Kossuth (LOUIS the leader)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

LOUIS, the leader of the Hungarian revolution; born in Monok in Hungary in 1802. His family was of noble rank, but his parents were poor. He studied law at the Protestant college of Sarospatak, and practiced for a time. In 1832 he commenced his political career at the Diet of Presburg as the deputy of absent magnates. The publication of a lithographed paper led, in May, 1837, to Kossuth's imprisonment. He was liberated in 1840, and became the editor of the "Pesti Hirlap," a newspaper in which he advocated views which took strong hold of the youth of the country. In 1847 he was sent by the county of Pest as deputy to the Diet, and soon became the leader of the opposition. He advocated the emancipation of the peasants, the abolition of all feudal rights and privileges, and, after the French revolution of 1848, openly demanded an independent government for Hungary and constitutional government in the Austrian hereditary territories. To his speeches must in great part be ascribed not only the Hungarian revolution, but the insurrection in Vienna in March, 1848. On the resignation of the ministry in September, 1848, he found himself at the head of the Committee of National Defense, and prosecuted with extraordinary energy the measures necessary for carrying on the war. He was now appointed provisional govof Hungary; but being disapernor pointed in his hopes for the intervention of the Western Powers, and finding the national cause jeopardized by the interference of Russia, he endeavored to arouse the people to a more desperate effort. The attempt was vain. After the defeat at Temesvar on Aug. 9, 1849, he found himself compelled to flee into Turkey, where he was made a prisoner; but, though his extradition dewas manded both by Austria and Russia, the Porte resisted their claims. In September, 1851, he was liberated by the influence of England and the United In Septem States, and, sailed in an American frigby the inate to England, where he was received United with every demonstration of public re- મરજી પર spect and sympathy. In December of was received the same year he landed in the United blle re States, where he met with a most enthusiastic reception. Unite He returned in June, 1852, to England, and there he chiefly resided, till Sardinia and France prepared for war with Austria; when, on condition of something definite being done for Hungarian for war wit independence, he proposed to Napoleon of no to arrange a Hungarian rising against Austria. He secured England's to Napoleon neutrality in the event of the war extending to Hungary. The peace of Villafranca Cand's bitterly disappointed Kossuth, but did not dishearten him. He made two other Villar attempts (in 1860-1861, in conjunction with Cavour and with the help of Napoleon; in 1866, with the aid of Victor Emmanuel) to bring about a rising against Austrian rule in his native country, but without final success. When in 1867 Deák effected the reconciliation of Hungary with the dynasty, and initiated a modus vivendi between the two parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Kossuth retired from active political life. He refused to avail himself of the general amnesty (1867), and to return to his native land to take the oath of fealty to the dynasty he had once dethroned. In 1880-1882 he published three volumes of "Memories of My Exile"; others followed in 1890. He died in Turin, March 21, 1894.