Ferenc Tahy

Ferenc Tahy de Tahvár et Tarkő, (also known as Franjo Tahi, or Tahy in Croatian and as Ferenc Tahi in Slovenian; 1526–1573) was a Hungarian–Croatian nobleman from the Tahy family, which draws its origins from Pilis County. He was known to have held the positions of royal adviser and master of the horse.

Biography Tahy distinguished himself in the wars against the Ottoman Turks, for which he was appointed commander of the royal army in southern Hungary as well as the commander of strongholds in Szigetvár and Kanizsa. After his estates in Slavonia and Hungary were seized by the Ottomans in 1556, he acquired new estates in Stattenberg, Styria and in 1564, one half of the Susedgrad-Stubica seigniory, the former estate of the Báthory family. This acquisition brought him into confrontation with the Henning family who owned the other half of the Susedgrad-Stubica seigniory. In 1565, using the help of local peasants, the Hennings drove out Tahy and his family and defeated the viceroy's army that was sent there to help the Tahys reclaim their new estates. The seigniory was soon confiscated by the Hungarian Royal Chamber. Tahy confronted the Chamber's manager, which resulted in the leasing of the seigneury back to Tahy in 1569. Soon after, a series of rebellions broke out there.

Role in Croatian-Slovene Peasant Revolt Ferenc Tahy's treatment of Croatian peasants was traditionally known as the key factor which led to the Croatian-Slovene Peasant revolt, although modern historiography emphasizes other causes as crucial factors that caused the rebellion, most notably economic ones. In explaining what caused the revolt, he instead points to struggles for the seigniory ownership and malversations of royal official Stjepan Grdak. Tahy's grave was kicked out of church where he was originally buried - by the order of local priest - because infertile village women came to worship Tahy's relief hoping that it would make them fertile again. The relief was subsequently conserved in Museum of Peasant Revolts.

In popular culture Tahy was portrayed by Serbian actor Pavle Vuisić in Yugoslav/Croatian historical war movie Anno Domini 1573.

Croatian heavy metal band Podne Rogato made a song named "Franjo Tahi" dedicated to him.

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