Klausenburg > Cluj Cluj Romania

Andrew Báthory, a candidate to the Polish throne following the death of his uncle, King Stephen Báthory of Poland, in 1586, had had the support of the Great Crown Chancellor, Jan Zamoyski.

Sigismund reverses his decision in October 1598, then resigns once more in favor of Cardinal Andrew Báthory, who is his cousin.

Andrew's accession to the Transylvanian throne is supported by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where the cardinal had stayed before, and also accepted by the Ottoman Empire.

This allows Transylvania to fall under the influence of the King of Poland.

The arrangement between Transylvania, the Porte, and the Commonwealth threatens the anti-Ottoman coalition in the Long War, leading to a joint attack by Michael of Wallachia and Habsburg troops commanded by Giorgio Basta.

Michael begins his campaign against Andrew on October 5, 1599, while Basta enters Transylvania from the west at the same time.

Andrew's army is defeated on October 28, and ...

Bocskay is recognized as prince of Transylvania by the fifteen-year-old sultan Ahmed, who sends him a magnificent jeweled crown made in Persia.

Although Bocskay refuses to assume the title of king, he makes skillful use of the Turkish alliance.

The ailing emperor, faced with the possible loss of Hungary and strongly urged by his brother the archduke Matthias, enters into negotiations with Bocskay.

Bethlen subsequently becomes involved in negotiations with the Poles and with King Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden, but his declining health precludes further military action.

Transylvania has experienced a golden age under Bethlen's enlightened despotism.

He has promoted agriculture, trade, and industry, sunk new mines, sent students abroad to Protestant universities, and prohibited landlords from denying an education to children of serfs.

After Bethlen’s death on November 15, 1629, however, the Transylvanian Diet abolishes most of his reforms.

György Rákóczi I (1630-40) soon becomes prince.

György II Rákóczi, elected prince of Transylvania during his father's lifetime (February 19, 1642), succeeds his illustrious father György I as prince in October 1648 and continues his policy of seeking alliances with the hospodars (lords) of Moldavia to the east and Wallachia to the south, and with the Cossack hetman, Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

Transylvania gains mention as a sovereign state in the Peace of Westphalia, the European settlements of 1648 that bring to an end the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch and the German phase of the Thirty Years' War.

The Transylvanian diet, on Turkish orders, deposes Rákóczi in November of 1657 for undertaking an unauthorized war.

The Turks invade Transylvania in force in January 1658 after the Medgyes Diet reinstates Prince György II Rákóczi.

Rákóczi turns back Turkish besiegers at Transylvania’s capital.

The Turks have arranged for the election of Mihály Apafi as prince.

Kemény, initially supported by Imperial general Raimondo Montecuccoli, returns to Transylvania in early September.

The Austrian army soon deserts him, however.

The Austrian military success is not reflected in the terms of the Treaty of Vasvar, as Transylvania is given to Apafi as an Ottoman client prince.