István Dobó

István Dobó (born c. 1500—died 1572, Szered, Hung. [now Sered’, Slvk.]) was a Hungarian landowner and captain of the fortress of Eger, where in 1552 he scored a historic victory over the besieging Ottoman army.

On Sept. 11, 1552, led by Grand Vizier Ahmed and Ali, pasha of Buda, some 150,000 well-equipped Turkish troops laid siege to Eger, defended by just 2,000 soldiers and the peasants who had fled there. Dobó’s victory was a milestone in the wars against the Ottoman Turks. In recognition of this accomplishment, King Ferdinand I granted Dobó the towns of Déva and Szamosújvár (now Deva and Gherla, Rom.) and in 1553 made him prince of Transylvania. When the Transylvanian estates planned to break free from Habsburg rule, Dobó was put in prison (1566). He was soon released, however, and Ferdinand made him captain of Léva (now Levice, Slvk.) and placated him with further gifts of land. When Süleyman I (the Magnificent) marched against Vienna later in 1566, Dobó joined the armies formed to defend the city. His enemies accused him of taking sides against the Habsburgs, and, at the order of Maximilian II, he was arrested. The accusation proved at length to be unfounded, and in April 1572 Dobó was released.