Count Nikolaus Szécsen von Temerin
Encyclopedia
Nikolaus Graf Szécsen von Temerin (26 November 1857 – 18 May 1926), was an Austro-Hungarian
diplomat of Hungarian origin serving as Ambassador at Paris
at the outbreak of World War I
.
on 26 November 1857 into the Hungarian nobility as son of Anton Graf Szécsen von Temerin (1819–1896), an Austro-Hungarian government minister. In 1896, he married Johanna Gräfin Mikes von Zabola (1866–1930) in Vienna.
Count Szécsen joined the Austro-Hungarian foreign service
and served inter alia in Rome. In November 1895, he was appointed Second Section Chief at the Foreign Ministry
in Vienna and was promoted to First Section Chief in January 1900. At the insistence of Count Tisza
, he was appointed despite his relatively limted experience to serve as the Dual Monarchy's ambassador to the Holy See
in November 1901, a prominent posting given the close connections between the House of Habsburg and the papacy.
Count Szécsen, considered an able diplomat with a "solid, practical mind and a masterful grasp of the workings of diplomacy", apparently turned down an offer to succeed Count von Aehrenthal as ambassador to St. Petersburg upon the latter's appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1906.
In early January 1911, Count Szécsen was appointed as ambassador to France, considered one of the most prestigious ambassadorships at the time, and presented his credentials on 21 March. In that capacity, he played a key role during the July Crisis in 1914. After returning to Vienna, he became a member of the Upper House (Herrenhaus) in 1916 and served as a Hofmarschall
in Hungary from 1916 to 1918.
Count Szécsen had been invested as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1908.
His son Nikolaus was executed by Russian soldiers at Mór, Hungary, on 28 March 1945.
Count Szécsen died in Gyöngyösszentkereszt on 18 May 1926.
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
diplomat of Hungarian origin serving as Ambassador at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Life
Born in TemerinTemerin
Temerin is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
on 26 November 1857 into the Hungarian nobility as son of Anton Graf Szécsen von Temerin (1819–1896), an Austro-Hungarian government minister. In 1896, he married Johanna Gräfin Mikes von Zabola (1866–1930) in Vienna.
Count Szécsen joined the Austro-Hungarian foreign service
Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service
The Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service was the diplomatic service carrying out the foreign policy of the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the formation of the Dual Monarchy in 1867 until it was dissolved in 1918.- Diplomatic missions :...
and served inter alia in Rome. In November 1895, he was appointed Second Section Chief at the Foreign Ministry
Foreign Ministry of Austria-Hungary
The Foreign Ministry of Austria-Hungary was the ministry responsible for the foreign relations of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the formation of the Dual Monarchy in 1867 until it was dissolved in 1918....
in Vienna and was promoted to First Section Chief in January 1900. At the insistence of Count Tisza
István Tisza
Count István Tisza de Borosjenő et Szeged was a Hungarian politician, prime minister, and member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences....
, he was appointed despite his relatively limted experience to serve as the Dual Monarchy's ambassador to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in November 1901, a prominent posting given the close connections between the House of Habsburg and the papacy.
Count Szécsen, considered an able diplomat with a "solid, practical mind and a masterful grasp of the workings of diplomacy", apparently turned down an offer to succeed Count von Aehrenthal as ambassador to St. Petersburg upon the latter's appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1906.
In early January 1911, Count Szécsen was appointed as ambassador to France, considered one of the most prestigious ambassadorships at the time, and presented his credentials on 21 March. In that capacity, he played a key role during the July Crisis in 1914. After returning to Vienna, he became a member of the Upper House (Herrenhaus) in 1916 and served as a Hofmarschall
Hofmarschall
The Hofmarschall was the administrative official in charge of a princely German court, supervising all its economic affairs....
in Hungary from 1916 to 1918.
Count Szécsen had been invested as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1908.
His son Nikolaus was executed by Russian soldiers at Mór, Hungary, on 28 March 1945.
Count Szécsen died in Gyöngyösszentkereszt on 18 May 1926.