Here he was again followed by the Poles, and, to complete his perplexities, the Turks commenced making raids into his country.  Once more he was defeated by the former on the Telega river, near Ploiesti.  A brother of Jeremiah Mogila having been put upon the throne of Wallachia, Michael found it necessary to take refuge in the Banate of Craiova, his first seat of government.  Then it was that he appealed for protection to the German emperor, expressing his desire to present himself before him to plead his own cause.  Rudolph granted him a safe-conduct for himself and a moderate following through Siebenbuergen, and Michael proceeded to the German Court.  Notwithstanding the safe-conduct, however, his journey was fraught with peril.  He was fired upon from castles, was followed by hostile bands, and was at last only allowed to cross the river Theiss at Tokay with a hundred men.  He reached Vienna in safety on January 12, 1601, and was there prevented from proceeding to Prague, where the Emperor was, by orders from the imperial court.

Shortly after this, however, the Transylvanian nobles, as faithless to Rudolph, to whom they had sworn fealty, as they had been to Michael, recalled Sigismund Bathori, and, without the sanction of the Emperor, placed him on the throne of Siebenbuergen.  Then it was that Rudolph found it convenient to allow Michael to approach his person.  The latter, on his arrival, presented a petition embodying his defence which might have been drawn by a special pleader, and which was accepted by the Emperor as a justification of his proceedings.  A complete reconciliation took place between them, and Michael was formally re-appointed vicegerent of Transylvania.  A sufficiently well-appointed army and a large sum of money were placed at his disposal, and he was requested to join with his old enemy, General Basta, in dethroning Sigismund.  An apparent reconciliation took place between the two chiefs, Michael and Basta, and they marched as allies into Siebenbuergen.  Sigismund, finding that his case with the Emperor was hopeless, and after, it is said, vainly endeavouring by foul means to prevent the junction of Michael and Basta, sought and obtained the aid of the Turks and Moldavians.  That is to say, the former would have sent him a contingent of troops had not Michael, by means of forged letters, purporting to be signed by Sigismund, kept them at a distance.  The opposing forces met at Goroszlo near Klausenburg, and after a hotly contested battle the Transylvanians were defeated with terrible slaughter.  Hardly, however, was the victory won when jealousies and recriminations between the two generals followed.