Hungarian Heritage Review, 1988 (17. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1988-01-01 / 1. szám
did not occur. The Emperor Rudolph, originally a capable and learned ruler, became more and more withdrawn, signs of incipient madness in the monarch. His control, therefore, slipped from his hands to those of his subordinates. And these, largely mercenary officers and soldiers, were given a free hand, particularly in Transylvania. They looted widely and confiscated the estate of the landed nobility, even that of Mihály Illy ehasi, the former Palatine. When the forces of the Imperial General Belgiojoso attempted to confiscate the lands and properties of Bocskay, however, they found that they had taken the one step “too far.” Stephen Bocskay, instead of fleeing, raised the flag of revolt and proceeded to gather an army. The March of Victory At this time, throughout Hungary and Transylvania, there were thousands of former soldiers, poverty stricken lesser nobles and landless peasants who were loosely banded together in a rag-tag army of what were called the “hajduks” — the Haiducks. These men flocked to Bocskay’s banner, and in an early encounter they decimated Belgiojoso’s forces. Indeed, when JMilegtoncB <3Jn ^Hungarian JMi0tonj in their flight, the latter retreated to what had been their secure fortress — the city of Kassa — they found the gates locked against them. Bocskay’s troops, on the other hand, were welcomed as liberators. These forces had now swollen to an army of some 10,000 men. Their action signalled the outbreak of a general revolt against the Habsburgs. A National Leader Bocskay’s triumphs were unbroken. From Kassa he issued a proclamation to the entire nation, expressing his determination to carry on the fight for political and religious liberty. And he kept up the pressure of his Haiduck Army until Rudolph was forced to accept Bocskay’s terms for peace. The Treaty of Vienna, signed in 1606, established religious freedom as well as the independence of Transylvania. Back in 1605 Bocskay had been elected Prince of Transylvania. He was also declared “Prince of Hungary” — a title never before offered in Hungarian history. And strangely enough, at this time, the Ottoman Sultan, seeking to win Bocskay to his aide, sent the Prince a royal crown. Bocskay’s rejection of this honor was expressed in ringing terms: “Hungary already has a crowned King and while he, Rudolph, lives, no one else shall wear a crown.” Aside from bringing freedom to his own country, Bocskay played a key role in mediating the Peace Treaty of Szitvatorok, which put an end to the Fifteen Year War with the Turks. And in his victory Bocskay did not neglect to reward his faithful Haiducks — he conferred titles of nobility upon all of them and gave them grants of land for their own. While Bocskay did not live long enough really to enjoy the fruits of his efforts — it is rumored that he was poisoned by his own secretary — he left an important verbal legacy for Transylvania: “So long as the Hungarian Crown is in Vienna, it is necessary and useful to maintain the Transylvanian Principality. But should God ordain that the Crown once again rest upon a Hungarian head, we enjoin the people of Transylvania to submit to it as they did of old. ” And Bocskay’s labors and dream were to be fulfilled during the role of his successor, the great Gabor Bethlen, the last and perhaps the most important of the three “B’s.” JANUARY 1988 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW 19
