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The European revolutions in 1848
Almost all over Europe revolutions had started to broke out and spread like a chain-reaction.The general tension was caused by the conservative international system and the wish of being united in a nation-state. -
France and other countries where the revolution had powerful effects
The Hungarians were also influenced by the other European countries and they followed their models.The revolutions in Naples,Paris,Rome and Piedmont preceded the Hungarian one. In France the crowd had raised barricades demonstrating their resistance.Louis Philippe I, the king of France was forced to abdicate on 24th February. He was the last king to rule the country. -
It reached Vienna
On 13th March revolution broke out in Vienna that swept away Metternich's conservative system.Kossuth"s proposal for a constitution not only for Hungary but also for the hereditary provinces was approved and presented to the Habsburg ruler, -
The beginning of the Hungarian revolution
The revolutionary democrats,who came to be known as the "young men of March" supported Kossuth in his struggle by submitting a petition. They mobilized the students and met at Cafe Pilvax. From this meeting point they marched to the printing workshop of Landerer. The Twelve Points and Petőfi's poem, "Nemzeti Dal" were printed. -
The next steps
After they got the counselors' consent to the Twelve Points at the Resident Council,Táncsics Mihály, a political prisoner was also released. -
Twelve Points
The revolutionary democrats went to the City Hall of Pest and made the council accept the Twelve Points.It was a truly revolutionary document that summed up the demands of the liberal opposition.They sent it to Pozsony as the petition of Pest. -
The growing pressure
On March 18th 1848 the wave of revolution reached Berlin and spread to Milan, -
Batthyány's government
Count Batthyány Lajos was apoointed Prime Minister of Hungary. His task was to form a cabinet. Battyhyány's goverment was a coalition, a union of different political parties for a special pupose. It included Liberals( e.g. Deák Ferenc, Kossuth Lajos,Count Lajos Batthyány), Independents( e.g.: Széchenyi István) and Conservatives (e.g.: Eszterházy Pál) -
Ethnic minorities
On 23rd March Josip Jelasic was appointed as Ban of Croatia. Unfortunately, there were serious problems in the country because of the questions of minorities.The collective right of the ethnic groups was not available, they had only individual rights.
Their requirements:
- Slovaks: the demand of lingustic rights
- Romanians:autonomy, rejection of the union of Transylvania and Hungary.
- Serbs: the political autonomy of the Serbian Voevodeship
- Croats:independent responsible government -
Success
The Hungarian revolution's achievements were sanctioned by Ferdinand V. Hungary became a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The link between the Habsburg Monarchy was preserved by the king. It had to be signed by one of the Hungarian ministers to become valid. -
The April Laws
- representative parliament
- the suffrage was more liberal -property qualifications : the percentage of vote raised from 1.6% to 8% of the population
- equality before the law
- liberation of serfs from personal bondage and manorial obligations --> they became owners of the plots on which they worked
- compensation to the landlords
- entailment and tax privileges were abolished
- freedom of press and religion -the reunion of Hungary and Transylvania
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Prague
The wave of the revolution didn't avoid even Prague. The discontent was growing constantly. -
Preparation
The first representative Hungarian parliament was convened on 5th July. Kossuth realized that the Habsburgs would take advantage of the ethnic problems in Hungary. The other European countries were engaged or aloof so he decided to consolidate the army in case of any attacks from the Habsburgs. On 11th July the parliament voted for 40 million forints of credits and 200,000 military recruits. -
The battle of Custoza
At the end of July 23-25th Marshal Radetzky, a Czech nobleman and Austrian general, defeated the Italian rebels,thus the Viennese Court was able to devote its attention to revolutionary Hungary. -
Resignation
On 11th September Batthyány resigned when Jelacic who had organized an army to attack Hungary, crossed the country's border with his troops with the permission of the Habsburg government. Before Batthyány's resignation his government had begun disintegrate so it was an expected act. -
The battle of Pákozd
Although Jelacic's army crossed the Hungarian border easily,they were defeated in Pákozd by János Móga,the commander of the honvéd battalions.The core of the revolutionany army consisted of volunteers and the National Guards. -
The overlooked decree
The Hungarian parliament was dissolved by a royal decree and Jelacic took over control. However, this decree was ignored by the Hungarian parliament and the National Defence Committee (founded in September) was invested with supreme executive power. -
Another revolution in Vienna
The Viennese radicals following the Hungarian revolutionaries, arose in another revolution that was really prosperous. Therefore, the Habsburg Court left the capital and moved to Olmütz where general Prince Windischgraetz appointed the commander-in-chief of all Habsburgs armies to suppress the revolutions. -
Artúr Görgey
Artúr Görgey was appointed commander-in-chief of the Hngarian army and lead it in an excellent way.Drilling the soldiers,he created a strong army and the number of volunteers grew. -
The battle of Schwechat
Unfortunately, the Austrian revolution had been suppressed so it was impossible to join Hungarian and Austrian forces.Thus the Austrian troops easily overcame the Hungarian army in Schwechat. -
Francis Joseph
Ferdinand V was deposed by his nephew, Francis Joseph.Nevertheless, the Hungarian parliament rejected him and did not recognize him as the king of Hungary. -
The battle of Mór
The Hungarian force was heavily beaten outside Pest so Kossuth ordered the evacuation of the capital.The revolutionary government,the treasury,the mint and the Holy Crown moved to Debrecen. -
The battle of Kápolna
On 26-27th February 1849 Windischgraetz had a splendid victory over Dembinski. The Austrian commander-in-chief reported about the smash of the rebels with exaggeration. -
The "octroyed" constitution of Olmütz
Because of Windischgraetz exaggerated report, the Habsburg Court believed that the Hungarian war of Independence was suppressed.As a result, it issued the "octroyed" constitution of Olmütz.Forutnately,it was never put into practice. The Habsburgs' main aim was to establish a centralized monarchy and to give the emperor absolute power. -
The Spring Campaign
The Spring Campaign took from 2nd March to 21st May. The plan was the enclusore of the imperial troops,the liberation of Komárom and Transylvania and the occupation of the southern territories.It started with Hatvan on 2nd April, then Tápióbicske on 4th April,Isaszeg on 6th and Vác on 10th. Perzel liberated Bácska and Temesköz while Bem had victory in Transyvania. -
Declaration of Independence
In the Calvinist Church in Debrecen the parliament proclaimed the dethronement of the Habsburg dynasty and the Declaration of Independence.Kossuth was made a governor-president and Szemere Bertalan formed a new cabinet. -
Assistance and retreat
The Russian czar helped to Francis Joseph because of the agreement of the conservative powers of the Holy Alliance.He sent 200,000 Russian army to Hungary.At the end of June Görgey retreated from the Austrian attack lead by Haynau. -
New minority law
The minorities were not satisfied with their conditions. They demanded special privileges and peasants' movements were also frequent.Finally, on 28th July a new minority law was passed. Ethnic groups got self-government and it made the language of the local moajirity the official language, but it was too late.They had already turned against the Hungarians and didn't accept new regulations. -
The battle of Temesvár
Görgey expected to meet Bem,however, at Segesvár the Russian troops annihilated Bem's army.On 9th August the Hungarians suffered a crucial defeat at Temesvár. -
Dictatorial power and the last struggles of the revolution
On 11th August the members of the government resigned and Görgey got dictatorial power.
On 13th August at Világos Görgey was forced to surrender to the Russians as well as György Klapka in Komárom on 2nd October. -
Bloody revenge
The Viennese court hated the fact that the Hungarians surrendered to the Russians that's why showing their power they executed the former Prime Minister, Batthyány in Pest and other 13 generals in Arad who became the martyrs of the Hungarian independence.
Görgey and Kossuth left the country followed by many emigrants who went to Turkey.
