= Sigismund Rakoczi = '''Sigismund Rakoczi''' (''Rakoczi Zsigmond'') was the prince of [[Romania/Monarchs#Principality_of_Transylvania|Transylvania]]. <> ---- == History == Sigismund was born to a noble family in [[Romania/Monarchs|Upper Hungary]]. In August 1606, after the '''Bocskai Uprising''', [[Romania/StephenBocskai|Stephen Bocskai]] appointed Sigismund to be governor of Transylvania. ---- == Reign == [[Romania/StephenBocskai|Stephen Bocskai]] died on December 29, 1606. He had intended for '''Balint Drugeth''' (''Drugeth Balint'') to inherit the principality of [[Romania/Monarchs#Principality_of_Transylvania|Transylvania]], but the local nobility elected Sigismund instead in early 1607. Balint never pressed his claim. To avoid a war with '''Sigismund Bathory''' (''Bathory Zsigmond'') and his Austrian allies, Sigismund abdicated on March 5, 1608. ---- == Legacy == While Sigismund abdicated in favor of '''Sigismund Bathory''', his son '''George I''' would go on to be a close ally of [[Romania/GabrielBethlen|Gabriel Bethlen]] and eventually succeed him as prince. ---- CategoryRicottone