Jibou is well known for his participation in the Kurucz rebellion (1703–1711) (see "Battle of Zsibó") taken against Habsburg rule. The Wesselényi family played an important role in the evolution of Jibou, which built a castle there in 1584; today, only traces of the foundation are preserved. The construction of the current castle, the largest baroque complex in Transylvania, began in 1778 and lasted more than 30 years. The most prominent representative of this family was Baron Miklós Wesselényi Jr., who lived between 1796 and 1850. He fought for the liberation of the serfs, being considered the leader of the reformist Hungarian nobility opposition, which struggled against the conservatism of Habsburg monarchy.