= Gabriel Bethlen = '''Gabriel Bethlen''' (''Bethlen Gabor'') was the prince of [[Romania/Monarchs#Principality_of_Transylvania|Transylvania]], and briefly was king of [[Hungary/Monarchs#Kingdom_of_Hungary|Hungary]]. <> ---- == History == Gabriel supported '''Andrew Bathory''' (''Bathory Andras'') in his unsuccessful war to repel [[Romania/Michael|Michael the Brave]]. He participated in an unsuccessful revolt led by '''Moses Szekely''' (''Szekely Mozes''), and became a leading figure among the Transylvanian refugees in the Ottoman Empire. Gabriel was a close ally of [[Romania/StephenBocskai|Stephen Bocskai]] and encouraged him to lead a revolt against Rudolf II. Gabriel would again flee to the Ottoman Empire during the reign of '''Gabriel Bathory''' (''Bathory Gabor''). ---- == Reign == In 1613, as retaliation for invasion of Ottoman-vassalized Wallachia, '''Ahmed I''' deposed '''Gabriel Bathory''' and installed Gabriel as prince of Transylvania. In August 1619, Bethlen invaded Royal Hungary; by October he captured [[Slovakia/Bratislava|Bratislava]]. He was however repelled from Vienna. He was elected king of Hungary on August 20, 1620. By June 1621, Bratislava was recaptured by the Austrians. In December a treaty was signed in which Gabriel renounced the Hungarian crown but was granted counties in Royal Hungary and Silesia. He would continue to unsuccessfuly invade Habsburg realms until 1626. He married '''Catherine''', sister of '''George William''' of the Hohenzollern dynasty, margrave and elector of Brandenburg, and duke of Prussia. Gabriel died on November 25, 1629. ---- == Legacy == Gabriel's wife '''Catherine''' held on to the principality for about a year, until his brother '''Stephen''' was installed by the Ottoman Empire. ---- CategoryRicottone