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Beggining of the revolution
Revolution was started in Paris. The Diet at Pozsony remained the real instrument of change. -
Kossuth's inscriptional speech
Inscriptional speech was read by Kossuth.
He demanded the immediate entertain of the Opposition Manifesto
He claimed constitution of the Habsburg Emperor's hereditary provinces too -
Vienne's Revolution
Revolution broke out in Vienna sweeping away Metternich's conservative system. -
Pass of the Inscriptional Suggestion
At the news of the Viennese revolution the Upper House approved of Kossuth’s proposal. A delegation of the diet set off to present the document to the Habsburg ruler -
12 points
Freedom of the press, abolition of censorship, responsible government in Pest-Buda, equality before the law, general taxation, abolition of serfdom and manorial duties of the peasants, ate army should swear an oath to the constitution, only Hungarian soldiers should stationed in Hungary, release of political prisoners, union with Transylvania -
Young men of March's action (12 points, Nemzeti Dal
Kossuth requested the opposition circles in Pest, Hungary's effective capital, to support his struggle at the diet by submitting a petition. So the revolutionary democrats, who came to be known as the "young men of March", decided to take immediate action. On 15th March 1848 they mobilized the students and began their historic march in Pest, starting from Cafe Pilvax. They first marched to the printing workshop of Landerer and they had the Twelve Points and Petőfi's freshly written poem printed -
The First Prime Minister
On March 17thCount Batthyány Lajos was appointed Prime Minister of Hungary with the task of forming a cabinet. -
Freedom of Serfs
Freedom of serfs were commanded by in Battyhyány Lajos's circular with state compensation -
Unsuccess modifications
Hungarian army, Finance department and Socage suggestion were editing suggested by Royal ordinance which was not passed -
The April laws
When the revolution broke out in Hungary, the last feudal diet was already in session which proved to be a real advantage. In the course of three weeks it codified the program of the opposition worked out by the liberal reformers of the Age of Reform. The Hungarian revolution not only triumphed but its achievements were also consolidated by law and sanctioned by Ferdinand V on 11th April, 1848. -
The first representative Hungarian parliament
It was against this background that elections were held in June 1848. The first representative Hungarian parliament was convened on 5th July 1848. About three-quarters of the MPs were noblemen; the people seemed to acknowledge the political expertise and the former services of the liberal nobility. Besides a handful of conservatives and radicals, the overwhelming majority was liberals and supported the government. -
Kossuth's offering speech
As Kossuth saw clearly, the Habsburg court would take advantage of the ethnic turmoil in Hungary, all the more so since the imperial forces were engaged in Italy. Britain stood aloof in splendid isolation wanting to keep the balance of power in Europe. France was occupied with its own internal problems.The most urgent issue was to consolidate the army and to secure the necessary finances. Enthused by Kossuth's speech, the MPs voted for 40 million forints of credit and 200,000 military recruits. -
Fight with Serbian
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Döbling
Széchenyi was transported by with shaken mental state -
Battle of Pákozd
Jelacic, encouraged by the court, crossed the Hungarian border in the south in September 1848. However, his troops were halted and defeated in the Battle of Pákozd on 29th September. The commander of the 'honvéd' battalions was General Móga János. The core of the revolutionary national army was made up of volunteers and the National Guards. Although the Hungarian forces chased the troops of the ban as far as the Austrian border, the ex-Habsburg officers were reluctant to pursue them further. -
Battyhyány's renounce
Battyhyány's renounce was accepted by the court. Jelacic was the new royal commissioner. -
Another revolution in Vienne
The Viennese radicals, who idolized the Hungarian revolutionaries, arose in another revolution, which triumphed on 6th October 1848. The Habsburg Court left the capital for Olmütz, Moravia, where severe steps were taken: General Prince Windischgraetz was appointed the commander-in-chief of all Habsburg armies. The emperor invested him with full powers to suppress the revolutions both in Vienna and in Hungary. -
Görgey Artúr the succes commanderin-chief
After weeks of hesitation, the Hungarian army finally did march onto Austrian soil. By that time, however, the revolution in Vienna had been suppressed; thus Hungarian and Austrian revolutionaries couldn't join forces. The Hungarian army was easily put to flight by the concentrated Austrian troops at the Battle of Schwechat on 30th October 1848. After the lost battle of Schwechat, Kossuth appointed a 31-year-old colonel, Görgey Artúr, commanderin-chief of the Hungarian army. -
Francis Joseph
On December 2
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1848 Ferdinand V was deposed and replaced by Francis Joseph on the throne of the Habsburg Empire. The Hungarian parliament rejected Francis Joseph's succession and the Hungarians did not recognize him as the King of Hungary. Only in 1867, after the Compromise was concluded. was he crowned with the Holy Crown. -
Windischgratz
On 13th December 1848 Windischgraetz launched a large-scale offensive campaign against revolutionary Hungary.On 30th December 1848 a major Hungarian force was badly beaten just outside Pest at the Battle of Mór. -
Evacuation
Kossuth ordered the evacuation of the capital. The revolutionary government along with the treasury, the mint and the Holy Crown moved to Debrecen. A parliamentary delegation was sent to negotiate the terms of peace with the Habsburg Commander-in-chief but Windischgraetz would only accept unconditional surrender. Windischgraetz reported to Olmütz that the rebellion had been suppressed. -
Battle of Kápolna
On 26-27th February 1849 the Battle of Kápolna brought victory for Windischgraetz over Dembinski, the new commander of Hungarian troops. Again Windischgraetz exaggerated the importance of the victory when he reported to the court that 'the rebellious hordes had been smashed'. -
Consequences of Battle of Kápolna
Believing that Windischgraetz had suppressed the Hungarian war of Independence the court issued a constitution to all the peoples of the Hapsburg Empire on 4th March 1849. It was the "octroyed" constitution of Olmütz. Fortunately it remained only on paper - it was never put into practice as it would have made Hungary a hereditary Habsburg province. The main idea was to establish a centralized monarchy where the emperor would not be responsible to anybody. -
Bem's winner battle
Bem's army occupied Nagyszeben. Erdély released. -
Declaration of Independence
By the middle of May Hungary was liberated. After the victories of the Spring Campaign, in the Calvinist Church in Debrecen, on the 14th April 1849 the parliament proclaimed the dethronement of the Habsburg dynasty and the Declaration of Independence. The form of state was unspecified, but Kossuth was made a governor-president whereas the new cabinet was formed by Szemere Bertalan. -
Spring Campaign
The Hungarian reaction was the Spring Campaign. As Dembinski suffered a defeat from Windischgraetz, he was removed and replaced by Görgey again. At the end of March 50.000 soldiers were ready for the counterattack. The campaign started with the victory at Hatvan on 2nd April, then on 4th April at Tápiobicske, on 6th at Isaszeg and on 10th at Vác. Bácska and Temesköz were liberated by Perczel whereas Bem was victorious in Transylvania. -
Miklós the 1st czar helping hand
The new state had to face serious foreign problems as well. First of all, Hungary was not acknowledged by European powers. According to the agreement of the conservative powers of the Holy Alliance on 9th May 1849 the Russian czar promised help to Francis Joseph -
Haynau's attack
By the middle of June a 200,000 strong Russian army was sent to Hungary. In late June Haynau launched an Austrian attack from the west and Görgey had to retreat from him to the south -
Haynau's attack was reflected by Görgey
Haynau's attack was reflected by Görgey in a hard fight. Görgey was damaged by one of Haynau's soldier. Then Görgey and his army went to Arad and connected to the other corps -
Nationality Law
The question of the ethnic minorities was still unsolved until the last days of the war of independence. On 28th July 1849 a new minority law was passed, which gave self-government to the minorities and made the language of the local majority the official language, but it was too late. The minorities had already turned against the Hungarians and were unwilling to accept new regulations. On the other hand, the government had no time to put the law in practice as the military situation -
Kossuth Bem the commander-in-chief
After Dembinski and his army lost the battle of Szőreg, Kossuth Bem was the new commander-in-chief.On 9th August 18-19 the Hungarian army suffered a crucial defeat at Temesvár. -
Görgey put down the weapon
On 11th August the members of the government resigned and gave dictatorial power to Görgey. On 13th August 1849 Görgey surrendered unconditionally to the Russians at Világos. -
Martyrs of Arad and Battyhyány execution
On 6th October 1849 the former Prime Minister, Batthyány was executed in Pest and 13 generals were executed in Arad becoming the martyrs of the Hungarian independence. Görgey and Kossuth left the country and Kossuth was followed by many emigrants who went mainly to Turkey.
