A page from the history of the principality of transylvania
| Author | Mariana Borcoman |
| Position | Dept. Of Communication And Social Work, Transilvania University Of Brasov. |
| Pages | 229-236 |
Page 229
The historical period of Transylvania, comprised between 1540-1699, is known under the name of Principality. This is the period when the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the central part of Europe reaches a maximum level. The Turkish army led by the sultan Soliman the First conquered Serbia and great part of Hungary, following the victory from Buda 1540. The Turks' initial intention was to further advance towards the centre of Europe, however they came across the Hapsburg Empire. This way, in the middle of the 16th century, great part of Hungary had been transformed into pashalik (province of the Ottoman Empire) and Transylvania, through the policy of its princes, had managed to maintain its autonomy. Its status was as autonomous Principality under Ottoman suzerainty and it paid tribute to the Porte. This situation, was however, much more advantageous than the one of Hungary. Under this situation, Transylvania will turn into a place of refuge for great part of the Hungarian nobility and the policy of the princes from Ardeal was quite permissive in this respect. The nobility that had taken shelter there had stated for all that period that in Transylvania there was being remade part of the lost kingdom of Hungary. The policy of the princes from Ardeal within the external framework led to the positioning of the small Principality among the great European powers of the time and to the participation in the War of 30 years. These actions were also accompanied by a powerful cultural effervescence manifested through the dissemination of the Reform in Transylvania, through the development of education and of the printing houses.
The Hapsburg Empire represented a danger for the independent Principality, reformed and reorganized from thePage 230interior. That one carried on negotiations with the Ottoman Empire with respect to Transylvania and Hungary. The result of the Austrian reforms was their offensive in the 17th century against the Turks.
This way Maximilian the First, regent at 1486 and emperor between 1508-1519 aimed first of all at solving the financial situation. That one was to be subordinated to the Hofkamer. His entire policy was based on a strong centralization and on a strong control of the provinces. In the middle of the 16th century, there were felt within the Empire, as well as in the majority of the European countries, the effects of the Reform. Rough measures against the Protestants were taken by Ferdinand the First (1531-1564). During his entire reign, he had to face the reaction of the protestant noblemen, powerful and numerous in Superior Austria and Steiermark. He even attempted at achieving conciliation with the Protestants in the framework of the Council of the Protestants from Trient, however with no result. Ferdinand's death made the empire to be theoretically divided among his three sons: Maximilian- who would control the Austrian lands of the Danube, Bohemia and Hungary; Ferdinand- Tirol and Carol- the areas within Austria.
Also supported by influent people from the Court, the elder son Maximilian the Second would become emperor between 1564-1576.
His main energy was channelled towards the efforts of fighting against the Turks (that was the moment of the Turks' great offensive under the leadership of Soliman the Magnificent) and towards the attempt at controlling Transylvania. A second side of his activity was the fight against the Protestants (he led rough actions, he imprisoned the supporters and confiscated their wealth).
His reign suddenly stopped and there came to the throne Rudolf the 2nd (1575-1612), who would reign in parallel with his brother Mathias. Rudolf was a great lover of the arts, of the beauty by excellence. He fully developed this taste by edifying another capital at Prague. That time was a very tense period between the Catholics and the Protestants, and the army had to face the frequent wars with the Turks. Finally, Rudolf made a compromise and elaborated in 1619 a decree with respect to the Protestants' liberty within the empire.
In the framework of that European conflict there were involved two branches of the House of Hapsburg: the one from Vienna and the one from Madrid. At the leadership of the Spanish universal monarchy there was Carol and at Vienna there were successively Ferdinand the 2nd and Ferdinand the 3rd. Mathias' main policy was to drastically control the provinces and to enforce the Catholicism. That last direction was one with small momentarily concessions, such as the Majesty Letter from 1619, through whose intermediary there were given some political liberties to the Reformed Czechs. However, their rights were not observed and that automatically determined the outburst of a conflict.
The episode is known in history as the Defenestration from Prague, in which 2 members of the Council of Regency were thrown out of the palace, in fact a reaction of the Czech noblemen against Catholicism and absolutism.
The Czech period (1618-1620) confronted two camps: Czechoslovakia which had on its side the German protestant princes (on whose side Gabriel Bethlen- the prince of Transylvania entered into conflict, in the hope he would conquer again the throne of Hungary) and Austria- Spain. On the throne of Austria,Page 231there came in Aug. 1619 Ferdinand the 3rd, younger and more determined to do so that the balance would turn on the Catholics' side. Between the 2 camps, there began negotiations, the emperor also personally treated with Gabriel Bethlen and Vienna gained therefore...
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