Mihály Káthay de Csekekáta (''Kátay''; c. 1565 – 12 January 1607)Markó 2006, p. 111. was a Hungarian soldier and noble in the Principality of Transylvania, who served as

Chancellor of Transylvania The following is the list of chancellors of Transylvania during the Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711) and the (Grand) Principality of Transylvania (1711–1867). List of chancellors Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711), Principali ...

from December 1604 to September 1606. He was imprisoned and executed on charges of murder of

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

Stephen Bocskay, the leader of the Bocskay's War of Independence.

Life

Family

He was born into a lower noble family which originated from Csekekáta (today

Nagykáta Nagykáta is a town in , Hungary, about from Budapest. Connections Express trains take 47 minutes to Budapest Keleti railway station from Nagykáta and stopping trains about 65 minutes. History The history of Nagykáta dates back to the 12th ...

). His father was Ferenc Káthay, lieutenant of

judge royal The judge royal, also justiciar,Rady 2000, p. 49. chief justiceSegeš 2002, p. 202. or Lord Chief JusticeFallenbüchl 1988, p. 145. (,Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 72. ,Zsoldos 2011, p. 26. , ), was the second-highest judge, preceded only by the Palati ...

Gábor Perényi and later served in the

Castle of Eger The Eger Castle () is a castle in Eger, Hungary. Historically, it is known for repelling the Turkish attack in 1552 during the Siege of Eger. History The first castle was built on the high hill named Várhegy at Felsőtárkány near Eger. ...

. He had a younger brother. Mihály Káthay married twice: his first wife was Anna Drugeth de Homonna, and the second was Margit Mágóchy. Káthay had a daughter from one of his wives.

Career

He started a military career at his young age, he served besides

Stephen Báthory Stephen Báthory (; ; ; 27 September 1533 – 12 December 1586) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–1586) as well as Prince of Transylvania, earlier Voivode of Transylvania (1571–1576). The son of Stephen VIII Báthory ...

even then. He fought in the Long War. He seriously wounded, along with

Stephen Báthory de Ecsed in the Battle of

Hatvan Hatvan ( German: ''Hottwan)'' is a town in Heves County, Hungary. Hatvan is the Hungarian word for "sixty". It is the county's third most populous town following Eger and Gyöngyös. Etymology Hatvan is the Hungarian word for "sixty". It is a com ...

. In the summer of 1594 he moved to

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

to help to Prince

Sigismund Báthory Sigismund Báthory (; 1573 – 27 March 1613) was Prince of Transylvania several times between 1586 and 1602, and Duchy of Racibórz, Duke of Racibórz and Duchy of Opole, Opole in Silesia in 1598. His father, Christopher Báthory, ruled Transy ...

. He became "knight" of the prince in 1596. He was appointed captain of Kálló in 1599. His work was hindered by shortage of money. He asked in several letters the Szepes Chamber to pay off the defenders' military pay. learning the refusal, "the soldiers very outraged", "so much that all they wanted to rebel, I found it hard to quiet them" – wrote Káthay to the Chamber in one of his letters dated 1 November 1599. He had considerable wealth by his second marriage and had a close relationship with the most powerful landowners of

Northern Hungary Northern Hungary (, ) is a region in Hungary. As a statistical region it includes the counties Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Heves and Nógrád, but in colloquial speech it usually also refers to Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county. The region is in the ...

from that time. He joined to Stephen Bocskay in 1604 who named as his Chancellor. He had an important role in the preparation of the Treaty of Vienna in 1606. Because of that and his Roman Catholic religion, the Calvinist preachers from the court looked suspiciously to him.

Arrest and death

Káthay made contact with the

Habsburgs The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

and the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. As a result, he was imprisoned in Kassa (today: ''Košice, Slovakia'') by Bocskay in September 1606. Later, Bocskay, suffering from

edema Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. S ...

, thought wrongly that Káthay poisoned him. The prince died on 29 December 1606. After that Káthay was then hacked to bits by Bocskay's adherents in the town's marketplace. Several mourning poems maintained about Bocskay's death, which also accuse and condemn Káthay.

References

Sources

* Markó, László: A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig – Életrajzi Lexikon ''p. 111.'' ''(The High Officers of the Hungarian State from Saint Stephen to the Present Days – A Biographical Encyclopedia)'' (2nd edition); Helikon Kiadó Kft., 2006, Budapest; . * Trócsányi, Zsolt: Erdély központi kormányzata 1540–1690. Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1980. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kathay, Mihaly Year of birth unknown 1607 deaths Hungarian politicians Hungarian soldiers Hungarian nobility Hungarian Roman Catholics Chancellors of Transylvania Executed Hungarian people Executed politicians Year of birth uncertain People executed by dismemberment 17th-century executions by Hungary People from Nagykáta People of the Long Turkish War