Eastern Hungarian Kingdom - Treaty of Speyer

Treaty of Speyer

In 1570 (ratified in 1571), by the Treaty of Speyer (Spires), John II Sigismund, John I's son, abdicated as king of Hungary, and a new dukedom was invented for him: "Joannes, serenissimi olim Joannis regis Hungariae, Dalmatiae, Croatiae etc. filius, Dei gratia princeps Transsylvaniae ac partium regni Hungariae" (imperial prince), from which derives the name Partium.

This treaty, like the earlier Grosswardein (Nagyvárad) accord, endorsed the principle of a united Hungary. Partium and Transylvania were entrusted to John II Sigismund, but under the title of imperial prince. As mentioned above, the Zápolya held Partium before, but the treaty allowed them to do this without fear that the Habsburgs would contest the house of Zápolya's lordship. In a sense, Zápolya traded title for territory.

Eastern Hungarian Kingdom became the predecessor to the Principality of Transylvania. The principality, where native princes, who paid the Turks tribute, ruled with considerable autonomy and where Austrian and Turkish influences vied for supremacy for nearly two centuries. All rulings after 1570 as King of Hungary refer to the territory known as "Royal Hungary", and as Prince refer to the "Principality of Transylvania".