Individual Details
István IV-VI Báthori Prince of Transylvania
(1477 - Aft 17 Mar 1534)
István was born in 1477, the son of Miklos IV Báthori de Somlyo, from an influential Transylvanian noble family, and Zsofia Bánffy de Losoncz. Before 1516 he married Katalin Thelegdy de Telegd, daughter of István Thelegdy de Telegd, voivode of Transylvania (Siebenbürgen), and Margit Bebek de Pelsöcz. István and Katalin had eight children, of whom five would have progeny. Their youngest son István became king of Poland but left no legitimate heirs. Their son Kristof, who became Fürst von Siebenburgen in 1575, had three sons and a daughter, but they in turn left no progeny.
In 1479 István was victorious against the Turks at Kenyérmezö in Transylvania. Grown rich from the booty of that war, he supported the construction of the Franciscan monastery church in his home town of Nyirbátor. Between 1484 and 1511 he built on the castle mound in the town a church dedicated to St.George in which to house the family tomb. In the 16th century the town was converted to the Calvinist faith, and members of the Reformed Church took over the now somewhat dilapidated building and restored it.
As Comes of Temesvár, István fought in 1514 against the rebel leader György Dózsa. In 1519 he was named Palatin of Hungary. In this capacity, after the Hungarian defeat of 1526 by the Turks at the battle of Mohács in which King Lajos II was killed, István became a loyal supporter of Hungary's new king Jan I Zápolya, who made him voivode of Transylvania in 1529, the post that had also been held by his father-in-law.
István died after 17 March 1534. The two Gothic churches he founded in Nyirbátor are his legacy. The altars and pulpit of the Franciscan monastery church are among the most beautifully carved Baroque works in Hungary. Standing close to the church is the building which now houses the István Báthori Museum. The Church of St.George is one of the most beautiful Gothic structures in Hungary. The late Renaissance-style belfry next to it is the largest wooden bell tower in the country.
Source: Leo van de Pas
In 1479 István was victorious against the Turks at Kenyérmezö in Transylvania. Grown rich from the booty of that war, he supported the construction of the Franciscan monastery church in his home town of Nyirbátor. Between 1484 and 1511 he built on the castle mound in the town a church dedicated to St.George in which to house the family tomb. In the 16th century the town was converted to the Calvinist faith, and members of the Reformed Church took over the now somewhat dilapidated building and restored it.
As Comes of Temesvár, István fought in 1514 against the rebel leader György Dózsa. In 1519 he was named Palatin of Hungary. In this capacity, after the Hungarian defeat of 1526 by the Turks at the battle of Mohács in which King Lajos II was killed, István became a loyal supporter of Hungary's new king Jan I Zápolya, who made him voivode of Transylvania in 1529, the post that had also been held by his father-in-law.
István died after 17 March 1534. The two Gothic churches he founded in Nyirbátor are his legacy. The altars and pulpit of the Franciscan monastery church are among the most beautifully carved Baroque works in Hungary. Standing close to the church is the building which now houses the István Báthori Museum. The Church of St.George is one of the most beautiful Gothic structures in Hungary. The late Renaissance-style belfry next to it is the largest wooden bell tower in the country.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1477 | ||||
| Marriage | Bef 1516 | Katalin Thelegdy de Telegd | |||
| Death | Aft 17 Mar 1534 |
Families
| Spouse | Katalin Thelegdy de Telegd (1492 - 1549) |
| Child | Zsófia Báthori de Somlyó ( - ) |
| Child | Anna Báthori de Somlyó ( - ) |
| Child | István Báthori King of Poland (1533 - 1585) |
| Father | Miklós II-IV Báthori de Somlyó ( - ) |
| Mother | Zsófia Bánffy de Losoncz ( - ) |