1802–1894
→ Died in exile
Leader of Hungary's revolution of 1848, who as head of the National Defence Committee and regent-president led the war of independence
Born in 1802 at Monok into a Lutheran family of the lesser nobility, he became a lawyer. Arrested for high treason in 1837 and held until 1840, he edited the Pesti Hírlap from 1841, calling for the abolition of serfdom and aristocratic privilege. He led the founding of the Opposition Party in 1847, wrote its programme and entered the Diet for Pest. His speech of 3 March 1848 helped ignite the revolution in Vienna, and he became finance minister in the Batthyány cabinet. From the end of September, as president of the National Defence Committee, he raised the Honvéd, and in April 1849 he drove through the declaration of independence and became regent-president. On 11 August he handed power to Görgei and fled to the Ottoman Empire; after a tour of the United States he lived in Britain and Italy, condemned the Compromise of 1867 and died in Turin in 1894.
Also known as: Louis Kossuth · Ľudovít Košút
Activities and affiliations
- 1841–1844
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1847–1848
Opposition Party (Hungary, 1847–1849)
Political and party leadership -
1847–1849
Legislature and state representation
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1848
Government and administration
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1848–1849
Hungary state institutionsMain
Political and party leadership
Career Timeline
- 1837–1840Imprisoned for high treason
- 1841–1844Editor of the Pesti Hírlap
- 1847Founded the Opposition Party; deputy for Pest
- 1848Minister of finance
- 1848–1849President of the National Defence Committee
- 1849Regent-president of Hungary
- 1849–1894Exile in the Ottoman Empire, Britain and Italy
Related historical events
- 1848.03–1849.10The Hungarian Revolution and War of IndependencePresident of the National Defence Committee, regent-presidentBegan as finance minister, led the National Defence Committee from the autumn of 1848 and raised the Honvéd, drove through the declaration of independence of April 1849 and became regent-president. On 11 August he handed power to Görgei and fled to the Ottoman Empire.
- 1848–1849The Revolutions of 1848Leader of the Hungarian revolutionLed the National Defence Committee, declared independence at Debrecen in April 1849 and went into exile after the defeat.