Prince Barcsay Ákos of Transylvania (1610-1661)
Barcsay Ákos was born in Hunyad County in Transylvania, he came from a modest noble family. His family might have come from Croatia, as one of his ancestors was a Bán (Duke) of Croatia in 1226. However, the old nest of the family was in Nagybarcsa, in Hunyad County, Transylvania. Barcsay Ákos was born there, he was a Calvinist. His father was Barcsay Sándor, his mother was Palatics Erzsébet. He grew up at the court of Prince Bethlen Gábor. (Please note that I use the oriental name order for Hungarians, where the surname comes first).
We know that Prince Rákóczi György I. appreciated his talented and educated way of thinking. He once said about him: “His mind is marvelous, you can never find out how he thinks”. Prince Rákóczi György I often gave him diplomatic missions, and Barcsay carried them out flawlessly. The prince rewarded him for his services and his career rose rapidly. Eventually, he became the Chief Comes of Hunyad County and the Captain of the Déva Castle. Barcsay Ákos’s first wife was Szalánczy Erzsébet, and after her death, he married Bánffy Izabella in 1660.
Prince Rákóczi György II also held him in high esteem. No wonder, because it was Barcsay’s diplomatic skills that helped him to get his throne confirmed by the Sultan in Istanbul. Before Rákóczi launched his infamous campaign to seize the Polish throne in 1657, he appointed Barcsay, Serédy, and Rhédey to govern Transylvania on his behalf. When Serédy died, Rhédey resigned and Barcsay remained in this position alone. It was at this time that the enmity between him and Lady Báthory Zsófia began over financial issues.
The Ottomans were angry with Rákóczi and demanded his removal from power. The Transylvanian estates had to choose a new prince, but at first, they thought that Barcsay was not so high-born, so they chose Rhédey Ferenc. However, Rhédey handed over the power to Barcsay in 1658. The punitive campaign of Pasha Köprülü soon reached Transylvania, and the estates of the country sent envoys to the Grand Vizier. (In the Turkish language, the high military leader was called “vizir-i-Azam”). Barcsay was among the delegates, and when he received them in his camp, he appointed him Prince of Transylvania. Barcsay was not happy with the job, but he had to accept it.
He had to promise to pay immense taxes if he wanted to get rid of the Ottoman troops. The amount of the tax was 40,000 thalers and he had to promise 500,000 thalers as “military compensation”. He also had to give up the castles of Karánsebes and Lugos. For this, many contemporaries called him a traitor. Fortunately, the money decided the issue and the Turks soon left Transylvania (for the time being).
Barcsay Ákos, Prince of Transylvania
On October 11, 1658, the nobility officially raised Barcsay to the throne on the Diet of Segesvár. Rákóczi, however, could not accept this and plotted against Barcsay in Várad. But when it became clear that the Turks were planning to attack the castle, he made a deal with the new prince, apparently resigned, and retreated to his estates. Here, instead, he continued to arm himself, which threatened another Turkish attack.
When Barcsay received the news about the gathering soldiers of Prince Rákóczi György II, that they were preparing to fight him, he went to the castle of Temesvár (Timisoara). Temesvár was held by the Ottomans at that time, and Barcsay visited Csengizáde Ali, the Pasha of Temesvár because he wanted to prevent any kind of bloodshed between his Hungarian supporters and Rákóczi’s Hungarians. As it was, Transylvania had been destroyed for the second time by the Tartars; important fortresses fell or were ceded to the enemy, and the country was devastated. Although Rákóczi should have been blamed, many Transylvanians blamed Barcsay for the devastating wars. He also lost his reputation among the Turks.
During his absence, Rákóczi invaded Transylvania, and in fear of him, the Marosvásárhely Diet restored him to power on September 29, 1659. As it turned out, Barcsay could not avoid bloodshed, so he retreated to Szeben. Soon, the Pasha of Buda, Sheydi Ahmed finally came to his aid and defeated Rákóczi’s army at Zajkány on November 22 and at Torda. Rákóczi then fled Transylvania, but soon returned. When the pasha left Transylvania in December, Rákóczi began the siege of Szeben (Sibiu).
He continued to fight for his throne, bringing even more suffering to the inhabitants of the once prosperous “fairy garden” of Europe. It was the time when the Hungarian population between the area of Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia) and Arad was wiped out. You can read more about Rákóczi’s struggle in 1658 here:
Barcsay withstood the attack in Szeben for months, but in the spring Rákóczi was forced to abandon the operation because Sheydi Ahmed’s army was approaching again. Barcsay had to go to the castle of Szeben.
Rákóczi’s defeat at Zajkány, near Déva Castle
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