 | This article includes alist of references,related reading, orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Bertalan Szemere | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 3rdPrime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary | |
| In office 2 May 1849 – 11 August 1849 | |
| Preceded by | Lajos Batthyány |
| Succeeded by | Austrian occupationGyula Andrássy (1867) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1812-08-27)27 August 1812 |
| Died | 18 January 1869(1869-01-18) (aged 56) Pest, Kingdom of Hungary |
| Resting place | Miskolc (since 1871) |
| Party | Opposition Party |
| Spouse | Leopoldina Jurkovich |
| Children | Mária Gizella Attila |
| Profession | politician,jurist |
Bertalan Szemere (also referred to asBartholomew Szemere, 27 August 1812 – 18 January 1869) was aHungarian poet and nationalist who became the thirdPrime Minister of Hungary during the short period of theHungarian Revolution of 1848 when Hungary was independent of rule by theAustrian Empire.
Szemere was born inVatta into a poor noble family, which traditionally descended from the lineage of 9th-century chieftainHuba. His father was Major László Szemere, his mother was Erzsébet Karove. Szemere studied inMiskolc,Késmárk andSárospatak. He was interested in writing poems and his works were published in the periodicalFelső-Magyarországi Minerva ("Upper-Hungarian Minerva"). He was influenced byFerenc Kölcsey andMihály Vörösmarty.
In 1832 Szemere graduated as a jurist and started to work as an apprentice in Pressburg (nowBratislava, Slovakia) and became a member of the Parliamentary Young Members' Group and advocated liberal principles. After he finished hispupillage, Szemere went back toBorsod where he was elected as an honorarynotary public.
In 1835 Szemere travelled around the world and visited amongst other places Berlin,Amsterdam,Dublin,Lausanne, Paris and London. During his visit Szemere realised that Hungary was less developed than he thought. Szemere also saw other countries'prejudice about Hungary. Szemere wrote down his experience, and how foreign institutions developed and worked. He published his diary,Utazás külföldön ("Travelling abroad") in 1840. Even though Szemere finished it in 1839, he couldn't publish it then because of censorship. Szemere's diary made him famous and he became a member of theHungarian Academy of Sciences. His work was republished.
Between 1841 – 1847 Szemere was a judge inBorsod county. Szemere became a congressman withLászló Palóczy in Pressburg. Szemere was one of the most important leaders of the Opposition 1843 – 1866 and 1847 – 1848Diet. In the 1847 – 1848 Diet Szemere also became therecorder.
In 1848 Szemere was the Home Secretary of theBatthyány Government. Szemere's task was to set up the new parliament. He started the government's official newspaper, theKözlöny ("Bulletin"). In the Hungarian Military Association he was responsible for justice. From 1848 Szemere was responsible for Upper-Hungary as a politician, therefore he was atMiskolc to reorganize theUpper-Tisza Legion, which had retreated afterFranz Schlik's attack. From 2 May 1849 Szemere was Home Secretary andPrime Minister alongsideRegentLajos Kossuth, until his resignation.
The Government endedmartial law and worked on the emancipation fromserfdom. On 29 July 1849 they accepted the national act which provided free language use for ethnic groups in local administration and education. The government's aim was to win the support of the ethnic groups for theHungarian Revolution of 1848.
After the Hungariansurrender at Világos Szemere buried theHoly Crown of Hungary, theSceptre, theorb and otherregalia on 23 August 1849 atOrsova. He escaped toTurkey, and later emigrated to Paris. In 1851 theAustrian Empire sentenced him to deathin absentia.
Szemere supported theAustro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and because of this his relationship with Kossuth became worse. Szemere attacked the Hungarian Revolution's leaders in his pamphlet (Magyar Emigráció ("Hungarian Emigration" )) and in another work (Politikai jellemrajzok ("Political Word-picture")). Szemere attacked Kossuth too. During his emigration Szemere wrote a travelogueUtazás keleten ("Journeys in the East").
In 1865 Szemere successfully requested apardon, but he was mentally ill by that time. In 1869 Szemere died and his ashes were interred inBuda, but on 1 May 1871 they were disinterred and moved toa church in theAvas district ofMiskolc.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by post created | Minister of the Interior 1848 | Succeeded by OHB |
| Preceded by OHB | Minister of the Interior 1849 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Hungary 1849 | Succeeded by |
| Belligerents | |
|---|---|
| Pretext | |
| Major battles | |
| Other events | |
| Influence | |
 Leaders for Austria | |
 Leaders for Hungary | |
.svg) Leaders for Russia | |
