Transylvania’s 1558 Diet of Turda declares free practice of both the Catholic and Lutheran religions, but prohibits Calvinism.

...the Transylvanian Diet grants religious freedom to Catholics, Lutherans, the Reformed Church, and those who are soon to be called Unitarians, declaring that "It is not allowed to anybody to intimidate anybody with captivity or expelling for his teaching"—a freedom unusual in Europe until this time and for some time after.

The Transylvanian Diet in 1571 gives constitutional recognition to all four of the received religions.

Sigismund (Zsigmond) Báthory, the son of Christopher Báthory and nephew of Stephen (István Báthory, the late king of Poland), had succeeded his father as Voivod of Transylvania in 1581; he assumes actual control of government affairs in 1588 on attaining his majority and joins the league of Christian princes against the Turks.

The obvious danger of such a course caused no small anxiety in the principality, and the Diet of Turda, which in this year declares free practice of both the Catholic and Lutheran religions, even goes far as to demand a fresh coronation oath from the young king.

Notable Bulgarian uprisings against the Ottomans had occurred in the 1590s, and when the decline of the Ottoman Empire begins about 1600, the order of local institutions in Bulgaria gives way to arbitrary repression, which eventually generates armed opposition.

Beginning in the 1600s, local bandits, called hajduti (sing., hajdutin), lead small uprisings.

(Some writers now describe these uprisings as precursors of a Bulgarian nationalist movement.

Most scholars agree, however, that hajdutin activities responded only to local misrule and their raids victimized both Christians and Muslims.

Whatever their motivation, hajdutin exploits will become a central theme of national folk culture.)

Rákóczi, returning in 1659 with other Hungarian recruits to Transylvania, is again proclaimed prince.

Turkish forces under the pasha (governor) of Buda invade in response and attack from Temesvár to Torda and Herrmannstadt, victorious all the way.