György Rákoczi
| George I Rákóczi | |
|---|---|
_R%C3%A1k%C3%B3czi_(1593-1648)_-_Rembrandt_van_Rijn_%26_Jan_Gillisz._van_Vliet.jpg)
Portrait by by Rembrandt van Rijn and Jan Gillisz van Vliet
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| Prince of Transylvania | |
| Reign | 1630–1648 |
| Predecessor | Stephen Bethlen |
| Successor | George II Rákóczi |
| Born | June 8, 1593 Szerencs, Hungary |
| Died | October 11, 1648 (aged 55) Gyulafehérvár, Transylvania (now Alba Iulia, Romania) |
| Spouse | Zsuzsanna Lórántffy |
| Issue |
George II Rákóczi Sigismund Rákóczi |
| Father | Sigismund Rákóczi |
| Mother | Anna Gerendi |
| Religion | Calvinism |
George I Rákóczi (8 June 1593–11 October 1648) was Prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death in 1648.
George was the eldest son of Baron Sigismund Rákóczi and his second wife, Anna Gerendi. Sigismund, who was a successful military commander in Royal Hungary, was the first member of the Rákóczi family to rise to prominence. George was born in Szerencs on 8 June 1593. His mother died in 1595.
George's childhood is almost undocumented. His father sent him to Kassa (now Košice in Slovakia) in late 1604 or early 1605. Kassa was the seat of Stephen Bocskai, who had rebelled against the Habsburg ruler of Royal Hungary, Rudolph. Through sending George to Kassa, Sigismund demonstrated his support to Bocskai who made him the governor of the Principality of Transylvania in September 1605.
Bocskai named Bálint Drugeth as his successor in Transylvania on his deathbead, but the Diet of Transylvania elected Sigismund prince on 12 February 1606. After his election, Sigismund first drank George's health.Gabriel Báthory, who laid claim to Transylvania, made an alliance with the irregular Hajdú troops. Sigismund was forced to abdicate in Báthory's favor on 5 March 1608. Although Sigismund lost the throne, his short reign in Transylvania strengthened his sons' position, because no other noblemen could demonstrate a princely origin. George went to Pressburg (now Bratislava in Slovakia) to represent his ailing father at the Diet of Hungary in September 1608. He was still at the Diet when his father died on 5 December.
George and his two brothers, Zsigmond and Pál, inherited their father's vast estates in Royal Hungary. Bálint Drugeth (who was the husband of their eldest sister), their father's widow, Borbála Telegdy, and her son-in-law, István Kendi, sued them for parts of their inheritance. To secure the support of the monarch, George went to the royal court at Prague in spring 1611. He also cooperated with György Thurzó, Palatine of Hungary, against the Hajdús.
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