Miklós Zrínyi, the hero of Szigetvár (around 1508 - Sept 8 1566., Szigetvár)

Of Croatian origin and a big landowner who was the governor of Croatia between 1542 and 1556 and later from 1561 until his death the Treasurer of the Household in Hungary. From 1561 he was the captain general of one of the most important defence fortresses of Hungary: the one of Szigetvár. In 1566 under the seventh military campaign led by Suleiman I., he defended his fortresses until his last breath. When he had no more food and munitions left he broke out heroically with his remaining men and made an attack on the Turks who were superior in number. As it was worded a century later by his poet grandson: "his was a fine example for all the world to see". His enemy the elder sultan Suleiman did not survive Zrínyi's heroic death as he had died a few days previously in the besieging camp.

PG