Artúr Görgey
Encyclopedia
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Artúr Görgey de Görgő et Toporcz was a Hungarian
military leader.
He was born at Toporz (today Toporec
) in Upper Hungary
of a Hungarian noble family of originally Zipser German
descent who immigrated to Upper Hungary during the reign of king Géza II (1131–1161). During the reformation they were converted to Protestantism. The family name refers to their origin from Görgő village (< "of Görgő")
In 1837 he entered the Bodyguard of Hungarian Nobles at Vienna
, where he combined military service with a course of study at the university. In 1845, on his father's death, he left the army to study chemistry at the University of Prague
, after which he retired to the family estates in Hungary.
When the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
broke out against the Austrian Empire
, Görgey joined the rebels. He entered the Honvéd Army with the rank of captain, was employed in the purchase of arms, and soon became major and commandant of the national guards north of the Tisza
. While resisting the Croatia
n army 's crossing of the Danube
at Csepel-sziget, Görgey captured and arrested the wealthy Hungarian Count Ödön (Edmund) Zichy. Count Zichy was charged with treason for his pro-Austrian activities, court-martial
ed, and hanged.
After various successes over the Croatian forces, of which the most remarkable was at Ozora
, where 10,000 prisoners were taken, Görgey was appointed commander of the army of the Upper Danube. But when Austrian troops under Windisch-Grätz advanced across the Lajta, he resolved to fall back. In spite of the remonstrances of his political superior, Lajos Kossuth
, he held to his resolution and retreated upon Vác
. Here, irritated by what he considered undue interference with his plans, he issued (5 January 1849) a proclamation throwing the blame for the recent want of success upon the government, thus virtually revolting against their authority. Görgey retired to the Hungarian Ore Mountains
and conducted operations on his own initiative.
The supreme command was conferred upon Henryk Dembiński
, but when he lost the Battle of Kápolna
(where Görgey's corps arrived too late to take an effective part) the command was again conferred upon Görgey. He conducted the spring 1849 campaign brilliantly and defeated Windisch-Grätz in a series of engagements. In April, Görgey won at Gödöllő
, Isaszeg
, and Nagysalló (now Tekovské Lužany
), relieved Komárom (now Komárno
), and again won at Vác. He failed to follow up his successes by taking the offensive against the Austrian frontier, contenting himself with besieging Buda
, the Hungarian capital, in which he desired to re-establish the Diet
. After taking Buda, Görgey remained inactive for some weeks.
Meanwhile, at a Diet held at Debrecen
, Kossuth had formally proposed the dethronement of the Habsburg dynasty. Görgey had refused Kossuth's offer of the field-marshal's baton, and was not in sympathy with the new regime. However, he accepted the portfolio of minister of war, while retaining the command of the troops in the field. The Russians had now intervened in the struggle and made common cause with the Austrians; the allies were advancing into Hungary on all sides. Kossuth saw the impossibility of continuing the struggle and resigned his position as regent-president. Görgey, who had been fighting hard against the enemy, succeeded him as military dictator with emergency powers. Convinced that he could not break through the enemy's lines, Görgey surrendered his army of 20,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry to the Russian general Rüdiger in the Surrender at Világos
.
Görgey was not court-martialed, as his generals were, but kept in confinement at Klagenfurt
. He lived there, chiefly employed in chemical work, until 1867, when he was pardoned and returned to Hungary. The surrender, and particularly the fact that his life was spared while his generals and many of his officers and men were hanged or shot, led to his being accused of treason
by public opinion. After his release he played no further part in public life.
In 1885, an attempt by a large number of his old comrades to rehabilitate him was not favorably received in Hungary. After some years work as a railway engineer he retired to Visegrád
, where he lived in retirement. For decades he had been considered a traitor, often humiliated in public places, but in the last years of his life, his very important role during the War and unique military talent became widely acknowledged by his compatriots.
General Görgey wrote a justification of his operations ' onMouseout='HidePop("44318")' href="/topics/Leipzig">Leipzig
, 1852), an anonymous paper under the title (1875), and a reply to Kossuth's charges (signed Joh. Demar) in , 1881, pp. 25–26. Amongst those who wrote in his favor were Captain Stephan Görgey ' onMouseout='HidePop("69632")' href="/topics/Budapest">Budapest
, 1885), and Colonel Aschermann .
Artúr Görgey de Görgő et Toporcz was a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
military leader.
He was born at Toporz (today Toporec
Toporec
Toporec is a village and municipality in Kežmarok District in the Prešov Region of north Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 572 metres and covers an area of 28.122km² . It has a population of about 1690 people.-External links:...
) in Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary is the usual English translation for the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia...
of a Hungarian noble family of originally Zipser German
Zipser Germans
The Zipser Germans were/are a German-speaking ethnic group in former northern Kingdom of Hungary, now in Slovakia and in the northwest area of Romania called Maramureş. Those who did not escape from the Red Army were mostly expelled from Czechoslovakia....
descent who immigrated to Upper Hungary during the reign of king Géza II (1131–1161). During the reformation they were converted to Protestantism. The family name refers to their origin from Görgő village (< "of Görgő")
In 1837 he entered the Bodyguard of Hungarian Nobles at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he combined military service with a course of study at the university. In 1845, on his father's death, he left the army to study chemistry at the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, after which he retired to the family estates in Hungary.
When the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
broke out against the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, Görgey joined the rebels. He entered the Honvéd Army with the rank of captain, was employed in the purchase of arms, and soon became major and commandant of the national guards north of the Tisza
Tisza
The Tisza or Tisa is one of the main rivers of Central Europe. It rises in Ukraine, and is formed near Rakhiv by the junction of headwaters White Tisa, whose source is in the Chornohora mountains and Black Tisa, which springs in the Gorgany range...
. While resisting the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n army 's crossing of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
at Csepel-sziget, Görgey captured and arrested the wealthy Hungarian Count Ödön (Edmund) Zichy. Count Zichy was charged with treason for his pro-Austrian activities, court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed, and hanged.
After various successes over the Croatian forces, of which the most remarkable was at Ozora
Ozora
Ozora is a village in , Hungary. It has been a notable historic site since the Middle Ages. Pipo of Ozora built his castle here in the 15th century by permission of Sigismund of Hungary in 1416...
, where 10,000 prisoners were taken, Görgey was appointed commander of the army of the Upper Danube. But when Austrian troops under Windisch-Grätz advanced across the Lajta, he resolved to fall back. In spite of the remonstrances of his political superior, Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva was a Hungarian lawyer, journalist, politician and Regent-President of Hungary in 1849. He was widely honored during his lifetime, including in the United Kingdom and the United States, as a freedom fighter and bellwether of democracy in Europe.-Family:Lajos...
, he held to his resolution and retreated upon Vác
Vác
Vác is a town in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 35,000 inhabitants. The archaic spellings of the name are Vacz and Vacs.-Location:...
. Here, irritated by what he considered undue interference with his plans, he issued (5 January 1849) a proclamation throwing the blame for the recent want of success upon the government, thus virtually revolting against their authority. Görgey retired to the Hungarian Ore Mountains
Slovak Ore Mountains
Slovak Ore Mountains is an extensive mountainous region of Slovakia's Spiš and Gemer region, and in small part in northern Hungary, within the Carpathians. It is the largest mountain range in Slovakia...
and conducted operations on his own initiative.
The supreme command was conferred upon Henryk Dembiński
Henryk Dembinski
Henryk Dembiński was a Polish engineer, traveler and general.Dembiński was born in Strzałków, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 1809 he entered the Polish army of the Duchy of Warsaw and took part in most of the Napoleonic campaigns in the East. Among others, he took part in the Battle of Leipzig in...
, but when he lost the Battle of Kápolna
Battle of Kápolna
The Battle of Kápolna was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 26 and 27 February 1849. The battle ended with Austrian victory and influenced the politics of central Europe: Franz Joseph I announced the Constitution of Omnütz on 4 March 1849.- Dembiński, the Polish supreme...
(where Görgey's corps arrived too late to take an effective part) the command was again conferred upon Görgey. He conducted the spring 1849 campaign brilliantly and defeated Windisch-Grätz in a series of engagements. In April, Görgey won at Gödöllő
Gödöllo
Gödöllő is a town situated in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is about 31,000 according to the 2001 census. It can be easily reached from Budapest with the suburban railway . Gödöllő is home to the Szent István...
, Isaszeg
Isaszeg
Isaszeg is a town in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary. It has a population of 10,979 .-Sightseeing:On the top of the cemetery hill stands the old parochial church of the village. It was last rebuilt in gothic style. However, the foundations of the old rotunda is visible north and...
, and Nagysalló (now Tekovské Lužany
Tekovské Lužany
Tekovské Lužany is a village and municipality in the Levice District in the Nitra Region of Slovakia.-History:In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1156. The settlement had Hungarian majority in the 17th century according to the Turkish tax census.-Geography:The village lies at...
), relieved Komárom (now Komárno
Komárno
Komárno is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers. Komárno was formed from part of a historical town in Hungary situated on both banks of the Danube. Following World War I, the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the historical, unified town in half,...
), and again won at Vác. He failed to follow up his successes by taking the offensive against the Austrian frontier, contenting himself with besieging Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
, the Hungarian capital, in which he desired to re-establish the Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
. After taking Buda, Görgey remained inactive for some weeks.
Meanwhile, at a Diet held at Debrecen
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
, Kossuth had formally proposed the dethronement of the Habsburg dynasty. Görgey had refused Kossuth's offer of the field-marshal's baton, and was not in sympathy with the new regime. However, he accepted the portfolio of minister of war, while retaining the command of the troops in the field. The Russians had now intervened in the struggle and made common cause with the Austrians; the allies were advancing into Hungary on all sides. Kossuth saw the impossibility of continuing the struggle and resigned his position as regent-president. Görgey, who had been fighting hard against the enemy, succeeded him as military dictator with emergency powers. Convinced that he could not break through the enemy's lines, Görgey surrendered his army of 20,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry to the Russian general Rüdiger in the Surrender at Világos
Surrender at Világos
The Surrender at Világos took place on 13 August 1849 at Világos, and formally ended the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. After it, Julius Jacob von Haynau became the regent of Hungary and took bloody reprisals against Hungary...
.
Görgey was not court-martialed, as his generals were, but kept in confinement at Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
. He lived there, chiefly employed in chemical work, until 1867, when he was pardoned and returned to Hungary. The surrender, and particularly the fact that his life was spared while his generals and many of his officers and men were hanged or shot, led to his being accused of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
by public opinion. After his release he played no further part in public life.
In 1885, an attempt by a large number of his old comrades to rehabilitate him was not favorably received in Hungary. After some years work as a railway engineer he retired to Visegrád
Visegrád
Visegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001...
, where he lived in retirement. For decades he had been considered a traitor, often humiliated in public places, but in the last years of his life, his very important role during the War and unique military talent became widely acknowledged by his compatriots.
General Görgey wrote a justification of his operations ' onMouseout='HidePop("44318")' href="/topics/Leipzig">Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, 1852), an anonymous paper under the title (1875), and a reply to Kossuth's charges (signed Joh. Demar) in , 1881, pp. 25–26. Amongst those who wrote in his favor were Captain Stephan Görgey ' onMouseout='HidePop("69632")' href="/topics/Budapest">Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, 1885), and Colonel Aschermann .