Gabor Bethlen, prince of Transylvania, born in 1580, of an eminent Magyar Protestant family, died Nov. 15,1629. In 1613, after the death of the two Bath oris, he succeeded, with the aid of Turkey, in being elected prince of Transylvania. Joining the Bohemians in 1019 in the war against Austria, he took Presburg, threatened Vienna, and the Magyar nobles elected him king of Hungary (Aug. 25, 1620). At the beginning of 1022, however, he concluded at Nikols-burg a peace with the emperor Ferdinand II., who ceded to him seven Hungarian counties and two Silesian principalities on condition of bis abandoning the Hungarian crown. This treaty being violated by the imperialists, he renewed hostilities in 1023, and at the head of a powerful force invaded Moravia; but. unable to join the Protestant army under Christian of Brunswick, he concluded an armistice, then a treaty of peace, which he again broke in 1626 on his marriage with Catharine of Brandenburg. Shortly afterward he made a third and permanent alliance, with Ferdinand II., henceforward devoting himself to Transylvanian interests, and founded an academy at Weissen-burg (now Karlsburg), which still exists at Knved, promoting learning by appointing German professors.

He was regarded as one of the pillars of Protestantism.