are with us" and "even the latter will soon join us."
On 16 November,
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
fell to Báthory's army and on 26 November, Dracula was reestablished as Prince of Wallachia for his third time.
After Stephen and Báthory retreated from Wallachia, Laiotă would return to Wallachia with an army to reclaim his throne. In December, Laiota and Dracula met each other in battle. Dracula possessed only a small army and was killed in battle.
Battle of Bread Field
In 1479, Báthory was made governor of Transylvania and in late August 1479, an Ottoman expedition from Bosnia, commanded by twelve
pasha
Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitary, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of ...
s, invaded Transylvania with a force of 43,000 men.
[Mehmed the Conqueror and his time p. 374] The Turks moved very quickly through the land while pillaging it, giving Báthory little time to gather his militia at Sibiu.
Pál Kinizsi
Pál Kinizsi ({{langx, la, Paulus de Kenezy; {{langx, ro, Paul Chinezu; 1432–1494) was a Hungarian general in the service of Hungarian army under king Matthias Corvinus. He was the Count of Temes County (in the historical Banat region, in the ...
, the
Ban of
Timișoara
Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
, promised to aid Báthory. As Báthory approached
Sebeș
Sebeș (; German: ''Mühlbach''; Hungarian: ''Szászsebes''; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Melnbach'') is a city in Alba County, central Romania, southwestern Transylvania.
Geography
The city lies in the Mureș River valley and straddles the river ...
,
Ali Bey, one of the Turkish pashas, had raised camp on a plain between
Mureș and Sebeș, unaware that Kinizsi was also on his way against him.
On the early morning of 13 October, Báthory appeared on the "heights beyond the brook."
Ali was forced to stand ground in order to secure an eventual withdrawal and evacuate his booty."
[Mehmed the Conqueror and his time p. 374-75] Báthory ordered his army to prepare for battle: his 3,000
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons (; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen'' or simply ''Soxen'', singularly ''Sox'' or ''Soax''; Transylvanian Landler dialect, Transylvanian Landler: ''Soxn'' or ''Soxisch''; ; seldom ''sa ...
, supported by a second line of Transylvanian
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
ns, comprised the right flank on the river
Mureș, while the Hungarians comprised the left flank; he and his heavy cavalry were placed in the middle.
[Mehmed the Conqueror and his time p. 375] The Ottoman leaders were in disagreement and had their preparations for the battle delayed; after "three hours of idle waiting, Báthory, confident that Pál Kinizsi would arrive any minute, gave the order to attack."
The Transylvanian Saxons opened the attack, but were routed; the Transylvanian Wallachians experienced the same fate, with many being wounded or killed; later, the Hungarian line would be pressured to retreat to the centre.
Báthory then charged with his heavy cavalry, but fell off his horse; this alarmed his companions, who interpreted it as a bad omen and advised him to either turn back or retreat to the mountains.
He ignored their advice and, as head of his cavalry, charged the first Ottoman line with great force, routing them.
Ali then charged with his cavalry and a fierce battle took place that lasted for three hours.
Báthory was seriously injured, bleeding from six wounds; "his horse had been killed under him."
Surrounded by a "wall of corpses" and barely holding onto his life, he was about to lose the battle when Kinizsi's army appeared on the hill, announcing their presence with drums and trumpets.
Some 900 Serbs under a Demeter Jakšić, assisted by "numerous courtiers of the king", charged against the Turks.
The Turks, who were taken by surprise, were slaughtered by the furious Kinizsi; after a renewed attack, he managed to save Báthory.
The few Turks who survived the massacre fled into the mountains, where the majority were killed by the local population.
[Mehmed the Conqueror and his time p. 375-76] Ali, who spoke
Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
**Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
put on some peasant clothes and fled to
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
.
[Mehmed the Conqueror and his time p. 376] Some 30,000 Turks died in the battle, whereas Báthory lost 8,000 Hungarians and some 2,000 Transylvanian Saxons and Transylvanian Wallachians.
The two commanders feasted together with their troops, with Kinizsi dancing with a dead Turk as his companion.
Aftermath
Báthory was accused of using excessive cruelty against the Székely in Transylvania and was deposed by
Vladislaus II in 1493.
[În jurul bătaliei de la Vaslui (1474-1475). Considerații asupra relațiilor dintre regatul Ungariei, Moldova și Țara Româneasca] He died shortly afterwards.
His family
''His Family'' is a novel by Ernest Poole published in 1917 about the life of a New York widower and his three daughters in the 1910s. It received the first Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1918.
Plot introduction
''His Family'' tells the story ...
would return to rule as
Voivodes and then Princes of Transylvania.
Footnotes
References
*
*Florescu, R. Radu; McNally, T. Raymond. ''Dracula: Prince of many faces - His life and his times''.
*
*
*Kezai, Simon; Veszprémy, Lázló. Frank Schaer (ed.), Gesta Hungarorum: The Deeds of the Hungarians (Central European Medieval Texts). Central European University Press, 1999.
*Simon, Alexandru. În jurul bătaliei de la Vaslui (1474–1475). Considerații asupra relațiilor dintre regatul Ungariei, Moldova și Țara Româneasca. Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai; Historia, XLIX, 2, 2004
*Wertner, Moritz. "Urgeschlechter in Siebenbürgen.", in Archiv des Vereins für siebenbürgische Landeskunde. Neue Folge, Bd. 29, Heft 1 (1899), Hermannstadt 1899, p. 156-235.
*Farin, Michel. ''Heroine des Grauens. Elisabeth Báthory''. Munich: P. Kirchheim, 2003. .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bathory, Stephen 05
Voivodes of Transylvania
Judges royal
Stephen 05
Hungarian politicians
Hungarian generals
1430 births
1493 deaths