page_title: Andrew Báthory
section_title: Prince of Transylvania
hierarchical_section_title: Andrew Báthory / Prince of Transylvania
caption_attribution_description: Magyar: Somlyói Báthory András (IV. András) (Szilágysomlyó, 1563 – Csíkszentdomokos, 1599. október 31.) bíboros, később hét hónapig Erdély fejedelme; Báthory András szatmári kapitány és Majláth Margit fia. Báthory István lengyel király unokaöccse, testvére Báthory Boldizsár, unokatestvére Zsigmond fejedelem volt.
context_page_description: Andrew Báthory was the Cardinal-deacon of Sant'Adriano al Foro from 1584 to 1599, Prince-Bishop of Warmia from 1589 to 1599, and Prince of Transylvania in 1599. His father was a brother of Stephen Báthory, who ruled the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1575. He was the childless Stephen Báthory's favorite nephew. He went to Poland at his uncle's invitation in 1578 and studied at the Jesuit college in Pułtusk. He became canon in the Chapter of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Warmia in 1581, and provost of the Monastery of Miechów in 1583.
  Pope Gregory XIII appointed Báthory cardinal during his visit to Rome in 1584. A year later, he was installed as coadjutor bishop of Warmia. He was in Rome again when Stephen Báthory died in 1586. Andrew was one of the candidates to succeed him in Poland and Lithuania, but Jan Zamoyski, the Chancellor of Poland, convinced him to support another candidate, Sigismund Vasa, and to demonstrate the Báthorys' claim to the crown only through nominating his minor cousin, Sigismund Báthory, Prince of Transylvania.
context_section_description: Sigismund Báthory abdicated at the Diet in Medgyes (Mediaș, Romania) on 21 March and proposed Andrew his successor. After Andrew pledged that neither he nor his brother would take vengeance on those who had voted against them in 1594, the Diet elected him prince on 28 March. However, as Alfonso Carillo noted, the most influential noblemen remained opposed to Andrew, even if they did not dare to raise an objection openly.
  The new prince's principal supporters were the noblemen who had been forced into exile in 1594, but they were impoverished young men, without influence. Instead of them, Andrew had to choose his officials from among the Roman Catholic lords: he made István Bodoni ispán (or head) of Kolozs County and Gáspár Sibrik the commander of the cavalry. Andrew was even unable to get rid of his opponents. For instance, Gáspár Kornis remained a member of the royal council, although he had played a preeminent role in the execution of Andrew's brother in 1594.
  Andrew wanted to secure his suzerainty over the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia. He initially wanted to replace Michael the Brave, Voivode of Wallachia, with his brother, Stephen, but Michael swore fealty to him on 26 June. Andrew's envoys signed an agreement with Ieremia Movilă, Voivode of Moldavia, about the marriage of the voivode's daughter and Andrew's half-brother, János Iffjú, on 3 July. Andrew also started negotiations with the Ottoman Empire, demanding the confirmation of his hereditary rule and his suzerainty over Wallachia, and refusing the payment of the tribute for six years.
  After the marriage of Sigismund Báthory and Maria Christierna of Habsburg (who was a cousin of Rudolph II) was declared invalid in August, Andrew proposed himself to her. However, Rudolph II had not acknowledged Andrew's rule in Transylvania and sent envoys to the leaders of the "Three Nations of Transylvania". He also urged Stephen Bocskai and Michael the Brave to invade Transylvania. Andrew summoned Stephen Bocskai to the Diet, charging him with treason. However, he did not believe the reports of Michael's preparations for an invasion and he was surprised when Michael broke into Transylvania in October. The Székely commoners joined the invaders, because Michael promised to restore their freedom. On 28 October, Michael routed the Transylvanian army in the Battle of Sellenberk after Andrew—who had never participated in a battle—fled from the battlefield in a panic. The Diet of Transylvania recognized Michael as Rudolph II's representative.
  Andrew wanted to flee to Poland, but Székely serfs captured him on a mountain near Csíkszentdomokos (now Sândominic in Romania) on 3 November. He was struck to death with a shepherd's axe. His head was cut off and taken to Michael the Brave, who sent it to the pope's envoy, Germanico Malaspina. A Greek artist painted the head before it was sewn back on to the body at Michael's order. Andrew was ceremoniously buried in  St. Michael's Cathedral in Gyulafehérvár on 24 November.
caption: Andrew's head
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