Rákóczi family

Rákóczi family

Noble Magyar family prominent in 17th-century Hungary. Its members included György I (1593–1648), who as prince of Transylvania (1630–48) allied himself with Sweden against the Habsburgs and won religious freedom for Protestants in Hungary. His son György II (1621–1660), prince of Transylvania (1648–60), joined Sweden in attacking Poland (1656) but was forced to retreat; he was killed in battle by the invading Turks, who restored Turkish control over Transylvania. György's son Ferenc I (1645–1676) became a Catholic and joined Croatia in an unsuccessful revolt against Habsburg rule in Hungary. His son Ferenc II (1676–1735), prince of Transylvania (1704–11), led a Hungarian uprising for independence from the Habsburg empire (1703) that was initially successful, but his forces were defeated by the Austrians in 1711.