Ferenc Wesselényi
Encyclopedia
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
.
) where he catholicized. His enormous physical strength and intense temperament predestined him for a military career. In his young ages, he participated in several battles against the Ottoman Turks
. He also helped King Władysław IV of Poland
with a Hungarian
team against the Russians
and Tatars
and this deed was rewarded with Polish
citizenship and a valuable estate. He was raised to the rank of count by Ferdinand II of Austria and was also appointed commander of the castle of Fülek (Filakovo). In 1647, he was appointed general and as such he fought against the Swedes and later against prince György Rákóczi of Transylvania. In 1644, he seized the castle of Murány (Muráň
) notably with the help of his future third wife, Mária Széchy. For this deed, King Ferdinand granted him the castles of Murány and Balog.
After learning of her husband's adultery with his future third wife, Mária Széchy, his second wife, Zsófia Bosnyák
, became unhappy and always spent her nights praying in their castle's chapel. She soon became sick and died at the age of 35.
On 15 March 1655, he was elected palatine by the Royal Hungary's diet
in Pressburg. In this capacity, he was present at the coronation of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
. In 1661, he had difficulties with the revolting imperial troops reluctant to leave Royal Hungary. In 1662, he took an active part in the political debates on protestant matters in favour of the protestant nobility. In 1663, he fought against the Turks. In 1665, he joined the conspirators holding their meetings in the baths of Trencsén (Trenčin
) and Zólyom (Zvolen
) but he died before the conspiracy was discovered. His widow was interned in Vienna
and his estates were confiscated.
Slovenská Lupca
Slovenská Ľupča is the largest village in the Banská Bystrica District of central Slovakia.-Geography:The altitude of Slovenská Ľupča ranges from 370 to 699 metres, with the centre of the village lying at 378 metres. The municipality covers an area of 33.325km². It is situated about 10 km east of...
), 23 March 1667) was a Hungarian military commander and the palatine of the Royal Hungary
Royal Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary between 1538 and 1867 was part of the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy, while outside the Holy Roman Empire.After Battle of Mohács, the country was ruled by two crowned kings . They divided the kingdom in 1538...
.
Life
He was the son of István Wesselényi, royal court counselor of King Ferdinand II of Austria. He was raised at the Jesuit school in Nagyszombat (TrnavaTrnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
) where he catholicized. His enormous physical strength and intense temperament predestined him for a military career. In his young ages, he participated in several battles against the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
. He also helped King Władysław IV of Poland
Władysław IV Vasa
Władysław IV Vasa was a Polish and Swedish prince from the House of Vasa. He reigned as King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 8 November 1632 to his death in 1648....
with a Hungarian
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...
team against the Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
and this deed was rewarded with Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
citizenship and a valuable estate. He was raised to the rank of count by Ferdinand II of Austria and was also appointed commander of the castle of Fülek (Filakovo). In 1647, he was appointed general and as such he fought against the Swedes and later against prince György Rákóczi of Transylvania. In 1644, he seized the castle of Murány (Muráň
Murán
Muráň is a village and municipality in Revúca District in the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia.-Geography:The village is located around 9 km north of Revúca, in the Muráň river valley. The Muráň Plateau is located north and west of the village, with the governing body of the Muránska planina...
) notably with the help of his future third wife, Mária Széchy. For this deed, King Ferdinand granted him the castles of Murány and Balog.
After learning of her husband's adultery with his future third wife, Mária Széchy, his second wife, Zsófia Bosnyák
Zsófia Bosnyák
Zsófia Bosnyák , June 2, 1609 – Sztrecsnó , April 28, 1644) was a Hungarian noble and wife of Count Ferenc Wesselényi.- Life :Bosnyák was the daughter of Baron Tamás Bosnyák and Mária Kenderes...
, became unhappy and always spent her nights praying in their castle's chapel. She soon became sick and died at the age of 35.
On 15 March 1655, he was elected palatine by the Royal Hungary's diet
Royal Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary between 1538 and 1867 was part of the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy, while outside the Holy Roman Empire.After Battle of Mohács, the country was ruled by two crowned kings . They divided the kingdom in 1538...
in Pressburg. In this capacity, he was present at the coronation of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
. In 1661, he had difficulties with the revolting imperial troops reluctant to leave Royal Hungary. In 1662, he took an active part in the political debates on protestant matters in favour of the protestant nobility. In 1663, he fought against the Turks. In 1665, he joined the conspirators holding their meetings in the baths of Trencsén (Trenčin
Trencín
Trenčín is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 56,000, which makes it the ninth largest municipality of the country and is the seat of the Trenčín Region and the Trenčín District...
) and Zólyom (Zvolen
Zvolen
Zvolen |Slatina]] rivers, close to Banská Bystrica. With its ancient castle, the town has a historical center, which represents the seat of an okres .-History:...
) but he died before the conspiracy was discovered. His widow was interned in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and his estates were confiscated.