The Diet elected Gabriel prince on 7 March 1608, and sent delegates to him in Nagyecsed. Although his election was technically free, he controlled the strongest army in the principality (making resistance impossible). He pledged to respect the laws of the principality, especially the privileges of the Three Nations, before accepting his election on 14 March. Gabriel was ceremoniously installed in Kolozsvár on 31 March, and the Diet granted him the domains of Fogaras (now Făgăraș in Romania) and Kővár as hereditary estates. He began settling the Hajdús in Partium, and granted Böszörmény to those forced to leave Nagykálló; others received parcels in Bihar County. About 30,000 Hajdú soldiers received parcels of land from Gabriel during his reign.