rákóczi

Rákóczi is a Hungarian noble surname associated with one of the most influential aristocratic families in the history of Transylvania and the Kingdom of Hungary. The Rákóczi house rose to prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries, acquiring land and political power within the Principality of Transylvania, which for long periods functioned as a semi-autonomous state under Ottoman suzerainty and later under Habsburg influence. Members of the family held high offices and, at times, the title of Prince of Transylvania.

Notable members include György Rákóczi (George Rákóczi), who served as Prince of Transylvania, and Ferenc II Rákóczi, who led the Hungarian uprising known as Rákóczi's War of Independence against Habsburg rule from 1703 to 1711. Ferenc II's campaign drew significant support from Hungarians and reform-minded nobles, and though it was ultimately suppressed, it left a lasting mark on national memory and the later push for constitutional reform.

The Rákóczi surname continues to be associated with Hungarian and Romanian history and appears in geographic names, cultural institutions, and literature. The family is frequently cited in studies of 17th- and 18th-century Central European politics, particularly in relation to Transylvania's status within the Habsburg empire and the broader history of Hungarian autonomy movements.