Stephen Bocskai in the National Historical Memorial Park in Ópusztaszer, Hungary (Győrfi Lajos alkotása) Source: Wikimedia Commons

Stephen Bocskai (Bocskay) or István Bocskai, a Transylvanian prince (1 January 1557-29 December 1606), was leader of the Hungarian revolt of 1604-1605. Bocskay, with Bethlen Gabor and other Hungarian and Transylvanian partisans, led the revolt against Emperor Rudolf II, because Rudolf had threatened the religious freedom of the Hungarian Protestants. The entry of the Hungarian rebels and the Turkish troops into Moravia in May 1605 caused the Hutterian Brethren there untold suffering. Sixteen Bruderhofs (including 11 schools) were burned down, 87 inmates were murdered, 238 Hutterites were abducted, some to Turkey, of whom only 70 returned (Beck, Geschichts-Bücher). It is not likely that Bocskay, who was fighting for freedom of religion, knew of the atrocities committed by the soldiers; Bethlen Gabor was a patron of the Anabaptists and had given them shelter on his estates in Transylvania. The event is described in a special chapter in the Hutterite chronicle.

The suffering of the Hutterian Brethren during this period of war is described in several songs known as the Botschkay-Lieder (Beck, 349). Three of them, by unknown authors, have been preserved: "Gott gib mir zu betrachten," 66 stanzas; "Herr Gott Vater im Himmelreich," 40 stanzas; and "Nun hören zu all in Gemein," 158 stanzas. The last is reprinted in Die Lieder der Hutterischen Brüder.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 377. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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