Sztáray family

The Sztáray family (counts of Nagymihály and Sztára) is an ancient Hungarian family, which takes its origin from the Kaplon genus.

== Origins == The first traceable ancestor of the family was Jákó, who lived around the first half of the 13th century, in the time of King Béla IV of Hungary. Jákó's wife was Kata Szoboszlai, from whom two sons are known: András, Lord-lieutenant of Ung County, and Jákó, Lord-lieutenant of Zemplén County and Master of the cupbearers.

The family received their Nagymihályi estate around 1249, and Sztára was given to them in 1273. The use of their old coat of arms was confirmed by King Sigismund on 29 March 1418.

The extant branch of the Sztáray family is descended from Lőrinc IV, son of András. The family became barons on 23 June 1725 and counts on 6 April 1747.

== Notable members ==


 * Count Anton Sztáray (1740–1808) – decorated Habsburg military commander during the Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791), the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars


 * Count Mihály Vincent Sztáray (1749–1798) – composer and violinist
 * Count Albert Sztáray (1785–1843) – Conservative Party politician
 * Count Anton Sztáray (1839–1893) (son of Albert) – National Party politician
 * Countess Irma Sztáray (1863–1940) – courtier and memoirist, lady-in-waiting of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, present during her assassination
 * Count István Sztáray (1858–1896) – politician and diplomat, his murder is still unsolved
 * Count János Nepomuk Sztáray (1840–1900) – politician and jockey

== Properties (selection) ==