Rákóczi, Ferenc II

Rákóczi, Ferenc II

 

Born Mar. 27, 1676, in Borsi; died Apr. 8, 1735, in Rodosto (present-day Tekirdag), Turkey. Leader of the anti-Hapsburg war of liberation of the Hungarian people from 1703 to 1711.

Rákóczi was born into a family of important feudal lords of Hungary and Transylvania, the son of Ferenc I Rákóczi and Ilona Zrinyi. He was educated in a Jesuit school. In 1692 he became ispán (head) of Sáros Comitat. In June 1703 he became the leader of the anti-Hapsburg war of liberation in the Kingdom of Hungary. In July 1704, Rákóczi was elected prince of Transylvania. He organized the regular Hungarian Army and established ties with Russia in 1707. After the defeat of the war of liberation, he emigrated to Russia in 1711. Later, he lived in France and Turkey. In 1906 his remains were transferred from Turkey to Hungary.