Bocskai died in Kassa on 29 December 1606. A mob accused Káthay of poisoning Bocskai, and lynched him on 12 January 1607. Gabriel had demanded the Principality of Transylvania in a 2 January 1607 letter to the grand vizier, Kuyucu Murad Pasha. Bocskai's deputy, the elderly Sigismund Rákóczi, continued to administer the principality with the consent of the Diet of Transylvania. Gabriel sent Bethlen to Székely captain János Petki to secure his support, but Bethlen was imprisoned at Rákóczi's order on 26 January. Rákóczi also dismissed Várad captain Dénes Bánffy, the fiancé of Gabriel's sister Anna.