Miklós Zrínyi
Encyclopedia
Miklós Zrínyi or Nikola Zrinski (Hungarian
: Zrínyi Miklós, Croatian
: Nikola Zrinski; January 5, 1620–November 18, 1664) was a Croatian
and Hungarian soldier, statesman and poet, member of the Zrinski
(Hungarian: Zrínyi) noble family.
(Csáktornya) to the Croatian Juraj V Zrinski
and the Hungarian Magdolna Széchy
. At the court of Péter Pázmány
, he was an enthusiastic student of Hungarian language and literature, although he prioritized military training. From 1635 to 1637, he accompanied Szenkviczy, one of the canons
of Esztergom
, on a long educative tour through the Italian Peninsula
.
Over the next few years, he learned the art of war in defending the Croatian-Hungarian frontier against the Ottoman Empire
, and proved himself one of the most important commanders of the age. In 1645, during the closing stages of the Thirty Years' War
, he acted against the Swedish
troops in Moravia
, equipping an army corps at his own expense. At Szkalec he scattered a Swedish division and took 2,000 prisoners. At Eger
he saved the Holy Roman Emperor
, Ferdinand III
, who had been surprised at night in his camp by the offensive of Carl Gustaf Wrangel
. Although not enthusiastic for having to fight against his fellow Hungarians of Transylvania, subsequently he routed the army of George I Rákóczi
, prince of Transylvania
, on the Upper Tisza
. For his services, the emperor appointed him captain of Croatia. On his return from the war he married the wealthy Eusebia Drašković.
In 1646 he distinguished himself in the actions against Ottomans. At the coronation of Ferdinand IV of Austria
, King of the Germans, King of Hungary
, and of Bohemia, he carried the sword of state
, and was made ban
and captain-general of Croatia. In this double capacity he presided over many Croatian diets, becoming noted for his efforts to defend the political rights of the Croats
and insisting that, as regarded Hungary, they were to be looked upon not as partes annexae but as a regnum.
During 1652-1653, Zrínyi was continually fighting against the Ottomans — nevertheless, from his castle at Csáktornya he was in constant communication with the intellectual figures of his time; the Dutch
scholar, Jacobus Tollius
, even visited him, and has left in his Epistolae itinerariae a lively account of his experiences. Tollius was amazed at the linguistic resources of Zrínyi, who spoke Hungarian
, Croatian
, Italian
, German
, Ottoman Turkish
and Latin
with equal ease. Zrínyi's Latin letters (from which it was gathered that he was married a second time, to Sophia Löbl) are, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
of 1911, "fluent and agreeable, but largely interspersed with Croatian and Magyar expressions".
In 1655, he made an attempt to be elected Palatine of Hungary (nádor); in spite of support by the petty nobility
, his efforts were frustrated by failure as the king, because of Zrínyi's good connections to Protestants and the Hungarians of Transylvania, nominated Ferenc Wesselényi
instead.
, launched an overwhelming offensive against Royal Hungary, ultimately aiming at the siege and occupation of Vienna. The imperial army failed to put up any notable resistance; the Turkish army was eventually stopped by adverse weather conditions. As a preparation for the new Turkish onslaught due next year, German troops were recruited from the Holy Roman Empire
and aid was called from France
, and Zrínyi, along with the Italian Raimondo Montecuccoli
, was named commander-in-chief of the Hungarian army.
As a preparation for campaigns planned for 1664, Zrínyi set out to destroy the strongly fortified Suleiman Bridge
(the Eszék bridge) which, since 1566, had linked Darda
to Osijek
(across the Drava
and the marshes of Baranya
). Destruction of the bridge would cut off the retreat of the Ottoman Army
and make any Turkish reinforcement impossible for several months. Re-capturing strong fortresses (Berzence, Babócsa, the town of Pécs
, etc.) on his way, Zrínyi advanced 240 kilometers on enemy territory and destroyed the bridge on February 1, 1664. However, the further pursuance of the campaign was frustrated by the refusal of the Imperial
generals to co-operate. The court remained suspicious of Zrínyi all the way, regarding him as a promoter of Hungarian secessionist ideas and accusing him of having disturbed the peace by building his castle, Új-Zrínyivár (Zrínyi-Newcastle), erected in 1661 at his own expense, in the theoretically de-militarised zone between the two empires. Zrínyi's siege of Kanizsa
, the most important Turkish fortress in Southern Hungary, failed, as the beginning of the siege was seriously delayed by machinations of the overly jealous Montecuccoli, and later the Emperor's military commanders (apart from Hungarian and Croatian leaders), unwilling to combat the Grand Vizier's army hastily coming to the aid of Kanizsa, retreated.
Despite the failed siege, the expedition made his name notorious and praised throughout Europe. According to the 1911 Britannica, "it was said that only the Zrínyis had the secret of conquering the Turks". Emperor Leopold
offered him the title of prince, while Pope
Alexander VII
struck a commemorative medal with the effigy of Zrínyi as a field marshal
, the Spanish King Philip IV
sent him the Order of the Golden Fleece
, and France
's King Louis XIV
created him a Peer
.
After relieving Kanizsa, the Grand Vizier turned against Új-Zrínyivár. The Imperial troops under Raimondo Montecuccoli
remained inactive while Zrínyi hastened to relieve the castle, refusing all assistance, with the result that the fortress fell. The Viennese court concentrated all its troops on the Hungarian-Austrian border, sacrificing Zrínyi-Újvár to hold back the Turkish army. The Turkish army, ultimately, was stopped in the Battle of Saint Gotthard (1664). The Turkish defeat could have offered an opportunity for Hungary to be liberated from the Turkish yoke. However, the Habsburg court chose not to push its advantage in order to save its strength for the brewing conflict that would come to be known as the War of the Spanish Succession
. The infamous Peace of Vasvár
was negotiated by Zrínyi's adversary, Montecuccoli. The peace treaty laid down unfavourable terms, not only giving up recent conquests, but also ceding territory to the Turks, and offering a tribute of 200,000 golds to the Sublime Porte - all despite the fact that Austrian-Hungarian troops maintained the upper hand.
Zrínyi rushed to Vienna
to protest against the treaty, but his view was ignored; he left the city in disgust, after assuring the Venetian
minister, Sagridino, that he was willing at any moment to assist the Republic against the Ottoman Empire with 6,000 men. Zrínyi then returned to Csáktornya. It is widely accepted that he, despite being a loyal supporter of the court before, participated in launching the conspiracy which later became to be known as the Wesselényi conspiracy, aimed at the restoration of the independent Kingdom of Hungary. However, on November 18, he was killed in a hunting accident in a place called Kursanecz, near Csáktornya (Čakovec in present day Croatia), by a wounded wild boar. (Until this day, legend maintains that he was killed at the order of the Habsburg Court. No conclusive evidence has ever been found to support this claim; however, it remains true that the Habsburgs lost their mightiest Hungarian adversary with his death.)
Zrínyi's most significant literary work, The Peril of Sziget
(Szigeti veszedelem or Zrínyiász), an epic poem written in the Göcsej
dialect of Hungarian, was written in the winter of 1648-1649, and was published, together with a few miscellaneous pieces of poetry, under the title of The Siren
of the Adriatic Sea
(Adriai tengernek Syrenája) in Vienna in 1651. The epic was composed in the manner of the classic epic poets, such as Virgil
and their 16th century successor Torquato Tasso
.
The subject is the heroic but unsuccessful defence of Szigetvár
by the author's great-grandfather, Nikola Šubić Zrinski
(Zrínyi Miklós). Many criticized the indiscriminate use of foreign words and seemingly careless metres
of the work; however, it was also much praised for its poetic strength, which made Zrínyi the most notable Hungarian poet of the 17th century. The work also earned him praise due to its fundamental idea (the strength of Hungarian/Croatian valour to overthrow Ottoman rule, with the help of God), and to its enthusiastic tone. The Peril of Sziget has drawn comparisons with the other Baroque epics of the period and despite its obsolete language being difficult to interpret to the average reader remains, to this day, one of the few pre-19th century Hungarian literary works still widely known to the public. The epic was translated to Croatian by Miklós's brother, Petar Zrinski
who, while Miklós was a master of Hungarian, excelled in the Croatian language.
Beside his poetic works, Zrínyi is also a forerunner of Hungarian political thinking and military science. In his essays and manifestos, such as Ne bántsd a magyart – Az török áfium ellen való orvosság (Do not hurt the Hungarians - An antidote to the Turkish poison) or Mátyás király életéről való elmélkedések (Reflections on the life of King Matthias) he makes a case for a Hungarian standing army, moral renewal of the nation, the re-establishment of the national kingdom, the unification of Royal Hungary with Transylvania, and, of course, the ousting of the Turkish occupants.
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
: Zrínyi Miklós, Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
: Nikola Zrinski; January 5, 1620–November 18, 1664) was a Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
and Hungarian soldier, statesman and poet, member of the Zrinski
Zrinski
The Zrinski family was a Croatian noble family, influential during the period in history marked by the Ottoman wars in Europe in the Kingdom of Croatia and Hungary and in the later Austro-Hungarian Empire...
(Hungarian: Zrínyi) noble family.
Biography
Miklós was born in ČakovecCakovec
Čakovec is a city in northern Croatia, located around 90 kilometres north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, smallest and most densely populated Croatian county.-Population:...
(Csáktornya) to the Croatian Juraj V Zrinski
Juraj V Zrinski
Juraj V Zrinski was a Croatian Ban , warrior and member of the Zrinski noble family.-Biography:Juraj V Zrinski was born in Čakovec, a town in the Međimurje County, the northernmost county of Croatia...
and the Hungarian Magdolna Széchy
Széchy
-Name and origin:Széchy family was a Hungarian noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary with notable members in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries.The members of the Széchy family held high offices at the church and the royal court....
. At the court of Péter Pázmány
Péter Pázmány
Péter Pázmány de Panasz was a Hungarian philosopher, theologian, catholic cardinal, pulpit orator and statesman. He was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation in Royal Hungary. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism in Hungary.His most important legacy was his creation of the...
, he was an enthusiastic student of Hungarian language and literature, although he prioritized military training. From 1635 to 1637, he accompanied Szenkviczy, one of the canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Esztergom
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
, on a long educative tour through the Italian Peninsula
Italian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
.
Over the next few years, he learned the art of war in defending the Croatian-Hungarian frontier against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, and proved himself one of the most important commanders of the age. In 1645, during the closing stages of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, he acted against the Swedish
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
troops in Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, equipping an army corps at his own expense. At Szkalec he scattered a Swedish division and took 2,000 prisoners. At Eger
Eger
Eger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...
he saved the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
, Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
, who had been surprised at night in his camp by the offensive of Carl Gustaf Wrangel
Carl Gustaf Wrangel
Carl Gustaf Wrangel was a high-ranking Swedish noble, statesman and military commander in the Thirty Years', Torstenson, Bremen, Second Northern and Scanian Wars....
. Although not enthusiastic for having to fight against his fellow Hungarians of Transylvania, subsequently he routed the army of George I Rákóczi
George I Rákóczi
György Rákóczi I was elected Hungarian prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death. During his influence Transylvania grew politically and economically stronger.-Biography:...
, prince of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, on the Upper Tisza
Tisza
The Tisza or Tisa is one of the main rivers of Central Europe. It rises in Ukraine, and is formed near Rakhiv by the junction of headwaters White Tisa, whose source is in the Chornohora mountains and Black Tisa, which springs in the Gorgany range...
. For his services, the emperor appointed him captain of Croatia. On his return from the war he married the wealthy Eusebia Drašković.
In 1646 he distinguished himself in the actions against Ottomans. At the coronation of Ferdinand IV of Austria
Ferdinand IV of Hungary
Ferdinand IV was King of the Romans, King of Hungary, and King of Bohemia.He was born in Vienna, the eldest son of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and his first wife Maria Ana of Spain...
, King of the Germans, King of Hungary
King of Hungary
The King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of...
, and of Bohemia, he carried the sword of state
Sword of State
A sword of state is a sword, used as part of the regalia, symbolizing the power of a monarch to use the might of the state against its enemies, and their duty to preserve thus right and peace.It is known to be used in following monarchies:...
, and was made ban
Ban (title)
Ban was a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.-Etymology:The word ban has entered the English language probably as a borrowing from South Slavic ban, meaning "lord, master; ruler". The Slavic word is probably borrowed from...
and captain-general of Croatia. In this double capacity he presided over many Croatian diets, becoming noted for his efforts to defend the political rights of the Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
and insisting that, as regarded Hungary, they were to be looked upon not as partes annexae but as a regnum.
During 1652-1653, Zrínyi was continually fighting against the Ottomans — nevertheless, from his castle at Csáktornya he was in constant communication with the intellectual figures of his time; the Dutch
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
scholar, Jacobus Tollius
Jacobus Tollius
Jacobus or Jakob Tollius was a Dutch classicist.Tollius was the younger half-brother of Alexander and Cornelis Tollius, who were professors at the University of Harderwijk. In Harderwijk he studied letters and medicine, obtaining a doctoral defree in the latter...
, even visited him, and has left in his Epistolae itinerariae a lively account of his experiences. Tollius was amazed at the linguistic resources of Zrínyi, who spoke Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Ottoman Turkish
Ottoman Turkish language
The Ottoman Turkish language or Ottoman language is the variety of the Turkish language that was used for administrative and literary purposes in the Ottoman Empire. It borrows extensively from Arabic and Persian, and was written in a variant of the Perso-Arabic script...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
with equal ease. Zrínyi's Latin letters (from which it was gathered that he was married a second time, to Sophia Löbl) are, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition is a 29-volume reference work, an edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time...
of 1911, "fluent and agreeable, but largely interspersed with Croatian and Magyar expressions".
In 1655, he made an attempt to be elected Palatine of Hungary (nádor); in spite of support by the petty nobility
Petty nobility
Petty nobility is dated at least back to 13th century and was formed by Nobles/Knights around their strategic interests. The idea was more capable peasants with leader roles in local community that were given tax exemption for taking care of services like for example guard duties of local primitive...
, his efforts were frustrated by failure as the king, because of Zrínyi's good connections to Protestants and the Hungarians of Transylvania, nominated Ferenc Wesselényi
Ferenc Wesselényi
Count Ferenc Wesselényi de Hadad et Murány was a Hungarian military commander and the palatine of the Royal Hungary.-Life:...
instead.
His activities in 1664
The last year of his life was also a culmination of his efforts and prestige. In 1663, the Turkish army, led by Grand Vizier Köprülü AhmedKöprülü Fazil Ahmed
Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha Was a member of the renowned Köprülü family originated from Albania, that had given three grand viziers to the Ottoman Empire. He served as a Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from...
, launched an overwhelming offensive against Royal Hungary, ultimately aiming at the siege and occupation of Vienna. The imperial army failed to put up any notable resistance; the Turkish army was eventually stopped by adverse weather conditions. As a preparation for the new Turkish onslaught due next year, German troops were recruited from the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and aid was called from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Zrínyi, along with the Italian Raimondo Montecuccoli
Raimondo Montecuccoli
Raimondo, Count of Montecúccoli or Montecucculi was an Italian military general who also served as general for the Austrians, and was also a prince of the Holy Roman Empire and Neapolitan Duke of Melfi....
, was named commander-in-chief of the Hungarian army.
As a preparation for campaigns planned for 1664, Zrínyi set out to destroy the strongly fortified Suleiman Bridge
Suleiman Bridge
The Suleiman Bridge was a bridge in Osijek, over the Drava River in Slavonia, eastern Croatia.-Construction:The traffic and strategic importance of Osijek was sustained during the Ottoman period, but Osijek was then internationally known because of the Suleiman the Magnificent Bridge...
(the Eszék bridge) which, since 1566, had linked Darda
Darda, Croatia
Darda is a village and a municipality just north of Osijek, Croatia, across the Drava river in Baranja. The population is 7,062 people.-Geography:The municipality of Darda includes following settlements:...
to Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
(across the Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
and the marshes of Baranya
Baranya
Baranya may refer to:*Baranya , a geographical region in Hungary and Croatia*Baranya , a county in Hungary*Baranya , a county in the historic Kingdom of Hungary...
). Destruction of the bridge would cut off the retreat of the Ottoman Army
Military of the Ottoman Empire
The history of military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years between 1300 and 1453 , the classical period covers the years between 1451 and 1606 , the reformation period covers the years between 1606 and 1826 ,...
and make any Turkish reinforcement impossible for several months. Re-capturing strong fortresses (Berzence, Babócsa, the town of Pécs
Pécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
, etc.) on his way, Zrínyi advanced 240 kilometers on enemy territory and destroyed the bridge on February 1, 1664. However, the further pursuance of the campaign was frustrated by the refusal of the Imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
generals to co-operate. The court remained suspicious of Zrínyi all the way, regarding him as a promoter of Hungarian secessionist ideas and accusing him of having disturbed the peace by building his castle, Új-Zrínyivár (Zrínyi-Newcastle), erected in 1661 at his own expense, in the theoretically de-militarised zone between the two empires. Zrínyi's siege of Kanizsa
Kanizsa
Kanizsa may refer to:* Nagykanizsa, Nagy-Kanizsa** Kanije Province, Ottoman Empire* Kaniža, Slovenia* Kanizsamonostor, Kanizsa-Monostor * Magyarkanizsa, Magyar-Kanizsa* Törökkanizsa, Török-Kanizsa- Family names :...
, the most important Turkish fortress in Southern Hungary, failed, as the beginning of the siege was seriously delayed by machinations of the overly jealous Montecuccoli, and later the Emperor's military commanders (apart from Hungarian and Croatian leaders), unwilling to combat the Grand Vizier's army hastily coming to the aid of Kanizsa, retreated.
Despite the failed siege, the expedition made his name notorious and praised throughout Europe. According to the 1911 Britannica, "it was said that only the Zrínyis had the secret of conquering the Turks". Emperor Leopold
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...
offered him the title of prince, while Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII , born Fabio Chigi, was Pope from 7 April 1655, until his death.- Early life :Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V , he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from...
struck a commemorative medal with the effigy of Zrínyi as a field marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, the Spanish King Philip IV
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
sent him the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
created him a Peer
Peerage of France
The Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...
.
After relieving Kanizsa, the Grand Vizier turned against Új-Zrínyivár. The Imperial troops under Raimondo Montecuccoli
Raimondo Montecuccoli
Raimondo, Count of Montecúccoli or Montecucculi was an Italian military general who also served as general for the Austrians, and was also a prince of the Holy Roman Empire and Neapolitan Duke of Melfi....
remained inactive while Zrínyi hastened to relieve the castle, refusing all assistance, with the result that the fortress fell. The Viennese court concentrated all its troops on the Hungarian-Austrian border, sacrificing Zrínyi-Újvár to hold back the Turkish army. The Turkish army, ultimately, was stopped in the Battle of Saint Gotthard (1664). The Turkish defeat could have offered an opportunity for Hungary to be liberated from the Turkish yoke. However, the Habsburg court chose not to push its advantage in order to save its strength for the brewing conflict that would come to be known as the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. The infamous Peace of Vasvár
Peace of Vasvár
The Peace of Vasvár was a treaty between the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire which followed the Battle of Saint Gotthard of August 1, 1664, and concluded the Austro-Turkish War...
was negotiated by Zrínyi's adversary, Montecuccoli. The peace treaty laid down unfavourable terms, not only giving up recent conquests, but also ceding territory to the Turks, and offering a tribute of 200,000 golds to the Sublime Porte - all despite the fact that Austrian-Hungarian troops maintained the upper hand.
Zrínyi rushed to 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...
to protest against the treaty, but his view was ignored; he left the city in disgust, after assuring the Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
minister, Sagridino, that he was willing at any moment to assist the Republic against the Ottoman Empire with 6,000 men. Zrínyi then returned to Csáktornya. It is widely accepted that he, despite being a loyal supporter of the court before, participated in launching the conspiracy which later became to be known as the Wesselényi conspiracy, aimed at the restoration of the independent Kingdom of Hungary. However, on November 18, he was killed in a hunting accident in a place called Kursanecz, near Csáktornya (Čakovec in present day Croatia), by a wounded wild boar. (Until this day, legend maintains that he was killed at the order of the Habsburg Court. No conclusive evidence has ever been found to support this claim; however, it remains true that the Habsburgs lost their mightiest Hungarian adversary with his death.)
Works
Beside being a leading military figure of 17th century Hungary, Zrínyi is well known for his literary works, also reflected in his often-recited epithet Zrínyi Miklós, a költő hadvezér és politikus (Hungarian for Miklós Zrínyi, the poet the general and the politician).Zrínyi's most significant literary work, The Peril of Sziget
Peril of Sziget
Szigeti veszedelem was the title of the Hungarian epic poem in fifteen parts written by Miklós Zrínyi in 1647 and published in 1651 about the final battle of his great-grandfather Miklós Zrínyi against the Ottomans in 1566.The poem recounts in epic fashion the Battle of Szigetvár, in...
(Szigeti veszedelem or Zrínyiász), an epic poem written in the Göcsej
Göcsej
Göcsej is a geographic and ethnic region within Zala County, Hungary, containing these settlements :BabosdöbréteBakBaktüttösBarlahidaBecsvölgyeBocföldeBödeCsonkahegyhátDobronhegyGellénházaGombosszegHottóIborfiaKustánszeg...
dialect of Hungarian, was written in the winter of 1648-1649, and was published, together with a few miscellaneous pieces of poetry, under the title of The Siren
Siren
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
(Adriai tengernek Syrenája) in Vienna in 1651. The epic was composed in the manner of the classic epic poets, such as Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
and their 16th century successor Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
.
The subject is the heroic but unsuccessful defence of Szigetvár
Battle of Szigetvár
The Siege of Szigetvár or Battle of Szigeth was a siege of the Szigeth Fortress in Baranya which blocked Suleiman's line of advance towards Vienna in 1566 AD...
by the author's great-grandfather, Nikola Šubić Zrinski
Nikola Šubic Zrinski
Nikola Šubić Zrinski , was a Croatian nobleman and general in service of Habsburg Monarchy, ban of Croatia from 1542 to 1556, and member of the Zrinski noble family...
(Zrínyi Miklós). Many criticized the indiscriminate use of foreign words and seemingly careless metres
Meter (poetry)
In poetry, metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study of metres and forms of versification is known as prosody...
of the work; however, it was also much praised for its poetic strength, which made Zrínyi the most notable Hungarian poet of the 17th century. The work also earned him praise due to its fundamental idea (the strength of Hungarian/Croatian valour to overthrow Ottoman rule, with the help of God), and to its enthusiastic tone. The Peril of Sziget has drawn comparisons with the other Baroque epics of the period and despite its obsolete language being difficult to interpret to the average reader remains, to this day, one of the few pre-19th century Hungarian literary works still widely known to the public. The epic was translated to Croatian by Miklós's brother, Petar Zrinski
Petar Zrinski
Petar Zrinski was a Croatian Ban and writer. A member of the Zrinski noble family, he was noted for his role in the attempted Croatian-Hungarian rebellion of 1664-1670 which ultimately led to his execution for high treason.-Zrinski family:Petar Zrinski was born in Vrbovec, a small town near...
who, while Miklós was a master of Hungarian, excelled in the Croatian language.
Beside his poetic works, Zrínyi is also a forerunner of Hungarian political thinking and military science. In his essays and manifestos, such as Ne bántsd a magyart – Az török áfium ellen való orvosság (Do not hurt the Hungarians - An antidote to the Turkish poison) or Mátyás király életéről való elmélkedések (Reflections on the life of King Matthias) he makes a case for a Hungarian standing army, moral renewal of the nation, the re-establishment of the national kingdom, the unification of Royal Hungary with Transylvania, and, of course, the ousting of the Turkish occupants.
See also
- István GyöngyösiIstván GyöngyösiIstván Gyöngyösi , Hungarian poet, was born of poor but noble parents.His abilities early attracted the notice of Count Ferenc Wesselényi, who in 1640 appointed him to a post of confidence in Fülek castle. Here he remained till 1653, when he married and became an assessor of the judicial board...
- Wesselényi conspiracy
- Zrinski-Frankopan conspiracy