Báthory István 

                   (1533 - 1586)

  Originated from Szilágysomlyó, from the 

Báthory family, who's father was also 

count of Transylvania. At first he is 

Habsburg Ferdinand, the János Zsigmond 

and Izabella's partisan. Bachelor of Italian 

university, 

politician with 

knowledge of 

renaissance 

civilization, 

who, in the 

meantime, 

had great 

diplomatic 

and military 

talents. 

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He was also the police  commissioner of 

Várad, which is a very important and 

trustful position, cause after all, Várad is Transylvania's strongest defense point 

from west (it is its border castle). 

  In the year of 1571, when he was 

elected, the Transylvanian parliament 

requested him to "respect the country's 

institutions, keep the country in its religion 

and freedom, and to treat everybody with 

equally truthful rights". He gave his word 

for it, and 'till the end of his ruling kept his 

promise. 

  He was clear about the fact the the right 

path for Transylvania is to be in good 

relationship with both the Habsburg and 

Turk empires. That's why he was cautious 

about being united with the Turks, as he 

always said: "a Turk would never cultivate 

strawberries in others basket". 

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