Báthory
Encyclopedia
The Báthory were a Hungarian
noble family of the Gutkeled
clan. The family rose to significant influence in Central Europe
during the late Middle Ages
, holding high military, administrative and ecclesiastical positions in the Kingdom of Hungary
. In the early modern period, the family brought forth several Princes of Transylvania and one King of Poland.
, a clan of Hungarian
nobles, which traced its descent to the Swabia
n brothers Gut and Kelad, who immigrated into Hungary from the castle Stof (probably Staufen im Breisgau
or Hohenstaufen
in Württemberg
) during the reign of King Peter (reigned 1038–1046), who himself was partly of Venetian
descent.
The actual Báthory family began in the 13th century with Andrew of Rakoméz, surnamed the Bald, son of Nikolaus. Andrew is mentioned in 1250 as a patron of the monastery of Sárvár in the county of Szatmár
.
In 1279, King Ladislaus IV rewarded Andrew's brother Hados
and Andrew's sons George (d. 1307), Benedict (d. 1321) and Briccius
(d. 1322) for their military services by granting them Bátor
in the county of Szabolcs
. Bátor had been the estate of Vajda son of Lángos, who had married a relative of Andrew but died without issue.
In 1310, Bátor came into the sole possession of Briccius when he reached an agreement with his nephew Michael and his cousin Vid to divide the joint possessions. After this, Briccius and his descendants named themselves "of Bátor" or Báthory.
Briccius
:
The elder branch of the family, the Báthory of Somlyó were descended from John, Count of Szatmár
, the first-born son of Briccius, through his eldest son Ladislaus (died 1373). Ladislaus, Count of Szabolcs
, married Anna Meggyesi and received Somlyó as dowry. Ladislaus' younger brother George II is the ancestor of the Simolin family, later called Báthory of Simolin (see below). A further division occurred under the great-grandsons of Ladislaus (latter half of the 15th century): John and Stephen dropped the name Báthory and founded the Szaniszlófi family, while Nikolaus continued the Somlyó branch.
The younger branch of the family, the Báthory of Ecsed, were descended from Luke, the youngest son of Briccius. Luke possessed wide estates in Szatmár
and was granted by King Charles Robert
the lordship of Ecsed
, where he built the castle called Hrséy (loyalty).
This branch, since they retained the possession of Bátor, are sometimes called of Bátor or, as the younger branch, Nyírbátor (New Bathory).
(actually built only in the 14th century) and harassed the countryside. Vitus killed it with three thrusts of his lance and as a reward received the castle. The grateful people honoured him with the names Báthory, meaning good hero, and "animus magnanimus". In Hungarian the word for brave is bátor.
The Báthory coat of arms
, granted in 1325 to the sons of Briccius, was styled in reference to this legend: three horizontally placed teeth surrounded by a dragon biting its own tail.
. The second son, Stephen III
rose to become Palatine of Hungary and in 1444 fell in the Battle of Varna
as flag-bearer of Wladyslaw, King of Poland and Hungary. He had also received the castle Bujak from King Albert of Habsburg
.
Of Stephen's six sons, Ladislaus V (d. 1474) was supreme count of the counties
Szatmár
and Szarand, the second Andrew III (d. 1495) was confirmed in his possession of Bujak. The third son, Stephen V
(d. 1493) excelled as a military commander and was made Voivod of Transylvania, the first of a long line of Báthory rulers of that country.
The youngest son, Nicolaus III (d. 1506), bishop first of Syrmia
and after 1474 of Vác
, excelled as a renaissance
scholar and served as counselor to King Matthias Corvinus.
Stephen VII
first proved himself as Count of Temesvár and in 1519 was elected Palatin of Hungary, as which he had to contend with the opposition of the nobility. In 1526, He fought in the disastrous battle of Mohács
against the Ottomans
, in which King Louis II
fell.
After the harsh and fierce battle, Hungary was torn apart by the conflict between the rival royal claims. The two branches of the family positioned themselves on the opposing sides of the conflict. The Ecsed branch commonly sided with the Habsburgs: Stephen VII, who had escaped the battle, fled with Louis' widow to Pozsony (now Bratislava
), where he organized the election of Ferdinand of Austria
as King of Hungary. In the 1550s, when Ferdinand briefly gained control of Transylvania in 1551, he installed Stephen's nephew Bonaventura as his lieutenant to govern the country.
The Somlyó branch, on the other hand, supported John Zápolya
, whom the greater part of the Hungarian nobility had elected King. Zápolya appointed Stephen VIII Voivode of Transylvania, which he governed until his death in 1534. Later, the interest of the Zápolyas were represented at the Habsburg court by the Voivod's son Stephen IX, who would go on to become Prince of Transylvania and King of Poland.
Impressed by Stephen, George VI Báthory, of the Ecsed branch, was persuaded to change his allegiance from the Habsburgs to Zápolya, for which the Habsburg King deprived him of his castle Bujak. George strengthened his alliance to Stephen by marrying his sister Anna, uniting the branches. Anna Báthory was the widow of the last descendent of the Dragfi family and George now seized the castles of the Dragfi. Since the Dragfi estates were legally due to the crown, the Habsburgs forced George to yield the castles and withdrew to Csitsva in the county of Zemplén.
George and Anna Bathory produced the most infamous member of the family, Elizabeth
, who as a widow was imprisoned for allegedly murdering large numbers of young girls. However given political and judicial processes of the times the facts will never be determined. Some scholars have suggested that she served as one of Bram Stoker
's influences for writing the novel Dracula
but the evidence to support this is slim.
as diplomats. In the 19th century, long after the demise of the other branches, the family claimed name and title of Counts Báthory, since their ancestor Michael had never consented to the sale conducted by his brothers, and in 1852 the Russian government confirmed the legitimacy of their claims.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
noble family of the Gutkeled
Gutkeled
right|thumb|The coat-of-arms of the Hungarian Gutkeled clanThe Gutkeled was a family or clan of Hungarian nobles, to which a number of Hungarian noble families owe their ancestry....
clan. The family rose to significant influence in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
during the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, holding high military, administrative and ecclesiastical positions in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. In the early modern period, the family brought forth several Princes of Transylvania and one King of Poland.
Origins
The Báthory family belonged to the GutkeledGutkeled
right|thumb|The coat-of-arms of the Hungarian Gutkeled clanThe Gutkeled was a family or clan of Hungarian nobles, to which a number of Hungarian noble families owe their ancestry....
, a clan of Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
nobles, which traced its descent to the Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n brothers Gut and Kelad, who immigrated into Hungary from the castle Stof (probably Staufen im Breisgau
Staufen, Germany
Staufen im Breisgau is a German town in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district of Baden-Württemberg. It has a population of approximately 7700.-General:...
or Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
in Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
) during the reign of King Peter (reigned 1038–1046), who himself was partly of Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
descent.
The actual Báthory family began in the 13th century with Andrew of Rakoméz, surnamed the Bald, son of Nikolaus. Andrew is mentioned in 1250 as a patron of the monastery of Sárvár in the county of Szatmár
Szatmár
Szatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
.
In 1279, King Ladislaus IV rewarded Andrew's brother Hados
and Andrew's sons George (d. 1307), Benedict (d. 1321) and Briccius
Briccius Báthory
Briccius Báthory was a Hungarian nobleman and the founder of the renowned Báthory family.His father was Andrew of Rakoméz, surnamed the Bald, son of Nikolaus, from the Gutkeled clan. Andrew is mentioned in 1250 as a patron of the monastery of Sárvár in the county of Szatmár.In 1279, Briccius...
(d. 1322) for their military services by granting them Bátor
Nyírbátor
Nyírbátor /ˈɲiːɾbaːtoɾ/ is a town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. With its historic atmosphere, this city is known for its 15th- and 16th-century ecclesiastic and secular built heritage and for the family of the former landowners, the Báthory...
in the county of Szabolcs
Szabolcs (county)
Szabolcs is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary in present-day northeastern Hungary. The capital of the county was Nyíregyháza.-Geography:...
. Bátor had been the estate of Vajda son of Lángos, who had married a relative of Andrew but died without issue.
In 1310, Bátor came into the sole possession of Briccius when he reached an agreement with his nephew Michael and his cousin Vid to divide the joint possessions. After this, Briccius and his descendants named themselves "of Bátor" or Báthory.
Branches
The family divided into two major branches, which descended from the sons and grandsons ofBriccius
Briccius Báthory
Briccius Báthory was a Hungarian nobleman and the founder of the renowned Báthory family.His father was Andrew of Rakoméz, surnamed the Bald, son of Nikolaus, from the Gutkeled clan. Andrew is mentioned in 1250 as a patron of the monastery of Sárvár in the county of Szatmár.In 1279, Briccius...
:
The elder branch of the family, the Báthory of Somlyó were descended from John, Count of Szatmár
Szatmár
Szatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
, the first-born son of Briccius, through his eldest son Ladislaus (died 1373). Ladislaus, Count of Szabolcs
Szabolcs
Szabolcs may refer to:*Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, current administrative unit of Hungary*Szabolcs in Hungary's Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county*Szabolcs , the historical administrative unit of the Kingdom of Hungary...
, married Anna Meggyesi and received Somlyó as dowry. Ladislaus' younger brother George II is the ancestor of the Simolin family, later called Báthory of Simolin (see below). A further division occurred under the great-grandsons of Ladislaus (latter half of the 15th century): John and Stephen dropped the name Báthory and founded the Szaniszlófi family, while Nikolaus continued the Somlyó branch.
The younger branch of the family, the Báthory of Ecsed, were descended from Luke, the youngest son of Briccius. Luke possessed wide estates in Szatmár
Szatmár
Szatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
and was granted by King Charles Robert
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
the lordship of Ecsed
Ecsed
Ecsed is a small village in Hungary. There is an old town of Ecsed in the eastern part of Hungary that has been renamed Nagyecsed, meaning "grand" or "great Ecsed"....
, where he built the castle called Hrséy (loyalty).
This branch, since they retained the possession of Bátor, are sometimes called of Bátor or, as the younger branch, Nyírbátor (New Bathory).
Legend and coats of arms
A legendary account, placing the Báthorys' origin in the year 900 (preceding the advent of the Gutkeled clan), related how a god-fearing warrior called Vitus (a namesake of a member of the first generation of the Gutkeled clan) set out to fight a dragon, which loomed in the swamps next to the castle of EcsedEcsed
Ecsed is a small village in Hungary. There is an old town of Ecsed in the eastern part of Hungary that has been renamed Nagyecsed, meaning "grand" or "great Ecsed"....
(actually built only in the 14th century) and harassed the countryside. Vitus killed it with three thrusts of his lance and as a reward received the castle. The grateful people honoured him with the names Báthory, meaning good hero, and "animus magnanimus". In Hungarian the word for brave is bátor.
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, granted in 1325 to the sons of Briccius, was styled in reference to this legend: three horizontally placed teeth surrounded by a dragon biting its own tail.
Further history
The Ecsed branch first rises to prominence with the sons of Luke's grandson John V. His eldest son Bartholomew I fell in 1432 fighting against the HussitesHussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. The second son, Stephen III
Stephen III Báthory
Stephen III Báthory was a Hungarian nobleman and commander. His most prestigious position was Palatine of Hungary.Stephen belonged to the Ecsed branch of the Báthory family. His parents were John V Báthory and Catherine, daughter of John Zanti...
rose to become Palatine of Hungary and in 1444 fell in the Battle of Varna
Battle of Varna
The Battle of Varna took place on November 10, 1444 near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad II defeated the Polish and Hungarian armies under Władysław III of Poland and János Hunyadi...
as flag-bearer of Wladyslaw, King of Poland and Hungary. He had also received the castle Bujak from King Albert of Habsburg
Albert II of Germany
Albert the Magnanimous KG was King of Hungary from 1438 until his death. He was also King of Bohemia, elected King of Germany as Albert II, duke of Luxembourg and, as Albert V, archduke of Austria from 1404.-Biography:Albert was born in Vienna as the son of Albert IV, Duke of Austria, and Johanna...
.
Of Stephen's six sons, Ladislaus V (d. 1474) was supreme count of the counties
Szatmár
Szatmár
Szatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
and Szarand, the second Andrew III (d. 1495) was confirmed in his possession of Bujak. The third son, Stephen V
Stephen V Báthory
Stephen Báthory of Ecsed was a Hungarian commander, 'dapiferorum regalium magister' , judge of the Royal Court and voivod of Transylvania...
(d. 1493) excelled as a military commander and was made Voivod of Transylvania, the first of a long line of Báthory rulers of that country.
The youngest son, Nicolaus III (d. 1506), bishop first of Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
and after 1474 of Vác
Vác
Vác is a town in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 35,000 inhabitants. The archaic spellings of the name are Vacz and Vacs.-Location:...
, excelled as a renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
scholar and served as counselor to King Matthias Corvinus.
Stephen VII
Stephen VII Báthory
Stephen VII Báthory was a Hungarian nobleman and commander. His most prestigious position was Palatine of Hungary.Stephen belonged to the Ecsed branch of the Báthory family...
first proved himself as Count of Temesvár and in 1519 was elected Palatin of Hungary, as which he had to contend with the opposition of the nobility. In 1526, He fought in the disastrous battle of Mohács
Battle of Mohács
The Battle of Mohács was fought on August 29, 1526 near Mohács, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent....
against the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, in which King Louis II
Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia
Louis II was King of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia from 1516 to 1526.- Early life :Louis was the son of Ladislaus II Jagiellon and his third wife, Anne de Foix....
fell.
After the harsh and fierce battle, Hungary was torn apart by the conflict between the rival royal claims. The two branches of the family positioned themselves on the opposing sides of the conflict. The Ecsed branch commonly sided with the Habsburgs: Stephen VII, who had escaped the battle, fled with Louis' widow to Pozsony (now Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
), where he organized the election of Ferdinand of Austria
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
as King of Hungary. In the 1550s, when Ferdinand briefly gained control of Transylvania in 1551, he installed Stephen's nephew Bonaventura as his lieutenant to govern the country.
The Somlyó branch, on the other hand, supported John Zápolya
John Zápolya
John Zápolya was King of Hungary from 1526 to 1540. His rule was disputed by Archduke Ferdinand I, who also claimed the title King of Hungary between 1526 and 1540. He was the voivode of Transylvania before his coronation.- Biography :...
, whom the greater part of the Hungarian nobility had elected King. Zápolya appointed Stephen VIII Voivode of Transylvania, which he governed until his death in 1534. Later, the interest of the Zápolyas were represented at the Habsburg court by the Voivod's son Stephen IX, who would go on to become Prince of Transylvania and King of Poland.
Impressed by Stephen, George VI Báthory, of the Ecsed branch, was persuaded to change his allegiance from the Habsburgs to Zápolya, for which the Habsburg King deprived him of his castle Bujak. George strengthened his alliance to Stephen by marrying his sister Anna, uniting the branches. Anna Báthory was the widow of the last descendent of the Dragfi family and George now seized the castles of the Dragfi. Since the Dragfi estates were legally due to the crown, the Habsburgs forced George to yield the castles and withdrew to Csitsva in the county of Zemplén.
George and Anna Bathory produced the most infamous member of the family, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Báthory
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of Hungarian nobility. Although in modern times she has been labelled the most prolific serial killer in history, the number of murders has been debated...
, who as a widow was imprisoned for allegedly murdering large numbers of young girls. However given political and judicial processes of the times the facts will never be determined. Some scholars have suggested that she served as one of Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
's influences for writing the novel Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
but the evidence to support this is slim.
Notable members of the Somlyó branch
- Stephen VIII Báthory (1477–1534), Voivod of Transylvania.
- Stephen IX BáthoryStephen BáthoryStephen Báthory may refer to several noblemen of Hungarian descent:* Stephen III Báthory , Palatine of Hungary* Stephen V Báthory , judge of the Royal Court and Prince of Transylvania...
(1533–1586), youngest son of Stephen VIII, Voivod (and later Prince) of Transylvania and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. - Christopher BáthoryChristopher BáthoryChristopher Báthory was a prince of Transylvania. He succeeded his brother Stephen Báthory. He was the father of Sigismund Báthory....
(1530–1581), son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó and elder brother of the King of Poland, administered Transylvania as voivod during the absence of his brother. - Sigismund BáthorySigismund BáthorySigismund Báthory was Prince of Transylvania.-Biography:Hailing from the Báthory family's Somlyó branch, he was the son of Christopher Báthory, Voivod of Transylvania, and nephew of Stephen Báthory, King of Poland...
(1572–1613), son of Christopher, Prince of Transylvania. - Andrew Cardinal Báthory, cousin of Sigismund, Prince of Transylvania, Grand Master of the Order of the DragonOrder of the DragonThe Order of the Dragon was a monarchical chivalric order for selected nobility,founded in 1408 by Sigismund, King of Hungary and later Holy Roman Emperor The Order of the Dragon (Latin Societas Draconistrarum) was a monarchical chivalric order for selected nobility,founded in 1408 by Sigismund,...
. - Gabriel I BáthoryGabriel BáthoriGabriel Báthory was Prince of Transylvania from 1608 to his death in 1613.-Family:Gabriel was born at Nagyvárad, in Hungary as the son of Stephen Báthory , from Somlyo branch of the Hungarian Báthory family, and his first wife Susanna Bebek of Pelsocz...
(1589–1613), nephew of Andrew, Prince of Transylvania. - Sophia Báthory (died 1680), niece of Gabriel Báthory, married to George II RákócziGeorge II RákócziGyörgy Rákóczi II , a Transylvanian Hungarian ruler, was the eldest son of George I and Susanna Lorantffy....
uniting the families of the Báthory and the RákócziRákócziThe Rákóczi were a Hungarian noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary between the 13th century and 18th century. Their name is also spelled Rakoczi and Rakoczy in some foreign sources....
, promoted Roman Catholicism within her domain. - Jan Bathory later married isabella benovska, a descendant of maurice benovsky. their children held the possition of 'count benyovsky' a slovak/hungarian title
Notable members of the Ecsed branch
- Stephen III BáthoryStephen III BáthoryStephen III Báthory was a Hungarian nobleman and commander. His most prestigious position was Palatine of Hungary.Stephen belonged to the Ecsed branch of the Báthory family. His parents were John V Báthory and Catherine, daughter of John Zanti...
(died 1444), Palatine of Hungary - Stephen V BáthoryStephen V BáthoryStephen Báthory of Ecsed was a Hungarian commander, 'dapiferorum regalium magister' , judge of the Royal Court and voivod of Transylvania...
(died 1493), Voivod of Transylvania - Barbara Báthory, daughter of Andrew III, married Palatin Emericus de Perén
- George V Báthory, son of Andrew III, Agazonum regalium magister, supreme count of Sümegh
- Stephen VII BáthoryStephen VII BáthoryStephen VII Báthory was a Hungarian nobleman and commander. His most prestigious position was Palatine of Hungary.Stephen belonged to the Ecsed branch of the Báthory family...
(died 1530), son of Andrew III, Hungarian commander, Palatin of Hungary - Andrew IV Báthory, son of Andrew III, Ban of Belgrad, supreme count of SzatmárSzatmárSzatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
, married Catherine of Rozgon, which brought him the castles of Csitsva, Cserép, Rozgon and Thora. - Bonaventura Báthory (also called Andrew by his soldiers) (d. 1566), first-born son of Andrew IV, supreme count of SzatmárSzatmárSzatmár is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and north-eastern Hungary, south of the river Tisza...
and SzabolcsSzabolcsSzabolcs may refer to:*Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, current administrative unit of Hungary*Szabolcs in Hungary's Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county*Szabolcs , the historical administrative unit of the Kingdom of Hungary...
, later tabernicorum regalium magister and royal judge. He married twice without having issue. - Nicolaus VI Báthory (died 1585), son of Andrew IV, a royal judge, he is described as "a man of rare honesty, powerful in possessions and influence east of the river Theiss", he died after falling from a chariot.
- George VI Báthory, son of Andrew IV, turned on the Habsburgs. Father of Elizabeth Báthory.
- Stephen XII Báthory (died 1605), son of George VI, royal judge in the counties Sümegh and Szatmár and supreme count of Szabolcs, opened the doors of his castle Ecsed to Stephen BocskayStephen BocskayStephen Bocskai or István Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai (or Bocskay, (1 January 1557 – 29 December 1606) was a HungarianCalvinist nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1605–06), who defended Hungarian interests when Hungary was divided into Ottoman...
in his rebellion against the Habsburg, dies shortly afterward. - Gabriel Báthory, the younger brother of Stephen XII, was the last male member of the Ecsed line. It is unclear whether he died before or after his sisters Elizabeth and Sophia.
- Elizabeth BáthoryElizabeth BáthoryCountess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of Hungarian nobility. Although in modern times she has been labelled the most prolific serial killer in history, the number of murders has been debated...
(died 1614), daughter of George VI and through her mother niece of the Polish King Stephen Báthory, infamous as the "Blood Countess", one of the first known serial killerSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
s. Descendant of both the Ecsed and Somlyó branches of the Bathory family.
Báthory of Simolin
Another branch of the family are the Báthory of Simolin family, which was named after their estate Simony (or Simolin). They descended from George II, the younger son of John I, through the George's grandson Michael. In the 15th century, Michael's brothers George and Ladislaus, who both died without issue, had sold their heritage to the then-head of the Somlyó branch, Nicolaus. The Simolin family possessed large estates in Prussia and Courland and members served the Russian Empresses Elizabeth and CatherineCatherine II of Russia
Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...
as diplomats. In the 19th century, long after the demise of the other branches, the family claimed name and title of Counts Báthory, since their ancestor Michael had never consented to the sale conducted by his brothers, and in 1852 the Russian government confirmed the legitimacy of their claims.
External links
- A genealogy of the founders of the Báthory family
- A genealogy of the Somlyó branch
- A genealogy of the Ecsed branch
- Heraldique Europeenne: Transylvania, including the coats-of-arms of several members of the Báthory family.
Literature
- Craft, Kimberly, "Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory." (2009). ISBN 1-44951-344-1.
- Farin, Michael, Heroine des Grauens. Elisabeth Báthory. Munich: P. Kirchheim, 2003. ISBN 3-87410-038-3.
- Wertner, Moritz, "Urgeschlechter in Siebenbürgen.", in Archiv des Vereins für siebenbürgische Landeskunde. Neue Folge, Bd. 29, Heft 1 (1899), Hermannstadt 1899, pp. 156–235.