Stephen Bethlen de Iktár (1582 – 23 December 1648) was the

Prince of Transylvania The Prince of Transylvania (, , , Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 77.) was the head of state of the Principality of Transylvania from the late-16th century until the mid-18th century. John Sigismund Zápolya was the first to adopt the title in 1 ...

in late 1630.

Early life

Stephen was the younger of the two sons of Farkas Bethlen de Iktár and Druzsiána Lázár de Szárhegy. He was born in his father's estate, Marosillye (now Ilia in

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

), in 1582. He was the younger brother of

Gabriel Bethlen Gabriel Bethlen (; 1580 – 15 November 1629) 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, sup ...

, Prince of Transylvania between 1613-1629 and King-elect of Hungary. According to contemporaries, Stephen Bethlen was rather poorly educated. Nevertheless, some people saw in him a successor who was to continue the policies of his brother, the prince. Gabriel Bethlen did everything in his power to equip and strengthen his younger brother with privileges. He gave him the castle of

Khust Khust (, ; ; ; ; ; ) is a city located on the Khustets River in Zakarpattia Oblast, western Ukraine. It is near the сonfluence of the Tisa and Rika Rivers. It serves as the administrative center of Khust Raion. Population: Khust was the capi ...

and made him Voivode for life of Hunyad (

Hunedoara Hunedoara (; ; ) is a municipiu, city in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in southwestern Transylvania near the Poiana Ruscă Mountains, and administers five villages: Boș (''Bós''), Groș (''Grós''), Hășdat (''Hosdát ...

) and owner of the Hunedoara castle (today part of Romania) and property in

Máramaros County Máramaros County (; ; ; ; ; ) was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now in north-western Romania and western Ukraine. The capital of the county was Máramarossziget (present-day Sighetu Marmație ...

. After the death of his brother, Stephen Bethlen tried on 25 January 1630 without success to take over the reign from his sister-in-law

Catherine of Brandenburg Catherine of Brandenburg (28 May 1602 – 27 August 1649) was an elected Princess of Transylvania between 1629 and 1630. She was the daughter of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, and Anna of Prussia. Life Catherine was the youngest daug ...

. On 28 September 1630 he was more successful and raised to the rank of Prince of Transylvania in Kolozsvár, but he resigned after only 60 days later on 26 November 1630 in Segesvár. On 1 December 1630,

George I Rákóczi George I Rákóczi (8 June 1593 – 11 October 1648) was Prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death in 1648. Prior to that, he was a leader of the Protestant faction in Hungary and a faithful supporter of Gabriel Bethlen, his predecessor ...

was elected as new Prince of Transylvania by the Transylvanian state parliament.

References

Sources

* * , - Princes of Transylvania 1582 births 1648 deaths {{Hungary-hist-stub