page_title: Sălaj County
section_title: Under Kingdom of Hungary
hierarchical_section_title: Sălaj County / History / Under Kingdom of Hungary
caption_attribution_description: Michael the Brave defeating the Hungarians in Guraslau, 1601.
context_page_description: Sălaj County is a county of Romania, located in the north-west of the country, in the historical regions of Crișana and Transylvania. It is bordered to the north by Satu Mare and Maramureș counties, to the west and south-west by Bihor County, and to the south-east by Cluj County. Zalău is the county seat as well as its largest city.
context_section_description: Starting with the second half of the 11th century, Hungarians conquer systematically Transylvania which organize as autonomous Voivodate within the Kingdom of Hungary. During the Middle Ages, Transylvania politics was monopolized by Unio Trium Nationum (political alliance of nobles, Saxon and Székely rulers formed during the Bobâlna revolt of 1437–1438). From 1526, Transylvania is included to the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom that will become under Ottoman suzerainty, and in 1570 it transfoms to the Principality of Transylvania. After 1691, the Principality is subjected to the direct rule of the Habsburgs governors. In 1765, it transformed to the Grand Principality of Transylvania. After the formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867), Transylvania disappears as state, being incorporated again to the Kingdom of Hungary. A county with an identical name (Szilágy County, Romanian: Comitatul Sălaj) was created in 1876, covering a similar area.
  In Salaj County are medieval citadels and castles which belonged to noble families (Dragu, Jibou, Gârbou, Șimleu Silvaniei, etc.). Among them is Almașu Citadel (Romanian: Cetatea Almașului) (nowadays, in ruins), built in the 13th century, property of Transylvanian voivodes, then of Petru Rareș, Prince of Moldavia.
  The history of Salaj County includes an important episode related to historical facts of the maker of the first political union of Wallachia, Transylvania and Moldavia under Michael the Brave. On 3 August 1601, armies led by Michael the Brave and Austrian general Giorgio Basta defeated the Hungarian noble army led by Prince Sigismund Báthory at Guruslău (Goroszló), near Zalău (Zilah) (where a memorial was erected).
  In the forefront of the struggle for national rights of Romanians have been often personalities of Sălaj County. Among Romanian revolutionaries of 1848 can be mentioned Alexandru Papiu Ilarian and Simion Bărnuțiu, who became the ideologist of the Romanian revolution in Transylvania.
  Following the establishment of the Romanian National Party in Transylvania (1869) and the adoption of "passivist" tactics (non-participation in the political life of Hungary), Sălaj leaders of the party participated in the largest protest during political passivism period, the "Memorandist Movement" (1892–1894). Was noticed the contribution of Gheorghe Pop de Băsești. The failure of political passivism determined the PNR leaders to pass to "political activism", starting with 1905. At the stage of political activism, the Transylvanian Romanians achieve representation in the Parliament in Budapest, there advocating for national rights. Was remarked the activity of Iuliu Maniu, the greatest politician in the history of Sălaj.
  In national and international favorable conditions of 1918, leaders of Romanians in Transylvania organized the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia (1 December 1918), with plebiscitary character, which decided the union of Transylvania with Romania. Political elites in Sălaj had a leading role in the events. Gheorghe Pop de Băsești was elected president of the Great National Council (legislative body), Iuliu Maniu became president of the Governing Council (executive body), and Victor Deleu was the leader of the Interior within the Governing Council (the two institutions have led Transilvania during its provisional autonomy until April 1920).
caption: Michael the Brave defeating the Hungarians in Guruslău, 1601
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