Born: 1643, Croatia
Died: 18 February 1703
Country most active: Hungary
Also known as: Jelena Zrinska, Ilona Zrínyi
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
Hungarian history is full of the memory of patriotic heart, unswerving devotion, sacrifice and service. The annals of Hungarian history contain such great women as St. Elizabeth the patron of the poor, Margaret of the royal house of Arpad the protector of the needy, Katicza Dobo, who shared with her heroic husband the laurels of war against the Turks by defending the fortress of Eger and a great many others whose memories are cherished in the hearts of every Hungarian. Yet for patriotic service, a keen sense of diplomacy and an astonishing ability of conducting affairs of the state of the greatest importance the fame of Zrinyi Ilona outshines completely the brilliant array of Hungary’s great women. Born of one of the oldest and wealthiest families of the Hungary of the seventeenth century she soon learned the various fortunes of war and rebellion which several great feudal lords lead against the oppressing dynasty of the Habsburgs, who for many decades tried to subjugate the liberty loving Hungarian race. Of her own family one died on the scaffold, another fell on the battlefield, an encounter against the Turks who then tried with more or less success tried to conquer the South-Eastern part of Europe and ever since the unfortunate battle of Mohacs held under their domination about half of Hungary. Zrinyi Ilona’s first husband was first Rakoczy Gyorgy, prince and ruler of Transylvania and an implacable enemy of the Habsburgs.
After his death Zrinyi Ilona became the wife of Imre Tokoli, another leader of great renown in the long waged campaign against Austrian tyranny and religious persecution. Their match was an ideal one and she was literally Tokoli’s helpmate in the best sense of the word helping him even in his military enterprises. It was in this latter capacity that she successfully defended for a long time the fortified city of Munkacs in North Eastern Hungary against the besieging Austrian troops and the surrender of the famous fortress was accomplished only by the treachery of some of her lieutenants, who were bought ofi by the enemy. After her surrender even the Austrian Emperor treated her with all the respect due to her rank and heroic deeds and though to a certain degree she lost her liberty she retained the admiration of a grateful nation. She was exiled together with her husband to a place in Asia Minor and died on the 16th of February 1703. Some time later her body was interred in Galata, a Suburb of Constantinople in the Jesuit Church. Her remains were brought back to Hungary on the 6th of October 1906 and were placed in the Cathedral of Kassa forming a national shrine of continuous adoration. Her heroic feats were immortalized by the best of the Hungarian poets and she remains a model of patriotic devotion for Hungarians for all the ages.