Ferencz Gyulai
Encyclopedia
Count Ferencz Gyulai de Marosnémethi et Nádaska (1 September 1798 – 1 September 1868), also known as Ferenc Gyulai, Ferencz Gyulaj, or Franz Gyulai, was a Hungarian nobleman who served as Austrian
Governor of Lombardy-Venetia and commanded the losing Austrian army at the Battle of Magenta
.
to parents Ignaz Gyulai
von Máros-Nemeth und Nádaska and Maria Freiin von Edelsheim. His father became a much-decorated Austrian
general during the Napoleonic Wars
and served as the Ban of Croatia
from 1806 to 1831.
By 1849 Gyulai had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general
(Feldmarschallleutnant) and that summer was named Austrian Minister of Defense by Emperor Franz Joseph. Gyulai held the office for only one year, due at least in part to the tendency of the emperor and his adjutant general
Grünne to bypass his ministry when making military decisions. In 1857, upon the retirement of Joseph Radetzky, Gyulai was named Governor of Lombardy-Venetia, residing at Milan
.
In early 1859, the Kingdom of Sardinia
/Piedmont, having allied with France
, began mobilizing its army, possibly in preparation for an invasion of Italian territories controlled by Austria. On April 23, Austria issued an ultimatum to the Sardinians, demanding they demobilize. When the Sardinians refused, the Second Italian War of Independence
began.
As commander of Austrian forces in Northern Italy, Count Gyulai, now with the rank of field marshal
, was ordered to cross the Ticino River
, the border between Austrian and Sardinian territory. In response, French
forces under Patrice MacMahon were dispatched to defend their Sardinian allies. On May 20, an Austrian force under Count Stadion was defeated at the Battle of Montebello
, after which Gyulai retreated back into Austrian territory.
The French army then crossed the Ticino into Austrian territory and captured the village of Boffalora sopra Ticino
after a small battle. Finally, on June 5, the main Austrian and French armies met at the Battle of Magenta
. The Austrians under Gyulai were defeated, leading to his recall to Vienna
. Emperor Franz Josef took personal command of the Austrian army in Lombardy-Venetia, and would go on to lose the subsequent Battle of Solferino
.
Gyulai died in Vienna
, Austria
.
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
Governor of Lombardy-Venetia and commanded the losing Austrian army at the Battle of Magenta
Battle of Magenta
The Battle of Magenta was fought on June 4, 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, resulting in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai....
.
Biography
Gyulai was born on 1 September 1798 in Pest, HungaryHungary
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...
to parents Ignaz Gyulai
Ignaz Gyulai
Ignaz Gyulai von Máros-Nemeth und Nádaska, Ignácz Gyulay, Ignác Gyulay, or Ignjat Đulaj born 11 September 1763 – died 11 November 1831, joined the army of Habsburg Austria, fought against Ottoman Turkey, and became a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars. From 1806 he held the...
von Máros-Nemeth und Nádaska and Maria Freiin von Edelsheim. His father became a much-decorated Austrian
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...
general during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and served as the Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia was the title of local rulers and after 1102 viceroys of Croatia. From earliest periods of Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Bans as a rulers representative and supreme military commander. In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in...
from 1806 to 1831.
By 1849 Gyulai had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
(Feldmarschallleutnant) and that summer was named Austrian Minister of Defense by Emperor Franz Joseph. Gyulai held the office for only one year, due at least in part to the tendency of the emperor and his adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
Grünne to bypass his ministry when making military decisions. In 1857, upon the retirement of Joseph Radetzky, Gyulai was named Governor of Lombardy-Venetia, residing at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
In early 1859, the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
/Piedmont, having allied with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, began mobilizing its army, possibly in preparation for an invasion of Italian territories controlled by Austria. On April 23, Austria issued an ultimatum to the Sardinians, demanding they demobilize. When the Sardinians refused, the Second Italian War of Independence
Second Italian War of Independence
The Second War of Italian Independence, Franco-Austrian War, Austro-Sardinian War, or Austro-Piedmontese War , was fought by Napoleon III of France and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia against the Austrian Empire in 1859...
began.
As commander of Austrian forces in Northern Italy, Count Gyulai, now with the rank of field marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, was ordered to cross the Ticino River
Ticino River
The river Ticino is a left-bank tributary of the Po River. It has given its name to the Swiss canton through which its upper portion flows.-The course:...
, the border between Austrian and Sardinian territory. In response, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
forces under Patrice MacMahon were dispatched to defend their Sardinian allies. On May 20, an Austrian force under Count Stadion was defeated at the Battle of Montebello
Battle of Montebello (1859)
The Battle of Montebello was fought on May 20, 1859 at Montebello . It was a minor engagement of the Second Italian War of Independence, fought between Piedmontese cavalry and French infantry against Austrian troops. The Austrian defeat, despite the greater number, was another sign that Austrian...
, after which Gyulai retreated back into Austrian territory.
The French army then crossed the Ticino into Austrian territory and captured the village of Boffalora sopra Ticino
Boffalora sopra Ticino
Boffalora sopra Ticino is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 25 km west of Milan...
after a small battle. Finally, on June 5, the main Austrian and French armies met at the Battle of Magenta
Battle of Magenta
The Battle of Magenta was fought on June 4, 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, resulting in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai....
. The Austrians under Gyulai were defeated, leading to his recall to 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...
. Emperor Franz Josef took personal command of the Austrian army in Lombardy-Venetia, and would go on to lose the subsequent Battle of Solferino
Battle of Solferino
The Battle of Solferino, , was fought on June 24, 1859 and resulted in the victory of the allied French Army under Napoleon III and Sardinian Army under Victor Emmanuel II against the Austrian Army under Emperor Franz Joseph I; it was the last major battle in world...
.
Gyulai died in 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...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.