George II Rákóczi
George II Rákóczi
Prince of Transylvania
Reign	11 October 1648 – 7 June 1660
Predecessor	George I Rákóczi
Successor	John Kemény
Born	(1621-01-30)30 January 1621 Sárospatak, Hungary
Died	7 June 1660(1660-06-07) (aged 39) Nagyvárad, Principality of Transylvania
Spouse	Sophia Báthory ​ ​ (m. 1643; died 1660)​
Issue	Francis I Rákóczi
Names Hungarian: II. Rákóczi György English: George II Rákóczi
House	Rákóczi
Father	George I Rákóczi
Mother	Zsuzsanna Lorántffy
Religion	Calvinism

George II Rákóczi (30 January 1621 – 7 June 1660), was a Hungarian nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1648-1660), the eldest son of George I and Zsuzsanna Lorántffy.^[1]

Early life

He was elected Prince of Transylvania during his father's lifetime (19 February 1642).^[1] On 3 February 1643, he married Sophia Báthory, a granddaughter of Stephen Báthory IX. Their son was Francis I Rákóczi.

War with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

1657

In 1657, he invaded the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the third part of the Second Northern War (1655–1660), also known as the Deluge.

Spring

In late January 1657, Rákóczi's 25,000-strong army crossed the Carpathian Mountains near Krosno. The Transylvanians headed towards Medyka, where 10,000 Zaporozhian Cossacks under Anton Zdanovich joined them. The Transylvanian-Cossack army approached Lwów, but failed to capture the fortified city. Then it headed westwards, to Kraków. The army's march was marked by atrocities, destruction, and looting. Rákóczi captured and destroyed Dukla, Lesko, and Sanok, but failed to seize Przemyśl, Krosno, and Łańcut. On 21 March 1657, Rákóczi entered Tarnów, and seven days later reached Kraków, which was already under Swedish control. Kraków's Swedish garrison was reinforced by 2,500 Transylvanians under János Bethlen, while the rest under Rákóczi headed northwards.

April

The Swedish garrison of Kraków was reinforced by 2,500 Transylvanians under János Bethlen, while Rákóczi headed northwards. On 12 April, near Ćmielów, the Transylvanians joined the Swedish army under Charles X Gustav. The combined forces crossed the Vistula at Zawichost, on 19 April capturing Lublin.

May

On 8 May the Swedish-Transylvanian army besieged Brest Litovsk, capturing it two days later. After the siege, Rákóczi's soldiers plundered and looted intensely. The Transylvanians burned Biała Podlaska and Brańsk to the ground among other towns. On 20 May, news of the Dano-Swedish War reached Charles X Gustav and the king decided to march towards Swedish Pomerania, leaving Gustaf Otto Stenbock in charge.

June

The army then marched towards Warsaw, burning the towns of Mielnik, Drohiczyn, Nur, Brok, and Pniewo. On 17 June, after a three-day siege, Rákóczi and Stenbock captured Warsaw. Swedish forces remained in Warsaw only for a few days, as on 22 June they left the city for Stettin, to join the war against Denmark. Since Rákóczi was well aware of the real quality of his army, he decided to abandon Warsaw as well, and head southeast.

July

Following an order of the Polish King John II Casimir Vasa, the Transylvanians were followed by a 10,000-strong Stefan Czarniecki's mounted army, supported by Aleksander Hilary Połubiński's Lithuanians and Austrian allies. Simultaneously, Jerzy Lubomirski's forces organized a revenge invasion of Transylvania, with widespread looting and destruction of Rákóczi's realm. On 8 July 1657 in Lancut, Polish leaders decided to split their forces. Stefan Czarniecki was to follow Rákóczi, while Jerzy Lubomirski and Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki were to cut the Transylvanians and Cossacks from crossing the border and escaping Poland. On 11 July Czarniecki partly destroyed the Transylvanian army in the Battle of Magierów. On 16 July, the Polish armies united and on 20 July Rákóczi was defeated in the Battle of Czarny Ostrów.

Rákóczi capitulates

After the defeat and subsequent retreat of his Cossack allies, Rákóczi withdrew towards the Podolian town of Miedzyboz, where he capitulated to Jerzy Lubomirski (23 July), promising to break his alliance with Sweden, abandon the cities of Kraków and Brest Litovsk, and pay a contribution in the total amount of over 4 million złotys.

Final blow by the Crimean Tartars

Polish commanders allowed his forces to march towards Transylvania, but on 26 July, Rákóczi was attacked by the Crimean Tatars, who at that time were Poland–Lithuania's allies. Rákóczi abandoned his army, leaving it in the hands of János Kemény. The Transylvanian camp, located near Trembowla, was captured by the Tatars on 31 July. Some 500 were killed, and about 11,000 Transylvanians were captured and taken to the Crimea. As a result, Rákóczi's army ceased to exist.

Thaler of George II Rákóczi showing his portrait and coat of arms (1660)

Depositions and reinstatements

On 3 November 1657, at the command of the Ottoman Empire (to which Transylvania was tributary), the Diet deposed him for undertaking an unauthorized war and replaced him by Francis Rhédey. But in January 1658 he was reinstated by a new session of the Diet at Medgyes. Again he was deposed by the Turkish Grand Vizier, and again reinstated as if nothing had happened.^[1]

Family

References

Sources

• Encyclopedia of Ukraine Editor in Chief Vladimir Kubiiovych. - Paris, New York: Young Life, 1954–1989.