ZRINYI, COUNT NIKLAS, a Hungarian military officer; became famous for his defense of Sziget with 3,000 men against a Turkish army in August-September, 1566. While the enemy was forcing a narrow bridge leading to the castle on September 7, he ordered the gates to be opened and after firing a mortar filled with broken iron into their midst sallied forth at the head of 600 men. He was soon mortally shot, and several thousand Turks swarmed into the castle, where a mine of 3,000 pounds of gunpowder exploded immediately after their entrance, causing great carnage.