Hungary's first prime minister, who formed its first responsible government in 1848 and was shot in Pest on 6 October 1849
Born in 1807 at Pozsony into the ancient magnate house of the Counts Batthyány, he took his seat in the Upper House as a hereditary peer in 1830, led the opposition there from the Diet of 1839–1840 and on 15 March 1847 became the first president of the Opposition Party formed by the reformers. On 17 March 1848, with the emperor's assent, he formed Hungary's first responsible government, implemented the April Laws and organised the national guard and the revolutionary army. When Vienna refused his appeals to halt Jelačić and compromise proved impossible, he resigned on 2 October. Arrested in Pest on 8 January 1849 and sentenced to death by a military court at Olmütz, he attempted suicide, and his sentence was changed from hanging to the firing squad; he was executed in Pest on 6 October.
Also known as: Louis Batthyány · Count Lajos Batthyány
Activities and affiliations
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1830–1848
Legislature and state representation
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1847–1848
Opposition Party (Hungary, 1847–1849)
Political and party leadership -
1848
Hungary state institutionsMain
Government and administration
Career Timeline
- 1830Hereditary member of the Upper House
- 1847–1848President of the Opposition Party
- 1848Prime minister of Hungary
- 1849Arrested; shot in Pest
Related historical events
- 1848.03–1849.10The Hungarian Revolution and War of IndependencePrime minister of Hungary's first responsible governmentFormed the first responsible ministry in March 1848, implemented the April Laws and organised the armed forces, but resigned on 2 October when compromise with the court proved impossible. Arrested in January 1849, he was shot in Pest on 6 October.
- 1848–1849The Revolutions of 1848First Hungarian responsible prime ministerLed the government of the April Laws and was executed in Pest on 6 October 1849.