Stefan was elected to become King of Poland, after Henry III of Valois fled Poland to become King of France. He married Anna the Jagiellonian, daughter of King Sigismund I the Old.
The Hanse city of Gdańsk had backed Emperor Maximilian II in his attempt to become King of Poland. Stefan Bathory, upon becoming King of Poland, attacked Gdańsk and tried to take it by military force. Batory was able to defeat Gdańsk's mercenary army in open field, but unable to take the city; so compromise was reached.
Stefan Bathory's portrait on a Polish coin
Bathory had to accept that Gdańsk continued to hold some of its privileges and the city recognised him as ruler of Poland and paid enormous sum in gold as "apology". Bathory confirmed the privileges of Gdańsk in 1577. Gdańsk later was loyally serving the Kingdom during the war with Sweden and Russia, providing help when requested.
Bathory, with his chancellor Jan Zamojski, led the Polish army in a brilliant decisive campaign against the Baltic invaders of Ivan "the terrible" Vasleivich. The Russians had invaded Livonia and took Dorpat from the Polish vassal, the Teutonic Brothers of the sword. The Poles under Bathory routed a Russian force at Wielkie Luki and Psków. In the Peace treaty in Jam Zapolski, Poland got back Livonia and Polock.
Stefan Bathory planned a Christian alliance against the Ottomans. He proposed an anti-Ottoman alliance with Russia, which he considered a necessary step for his anti-Ottoman crusade. However, Russia was on the way to the Time of Troubles so he could not find a partner there. When Stefan Bathory died, there was a one year interregnum. Emperor Mathias's brother Maximilian III tried to claim title of King of Poland, but was defeated at Byczyna and Sigismund III Vasa followed Stefan Bathory's reign.
Stefan Batory, King of Poland, Prince of Transylvania, Grand Duke of Lithuania (27 September 1533–12 December 1586) was Prince of Transylvania (1571-1575), then King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1575-1586).
Stefan Batory was born September 27, 1533, in Somlyo, Transylvania, to the local branch of the ancient Bathory family, now extinct, but originally almost coeval with the Hungarian monarchy.
Stefan Batory proved to be a wise king, despite the fact that the country he became a ruler of was badly damaged by the troubles of the interregnum.
Poland's younger generation is of particular concern to the Foundation, which makes a special effort to reach small towns and villages where the opportunities for young people to be creative and active are fewer.
In Poland, as elsewhere, many young people leave school totally unprepared for the changes brought about by a free-market economy and begin their adult life without a job.
The Alliance of Universities for Democracy awarded the Stefan Batory Foundation a special mention for its efforts aimed at increasing the role of the educational sector in the promotion of democratic institutions.
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