Stephen Bethlen

Stephen Bethlen de Iktár (1582 – 23 December 1648) was the Prince of Transylvania in late 1630.

[2] He was the younger brother of Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania between 1613-1629 and King-elect of Hungary.

After the death of his brother, Stephen Bethlen tried on January 25, 1630 without success to take over the reign from his sister-in-law Catherine of Brandenburg.

On September 28, 1630 he was more successful and raised to the rank of Prince of Transylvania in Kolozsvár, but he resigned after only 60 days later on November 26, 1630 in Segesvár.

On December 1, 1630, George I Rákóczi was elected as new Prince of Transylvania by the Transylvanian state parliament.