Multiple members of the Bathory family of Hungary were named Stephen (Báthory István). The nephew of the 2nd Stephen Bathory, named Sigismund Bathory was Prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
1. The first Stephen Báthory (1477-1534) was a Hungarian noble and loyal adherent of King John Zápolya of Hungary. Thus, in 1529, he was made Governor of Transylvania.
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| Reign | From 1575 until December 12, 1586 |
| Coronation | On May 1, 1576 in the Wawel cathedral, Kraków, Poland. |
| Royal House | Bathory |
| Coat of Arms | Trzy Zęby |
| Predecessor | Henryk III Walezy |
| Successor | Zygmunt III Waza |
| Parents | Stephan Bathory Catherine Telegdi |
| Consorts | Anna Jagiellonka |
| Children | none |
| Date of Birth | September 27, 1533 |
| Place of Birth | Somlyo, Transylvania (now Romania) |
| Date of Death | December 12, 1586 |
| Place of Death | Grodno, Poland, (now Belarus) |
| Place of Burial | Wawel cathedral, Kraków, Poland buried in May, 1588 |
2. Stephen Bathory's youngest son was also called Stephen Báthory (1533-1586). He succeeded John II Zapolya as Prince of Transylvania and held this position from 1571-75, giving it to this brother Christopher Bathory (1530-81) afterwards. From 1575 - 1586, he was King of Poland as Stefan Batory.
Biography
Stephen was elected to become King of Poland, after Henry III of Valois fled Poland to become King of France. He married Anna the Jagiellonian, daughter of King Sigismund I the Old.
The Hanse city of Gdańsk had backed Emperor Maximilian II in his attempt to become King of Poland. Stephen Bathory, upon becoming King of Poland, attacked Gdańsk and tried to take it by military force. Batory was able to defeat Gdańsk's mercenary army in open field, but unable to take the city; so compromise was reached.
Bathory had to accept that Gdańsk continued to hold some of its privileges and the city recognised him as ruler of Poland and paid enormous sum in gold as "apology". Bathory confirmed the privileges of Gdańsk in 1577. Gdańsk later was loyally serving the Kingdom during the war with Sweden and Russia, providing help when requested.
Bathory, with his chancellor Jan Zamojski, led the Polish army in a brilliant decisive campaign against the Baltic invaders of Ivan "the terrible" Vasleivich. The Russians had invaded Livonia and took Dorpat from the Polish vassal, the Teutonic Brothers of the sword. The Poles under Bathory routed a Russian force at Wielkie Luki and Psków. In the Peace treaty in Jam Zapolski, Poland got back Livonia and Polock.
Stephen Bathory planned a Christian alliance against the Ottomans. He proposed an anti-Ottoman alliance with Russia, which he considered a necessary step for his anti-Ottoman crusade. However, Russia was on the way to Great Smuta so he could not find a partner there.
When Stephen Bathory died, there was a one year interregnum. Emperor Mathias's brother Maximilian III tried to claim title of King of Poland, but was defeated at Byczyna and Sigismund III Vasa followed Stephen Bathory's reign.
| Preceded by: Henry III |
King of Poland | Succeeded by: Sigismund III |