Stephen III Báthory (died 11 November 1444, Varna) was a Hungarian nobleman and commander. His most prestigious position was Palatine of Hungary. Stephen belonged to the Ecsed branch of the Báthory family. His parents were John V Báthory and Catherine, daughter of John Zanti. His older brother Bartholomew I Báthory fell in 1432 fighting against the Hussites. Stephen first appears in 1419 as dapiferorum regalium magister (master of the royal stewards), and later as a judge royal. In 1435 he was appointed Palatine of Hungary by King Sigismund. Sigismund's short-lived successor, King Albert of Habsburg awarded him with the castle Bujak. In 1444 he was the flag-bearer of Władysław, King of Poland and Hungary, in the Battle of Varna, in which he fell alongside his King. Stephen was married twice: After his death, his second wife Barbara went to court against Christine, the widow of Stephen's younger brother Thomas, with which she disputed a mill's revenue. Stephen fathered nine children: