Treaty of Nagyvárad

Hungarian history

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July 1, 2026

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The Treaty of Nagyv\u00e1rad, signed in 1538, was a secret agreement between Ferdinand I of the Habsburgs and John Z\u00e1polya, a Hungarian nobleman. Following the death of King Louis II at the Battle of Moh\u00e1cs in 1526, both John and Ferdinand claimed the Hungarian throne, leading to a civil war. The treaty aimed to resolve this conflict by dividing Hungary: Ferdinand would receive the western part, and John the eastern two-thirds, with Ferdinand designated as John's successor. However, this agreement was complicated when John's wife gave birth to a son shortly before his death, leading to a dispute over succession and ultimately contributing to Hungary's trisection by the Ottoman Empire, the Habsburgs, and the principality of Transylvania.1234

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Hungary
The period of partition
By a secret agreement—the Treaty of Nagyvárad, mediated in 1538 by John’s adviser, György Martinuzzi (“Friar George”)—Ferdinand was to succeed John upon his death. The agreement was upset when, just before John died, his wife bore a son whom the national party recognized as king. The sultan then…
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By a secret agreement—the Treaty of Nagyvárad, mediated in 1538 by John’s adviser, György Martinuzzi (“Friar George”)—Ferdinand was to succeed John upon his death. The agreement was upset when, just before John died, his wife bore a son whom the national party recognized as king. The sultan then…
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György Martinuzzi
…he concluded with Ferdinand the Treaty of Nagyvárad, which left John with the royal title and most of Hungary and Ferdinand as successor to the Hungarian crown. On his deathbed, however, John repudiated the treaty. The Turks recognized John Sigismund, the infant son of John, as king but occupied Buda,…
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…he concluded with Ferdinand the Treaty of Nagyvárad, which left John with the royal title and most of Hungary and Ferdinand as successor to the Hungarian crown. On his deathbed, however, John repudiated the treaty. The Turks recognized John Sigismund, the infant son of John, as king but occupied Buda,…
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John
…1538, when, by the secret Treaty of Nagyvárad, Hungary was divided: Ferdinand took western Hungary with Croatia; John had the remaining two-thirds, with the royal title and his capital at Buda, and Ferdinand was to succeed on John’s death. John, however, remarried and had a son, John Sigismund (1540–71), whom…
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…1538, when, by the secret Treaty of Nagyvárad, Hungary was divided: Ferdinand took western Hungary with Croatia; John had the remaining two-thirds, with the royal title and his capital at Buda, and Ferdinand was to succeed on John’s death. John, however, remarried and had a son, John Sigismund (1540–71), whom…
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