Francis II Rákóczi

Francis II Rákóczi (1676–1735), born at Borsi in Zemplén County, was the wealthiest magnate in Hungary. After a secret appeal to France against Habsburg rule was exposed, he was condemned to death but escaped to Poland.

Returning in 1703, he led the Kuruc rising known as his War of Independence: elected Prince of Transylvania in 1704, he was named Ruling Prince of Hungary at Szécsény in 1705, yet refused the royal crown. Defeats at Zsibó (1705) and Trencsén (1708) and the Peace of Szatmár (1711) ended the revolt. He died in Ottoman exile at Rodosto in 1735.