The following is the list of chancellors of Transylvania during the Principality of Transylvania.
Name | Date | Prince | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Mihály Csáky | 1556–1571 | John Sigismund Zápolya | |
Ferenc Forgách | 1571–1575 | Stephen Báthory | |
Imre Sulyok | 1576–1578 | Stephen Báthory | |
Márton Berzeviczy | 1578–1586 | Stephen Báthory | for Stephen Báthory in Poland |
Farkas Kovacsóczy | 1578–1594 | Stephen Báthory, From 1586: Sigismund Báthory | for voivodes Christopher Báthory and Sigismund Báthory until 1586 |
István Jósika | 1594–1598 | Sigismund Báthory | |
Demeter Naprágyi | 1598–1600 | Rudolf, From August 1598: Sigismund Báthory, From March 1599: Andrew Báthory | |
Vacant | 1600–1603 | Michael the Brave, From 1601: Sigismund Báthory, From 1602: Rudolf | headed by a secretary of the Chancellery |
János Jacobinus | 1603 | Mózes Székely | |
Mihály Káthay | 1604–1606 | Rudolf, From 1605, Stephen Bocskay | appointed by Stephen Bocskay. |
Vacant | 1606–1607 | Stephen Bocskay | Secretary: Simon Péchi |
János Petki | 1607–1608 | Sigismund Rákóczi | |
István Kendi | 1608–1610 | Gabriel Báthory | |
János Imreffy | 1610–1611 | Gabriel Báthory | |
Vacant | 1611–1613 | Gabriel Báthory | Secretary: György Hidy |
Simon Péchi | 1613–1621 | Gabriel Bethlen | |
Vacant | 1621–1622 | Gabriel Bethlen | Secretary: István Kovacsóczy |
István Kovacsóczy | 1622–1634 | Gabriel Bethlen, From 1629, Catherine of Brandenburg, In 1630, Stephen Bethlen, From December 1630, George I Rákóczi | |
Vacant | 1634–1656 | George I Rákóczi, From 1648, George II Rákóczi | Master of the Judgement: István Kassai (1634–1644), Secretary: János Szalárdi (1644–1649), Secretary: János Pálóczi Horváth (1649–1656) |
Mihály Mikes | 1656–1660 | George II Rákóczi, 1657–1658: disputed Prince Francis Rhédey | |
János Bethlen Acting Chancellor: Farkas Bethlen (1676–1677) | 1659–1676 1677–1678 | Ákos Barcsay, From 1661, John Kemény, From 1662, Michael I Apafi | appointed by Ákos Barcsay, when Mihály Mikes still held the office |
Farkas Bethlen | 1678–1679 | Michael I Apafi | |
Vacant | 1679–1688 | Michael I Apafi | the distribution of functions among several persons |
Mihály Teleki | 1688–1690 | Michael I Apafi Field Marshal Antonio Caraffa | appointed by Leopold I, Transylvania was occupied |
Transylvanian Court Chancellery | Since 1694 | Habsburg rule | Diploma Leopoldinum end of the independent Transylvania |
The Transylvanian Court Chancellery was established in 1694, according to the Diploma Leopoldinum, modeled on its Hungarian counterpart. Leopold I also created the Gubernium ("Governorate") which was the main governmental body of Transylvania until the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.
During the reign of Joseph II the Hungarian and Transylvanian Court Chancelleries were merged in 1787. The King withdrew his, among others, regulation on his deathbed.
Name | Date | Note |
---|---|---|
Miklós Bethlen | 1691–1708 | Chancellor |
Sámuel Kálnoky | 1694–1706 | Court Chancellor |
Pál Ráday | 1707–1710 (?) | Director of Francis II Rákóczi's Transylvanian Chancellery |
Zsigmond Kornis | 1710–1713 | Court Chancellor; Governor (1713–1731) |
János Bornemisza | 1713–1740 | Chancellor |
László Gyulaffi | 1740–1754 | Court Chancellor |
Gábor Bethlen | 1754–1765 | Court Chancellor |
Samuel von Brukenthal | 1766–1777 | Chancellor; Chairman of the Gubernium (1774–1777), Governor (1777–1787) |
Károly Jeromos Pálffy | 1787–1791 | Court Chancellor of Hungary and Transylvania |
Sámuel Teleki | 1791–1822 | Court Chancellor |
Miklós Jósika | 1822–1834 | Lord Chancellor |
Vacant | 1834–1837 | |
Elek Nopcsa | 1837–1844 | Court Chancellor |
Vacant | 1844–1846 | |
Sámuel Jósika | 1846–1848 | Court Chancellor |
Vacant | 1848–1860 | Chancellery was disbanded by Francis Joseph after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 |
Ferenc Kemény | 1860–1861 | Chancellor |
Ferenc Nádasdy | 1861–1865 | Court Chancellor |
Ferenc Haller | 1865–1867 | Court Chancellor |
Christopher Báthory was voivode of Transylvania from 1576 to 1581. He was a younger son of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó. Christopher's career began during the reign of Queen Isabella Jagiellon, who administered the eastern territories of the Kingdom of Hungary on behalf of her son, John Sigismund Zápolya, from 1556 to 1559. He was one of the commanders of John Sigismund's army in the early 1560s.
Sigismund Báthory was Prince of Transylvania several times between 1586 and 1602, and Duke of Racibórz and Opole in Silesia in 1598. His father, Christopher Báthory, ruled Transylvania as voivode of the absent prince, Stephen Báthory. Sigismund was still a child when the Diet of Transylvania elected him voivode at his dying father's request in 1581. Initially, regency councils administered Transylvania on his behalf, but Stephen Báthory made János Ghyczy the sole regent in 1585. Sigismund adopted the title of prince after Stephen Báthory died.
Gabriel Bethlen was Prince of Transylvania from 1613 to 1629 and Duke of Opole from 1622 to 1625. He was also King-elect of Hungary from 1620 to 1621, but he never took control of the whole kingdom. Bethlen, supported by the Ottomans, led his Calvinist principality against the Habsburgs and their Catholic allies.
Emeric Thököly de Késmárk was a Hungarian nobleman, leader of anti-Habsburg uprisings like his father, Count István Thököly, before him. Emeric was Prince of Upper Hungary, an Ottoman vassal state, from 1682 to 1685, and briefly Prince of Transylvania during the year 1690. Having formed an alliance with the Turks, Thököly assisted the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683 and led the Turkish cavalry at the battle of Zenta. Refusing to surrender to Habsburg Emperor Leopold I, Thököly lost his principality of Upper Hungary and finally retired to Galata, near Constantinople, with large estates granted him by Mustafa II.
The Prince of Transylvania was the head of state of the Principality of Transylvania from the last decades of the 16th century until the middle of the 18th century. John Sigismund Zápolya was the first to adopt the title in 1570, but its use only became stable from 1576.
The Principality of Transylvania was a semi-independent state ruled primarily by Hungarian princes. Its territory, in addition to the traditional Transylvanian lands, also included the other major component called Partium, which was in some periods comparable in size with Transylvania proper. The establishment of the principality was connected to the Treaty of Speyer. However, Stephen Báthory's status as king of Poland also helped to phase in the name Principality of Transylvania. It was usually under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire, although the principality often had dual vassalage in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Michael Apafi was Prince of Transylvania from 1661 to his death.
The Eastern Hungarian Kingdom is a modern term coined by historians to designate the realm of John Zápolya and his son John Sigismund Zápolya, who contested the claims of the House of Habsburg to rule the Kingdom of Hungary from 1526 to 1570. The Zápolyas ruled over an eastern part of Hungary, and the Habsburg kings ruled the west. The Habsburgs tried several times to unite all Hungary under their rule, but the Ottoman Empire prevented that by supporting the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom.
The Voivode of Transylvania was the highest-ranking official in Transylvania within the Kingdom of Hungary from the 12th century to the 16th century. Appointed by the monarchs, the voivodes – themselves also the heads or ispáns of Fehér County – were the superiors of the ispáns of all the other counties in the province.
Imre Sulyok de Lekcse et Alsószopor was a Hungarian politician in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from 1576 until his death.
Mihály Csáky de Mihály was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as the first Chancellor of Transylvania from 1556 to 1571.
Farkas Kovacsóczy de Körtvélyfa was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from Summer 1578 to 28 August 1594. His son, István later became Chancellor too.
Baron István Jósika de Branyicska, also Ștefan Jósika or Ștefan Iojică was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from Autumn 1594 to August 1598. He was the ancestor and first prominent member of the Baron Jósika de Branyicska family.
János Jacobinus was a Hungarian politician and historian of Saxon origin in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania for a short time in 1603.
István Kendi de Szarvaskend was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from 31 March 1608 to 20 March 1610.
Sándor Kendi de Szarvaskend was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, member of the Royal Council, who served as Governor of Transylvania for the underage voivode Sigismund Báthory from 6 March 1583 to 1 May 1585.
János Imreffy de Szerdahely was a Hungarian soldier and noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from Spring 1610 to his death on 9 July 1611. He was a member of the Imreffy family of old origin.
István Kovacsóczy de Körtvélyfa was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from 1622 to 1634. His father Farkas Kovacsóczy, also a Chancellor (1578–1594), was executed by Sigismund Báthory in 1594.
Mihály Mikes de Zabola was a Hungarian noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania from 1656 to 1660.
Márton Berzeviczy de Berzevicze et Kakaslomnicz was a Hungarian noble and diplomat in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as Chancellor of Transylvania for Stephen Báthory between January 1578 and 1586.