Ілона Зріні (1643-1703) – daughter of the Croatian magnate, ban Peter Zrini, wife of the Prince of Transylvania Ferenc I Rakoczy. After the death of Ferenc I for the second time married on Imre Tekeli, who led the revolt againstHabsburg’s.
Ilona Zrini went down in history due to the fact that for almost three years heroically repelled the attacks of the Austrian troops on Mukachevsky castle.Ilona Zrini boldly led the defense fortresses. To support morale, she is fearless with her ten-year-old son Ferenc appeared on the bastions during the fighting. She selflessly together with her daughter helped treat wounded soldiers. At the beginning of 1688, Mukachevo castle remained the only territory of the Principality of Transylvania that was not occupied by the Habsburgs.
The Turkish Sultan Mehmet IV granted Ilona Zrini diploma-atname for bravery. This is the only time in history when such an honor was awarded to a woman.
Realizing That zrini could not be defeated by starvation, the Austrian generals resorted to a trick: they forged a letter in the name of Imre Tekeli, in which he allegedly asked his wife to stop resisting. And then the brave Ilona signed the act of surrender of the fortress. She was immediately captured. She was taken to Vienna and then separated from her husband. children and put in monasteries Saint Ursula. It was not until 1692 that she received freedom. It was exchanged for the captured Austrian General z. Geissler. She left her homeland for good and went to her husband in Turkey, where she lived with him for the rest of her life.
In 1906 her ashes along with those of Imre Tekeli were transported from Izmit and reburied in Kosice.
Ilona Zrini 
Monument to Ilona Zrini and Ferenc 2 in Mukachevo castle 
Chinadi castle. Ilona Zrini and Imre Tekeli’s love castle
