Editing Sigismund Báthory (section)

=== Holy League ===

[[File:Sigismund_Bathory_in_full_regalia.jpg|thumb|right|Sigismund Báthory using the title ''Prince of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia'' in a 1595 engraving.]]
[[File:Anonym Erzherzogin Maria Christierna.jpg|thumb|right|Sigismund's wife, Maria Christina of Habsburg]]
[[File:Transylvanian Thaler of Sigismund Bathory 1595.jpg|thumb|Thaler of Sigismund Báthory minted in 1595]]
[[File:Mihai Viteazul fighting the Turks, Giurgiu, October 1595.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Horsemen fight against each other on a bridge and along a river while ships deliver soldiers on the river|[[Battle of Giurgiu (1595)|Battle of Giurgiu]], which ended with the victory of the united forces of [[Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Transylvania]], [[Wallachia]], and [[Moldavia]] over the retreating [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] army]]

Sigismund decided to join the Holy League together with Aaron the Tyrant, [[voivode of Moldavia]], and [[Michael the Brave]], [[voivode of Wallachia]], on 5{{nbsp}}October 1594.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=414}} The two voivodes had started direct negotiations with the Holy See, but Sigismund, who claimed suzerainty over them, prevented them from conducting further direct negotiations.{{sfn|Pop|2009|p=78}} Sigismund's envoy, Stephen Bocskai, signed the document that confirmed the membership of Transylvania in the Holy League in Prague on 28{{nbsp}}January 1595.{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=294}} According to the treaty, Rudolph{{nbsp}}II recognized Sigismund's hereditary right to rule Transylvania and [[Partium]] and to use the title of prince, but he also stipulated that the principality was to be re-united with the Hungarian Crown if Sigismund's family died out.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}} The Diet of Transylvania confirmed the treaty on 16{{nbsp}}April.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}} The Diet also prohibited religious innovations, which gave rise to the persecution of [[Szekler Sabbatarians]] in [[Udvarhelyszék]].{{sfn|Keul|2009|p=140}}

The [[Wallachian boyars]] and prelates recognized Sigismund's suzerainty over Wallachia on behalf of Michael the Brave in Gyulafehérvár on 20{{nbsp}}May 1595.{{sfn|Pop|2009|p=78}}{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=144}} According to the treaty, Michael was forbidden to enter into an alliance with foreign powers without Sigismund's approval.{{sfn|Pop|2009|p=78}} The voivode's right to sentence his boyars to death was also limited.{{sfn|Pop|2009|p=78}} The Diet of Transylvanian was authorized to impose taxes in Wallachia with a council of twelve boyars.{{sfn|Pop|2009|p=78}}{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=144}} After Aaron the Tyrant refused to sign a similar treaty, Sigismund invaded Moldavia and captured him in [[Iași]].{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=144}}{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}} He made [[Ștefan Răzvan]] the new voivode on 3{{nbsp}}June, forcing him to swear fealty to him.{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=144}}{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}} Thereafter, Sigismund styled himself "[[By the Grace of God]], Prince of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia, [[Princes of the Holy Roman Empire|Prince of the Holy Roman Empire]], [[Count of the Székelys]] and Lord of [[Partium|Parts of the Kingdom of Hungary]]".{{sfn|Szekeres|2007|p=118}}{{sfn|Pop|2009|p=79}}

Sigismund married [[Maria Christina of Habsburg]], a niece of Rudolph{{nbsp}}II, on 6{{nbsp}}August.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}} However, the marriage was never [[Consummation|consummated]].{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=126}} Sigismund accused {{ill|Margit Majláth|qid=Q11772328}} (who was the mother of his executed cousin, Balthasar Báthory) of witchcraft, causing his [[Erectile dysfunction|impotence]].{{sfn|Sz. Kristóf|2013|p=348}} Historian László Nagy notes that Sigismund's contemporaries made no reference to his relationship with women, showing that Sigismund was homosexual.{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=131}}

György Borbély, [[Banate of Lugos and Karánsebes|Ban of Karánsebes]], captured Lippa (now [[Lipova, Arad|Lipova]] in Romania) and other Ottoman fortresses along the [[Maros River]] before the end of August.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}}{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=295}} [[Koca Sinan Pasha]] broke into Wallachia, forcing Michael the Brave to retreat towards Transylvania.{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=145}} Michael confronted the invaders in the [[Battle of Călugăreni]], but he could not prevent them from seizing [[Târgoviște]] and [[Bucharest]].{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=145}} He withdrew to [[Stoenești, Argeș|Stoenești]] to await the arrival of the Transylvanian and Moldavian troops.{{sfn|Bolovan|Constantiniu|Michelson|Pop|1997|p=145}}

Since the Ottoman army outnumbered the forces at Sigismund's disposal, he proposed the [[Székelys|Székely]] commoners (who had been reduced to serfdom in the 1560s) to restore their freedom if they joined his campaign against the Ottomans.{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=117}}{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=295}} The Székelys accepted his offer, enabling Sigismund to launch a counter-invasion in Wallachia in early October.{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=295}}{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=415}} The united forces of Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia defeated the retreating Ottoman army in the [[Battle of Giurgiu (1595)|Battle of Giurgiu]] on 25{{nbsp}}October.{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=119}} Although the victory was not decisive, the battle enabled the two voivodes to maintain their alliance with the Holy League.{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=122}}

Ignoring the Székely warriors' preeminent role during the war, the Diet of Transylvania refused to restore their freedom on 15{{nbsp}}December.{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=295}}{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=416}} Sigismund left for Prague to start negotiations with Rudolph{{nbsp}}II in early January 1596, tasking his wife and Stephen Bocskai with the government.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=416}} The Székelys tried to secure their freedom, but Bocskai repressed their movement with extraordinary cruelty during the "[[Bloody Carnival]]" in early 1596.{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=295}}{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=416}}

Rudolph II promised Sigismund to send reinforcements and money to continue the war against the Ottomans.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=416}}{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=123}} Sigismund returned to Transylvania on 4{{nbsp}}March.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=416}}{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=123}} He laid siege to Temesvár (now [[Timișoara]] in Romania), but he lifted the siege when an Ottoman army of 20,000 strong approached the fortress.{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=123}} The Ottoman Sultan [[Mehmed III]] invaded Royal Hungary in summer.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=417}} Sigismund joined his forces with the royal army, which was under the command of Maximilian of Habsburg.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=417}} However, the Ottomans routed their united army in the [[Battle of Mezőkeresztes]] between 23 and 26 October.{{sfn|Barta|1994|p=295}}

Sigismund again went to Prague to meet Rudolph{{nbsp}}II and offered to abdicate in January 1597.{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=417}} After he returned to Transylvania, he restored the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba Iulia|Roman Catholic bishopric in Gyulafehérvár]].{{sfn|Granasztói|1981|p=417}} He sent envoys to Italy to demand the supreme command of a new Christian army, but his delegates at Istanbul started negotiations regarding a reconciliation with the sultan.{{sfn|Nagy|1984|p=135}}