Mór Perczel
Encyclopedia
Sir Mór Perczel de Bonyhád ' onMouseout='HidePop("40683")' href="/topics/Bonyhád">Bonyhád
, Tolna county – 23 May 1899, Bonyhád), was a Hungarian landholder, general, and one of the leaders of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
.
influenced Perczel to become a democrat and patriot. In April 1827 he enrolled in the 5th Infantry Regiment as a student. In 1831 during the Polish November Uprising
he started a rebellion in the Imperial Infantry. He tried to convince them to desert to the Polish soldiers, but they removed him.
His political career started in Tolna shire county and later he became extremely radical. Afterwards he got more power in shire and rural politics.
In the diet
of 1843–44 he became a minister, and one of the most popular mavericks. His brave and enthusiastic speeches got everyone's attention. Later on he joined the Radical Party
.
In Fejér county on 22 October 1842 he proposed setting up the Hungarian National Guard. In 1848 he became the representative for Buda
and one of the leaders of the Left.
. The members of the army were mostly volunteers. In the Battle of Pákozd
he covered the wing of the Hungarian
army south of Lake Velence
. After the battle he led the movements against Jelačić's army reserves. The armies of Generals Roth and the Philippovic capitulated because of Perczel and Artúr Görgey
. For this victory Perczel was promoted to General. After the victory he fell out with Görgey and the conflict between them made the leadership problematic.
After the victory at Ozora
he managed to cut out the Emperor's army in Međimurje County. Before the attack by Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz in December Perczel had to defend Southwest Transdanubia, but in the middle of December — because of the success of the Emperor's army — he received an order to move to the Upper Danube
and join forces with Görgey. During the army's withdrawal he received a letter from Lajos Kossuth
and decided to fight against the Emperor. On 30 December 1848 he lost the battle against Jelačić in the Battle of Mór
. Arrest warrants were issued by the Austrian government for Kossuth, Perczel and General Josef Bem. General Bem was another general for the new Hungarian Republic who was having great success clearing the invading Russian forces from Transylvania.
After giving up Pest his responsibility was attacking the route from Pest to Debrecen
on the Tisza
front. With his strong army, he started to attack and on 22 January 1849 occupied Szolnok
. On 25 January he wiped out Ferenc Ottinger
and his army from Cegléd
. But the leadership stopped Perczel's attacks and the new commander took away one of Perczel's divisions, so Perczel resigned.
At the beginning of 1849 Perczel took command of the 4th (Bácska
) Legion and on 23 March he attacked the enemy. On 3 April he occupied Szenttamás
located in Vojvodina
. Then he marched with his army to Neusatz which is directly opposite Pétervárad
on the Danube River. Then Perczel made contact with the Magyar people surrounded in Pétervárad and established his center of operations there. Together with Count Lajos Batthyany
, former Prime Minister of the new Hungarian Republic, but since September 15, 1848 a general in the Hungarian Army, Perczel move the main body Hungary military forces against Danube and the Drava Rivers to threaten Slavonia
and to restrict Austrian navigation between Pest and Mohacs
. This action effectly cut off the Austrians on the western front from contact with Laval Nugent and his Serbian forces on the southern front. The maneuver had the additional effect of sending the Austrians on the western front retreating back toward Agram
in southwestern Hungary and Esseg (now Osijek
) in Croatia. Marching back across the Banat toward the Theiss River, Perczel's army was stopped pushed into retreat by Serbian forces under Georg Stratimirovich, and Kusman von Todorovich. On 29 April at Melence
he won a battle against the Tudorovic general and on 10 May he marched on Pancsova
. Later, with the contribution of General József Bem, he occupied Temesköz. This brought the southern operations to a successful close.
On 7 June 1849 Perczel fought against Jelačić, but he lost this battle at Káty
. Because of the defeat the government relieved him and gave an order to set up and lead the reserve army. In the middle of July another army joined Perczel's near Cegléd
with Perczel as commander of the two, but he did not want to fight larger battles.
When the Government and the leading generals met, Perczel criticised the leadership, especially Lajos Kossuth. They forced him to resign his commission. Perczel fought as a volunteer in the Battle of Szőreg
on 5 August 1849 and Battle of Temesvár
on 9 August 1849. He was in Orsova
when he heard news of the final surrender at Világos
(now Şiria, Romania).
(Michael) to death. Perczel escaped to Turkey
and in 1852 to England
. He lived for a while on the Channel Island of Jersey
. In 1859 Perczel tried to forget his arguments with Lajos Kossuth
and travelled to Italy
to help the Hungarian Nationals Trust, an organisation set up to help Hungarian emigrants.
Bonyhád
Bonyhád is a town in Tolna County in Southwestern Hungary. It is governed by a city council and a mayor. The current mayor of Bonyhád is Arpad Potapi who has served in this capacity since 2002....
, Tolna county – 23 May 1899, Bonyhád), was a Hungarian landholder, general, and one of the leaders of 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...
.
Life before 1848
His teacher Mihály VörösmartyMihály Vörösmarty
Mihály Vörösmarty was an important Hungarian poet and dramatist.He was born at Puszta-Nyék , of a noble Roman Catholic family. His father was a steward of the Nádasdys. Mihály was educated at Székesfehérvár by the Cistercians and at Pest by the Piarists...
influenced Perczel to become a democrat and patriot. In April 1827 he enrolled in the 5th Infantry Regiment as a student. In 1831 during the Polish November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
he started a rebellion in the Imperial Infantry. He tried to convince them to desert to the Polish soldiers, but they removed him.
His political career started in Tolna shire county and later he became extremely radical. Afterwards he got more power in shire and rural politics.
In the diet
Diet of Hungary
The Diet of Hungary was a legislative institution in the medieval kingdom of Hungary from the 15th century, and in its successor states, Royal Hungary and the Habsburg kingdom of Hungary throughout the Early Modern period...
of 1843–44 he became a minister, and one of the most popular mavericks. His brave and enthusiastic speeches got everyone's attention. Later on he joined the Radical Party
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
.
In Fejér county on 22 October 1842 he proposed setting up the Hungarian National Guard. In 1848 he became the representative for 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...
and one of the leaders of the Left.
During the revolution
From 1848 Perczel was the Councillor of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Batthyány Government. On 1 September 1848 he formed the Zrínyi army and with his leadership they fought against Josip JelačićJosip Jelacic
Count Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
. The members of the army were mostly volunteers. In the Battle of Pákozd
Battle of Pákozd
The Battle of Pákozd was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 29 September 1848. It was one of the important battles of the Revolution...
he covered the wing of the 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...
army south of Lake Velence
Lake Velence
Lake Velence is the third largest lake in Hungary. It is a popular holiday destination among Hungarians.The lake has an area of 26 km2., one third of which is covered by the common reed...
. After the battle he led the movements against Jelačić's army reserves. The armies of Generals Roth and the Philippovic capitulated because of Perczel and Artúr Görgey
Artúr Görgey
----Artúr Görgey de Görgő et Toporcz was a Hungarian military leader.He was born at Toporz 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 . During the reformation they were converted to Protestantism...
. For this victory Perczel was promoted to General. After the victory he fell out with Görgey and the conflict between them made the leadership problematic.
After the victory 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...
he managed to cut out the Emperor's army in Međimurje County. Before the attack by Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz in December Perczel had to defend Southwest Transdanubia, but in the middle of December — because of the success of the Emperor's army — he received an order to move to the Upper 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....
and join forces with Görgey. During the army's withdrawal he received a letter from 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...
and decided to fight against the Emperor. On 30 December 1848 he lost the battle against Jelačić in the Battle of Mór
Battle of Mór
The Battle of Mór was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 30 December 1848 between Austria and Hungarian insurgents. The Austrians were led by Croatian Ban Josip Jelačić, while the Hungarians were led by Mór Perczel...
. Arrest warrants were issued by the Austrian government for Kossuth, Perczel and General Josef Bem. General Bem was another general for the new Hungarian Republic who was having great success clearing the invading Russian forces from Transylvania.
After giving up Pest his responsibility was attacking the route from Pest to 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 :...
on 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...
front. With his strong army, he started to attack and on 22 January 1849 occupied Szolnok
Szolnok
Szolnok is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in central Hungary. Its location on the banks of the Tisza river, at the heart of the Great Hungarian Plain, has made it an important cultural and economic crossroads for centuries....
. On 25 January he wiped out Ferenc Ottinger
Ferenc Ottinger
Baron Ferenc Ottinger was a Lieutenant General to Franz Josef I of Austria, a Cavalry General and one of the leading generals in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.-Career:...
and his army from Cegléd
Cegléd
Cegléd is a city in Pest county, Hungary, approximately southeast of the Hungarian capital, Budapest.-Name:There are discussions going on about the origin of the name of the town...
. But the leadership stopped Perczel's attacks and the new commander took away one of Perczel's divisions, so Perczel resigned.
At the beginning of 1849 Perczel took command of the 4th (Bácska
Backa
Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...
) Legion and on 23 March he attacked the enemy. On 3 April he occupied Szenttamás
Srbobran
Srbobran is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town is located on the north bank of the Danube-Tisa-Danube channel...
located in Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
. Then he marched with his army to Neusatz which is directly opposite Pétervárad
Petrovaradin
Petrovaradin , is part of the agglomeration of Novi Sad in Serbia...
on the Danube River. Then Perczel made contact with the Magyar people surrounded in Pétervárad and established his center of operations there. Together with Count Lajos Batthyany
Lajos Batthyány
Count Lajos Batthyány de Németújvár was the first Prime Minister of Hungary. He was born in Pressburg on 10 February 1807, and was executed by firing squad in Pest on 6 October 1849, the same day as the 13 Martyrs of Arad.-Career:His father was Count József Sándor Batthyány , his mother Borbála...
, former Prime Minister of the new Hungarian Republic, but since September 15, 1848 a general in the Hungarian Army, Perczel move the main body Hungary military forces against Danube and the Drava Rivers to threaten Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
and to restrict Austrian navigation between Pest and Mohacs
Mohács
Mohács is a town in Baranya county, Hungary on the right bank of the Danube.-History:Two famous battles took place there:# Battle of Mohács, 1526# Battle of Mohács, 1687...
. This action effectly cut off the Austrians on the western front from contact with Laval Nugent and his Serbian forces on the southern front. The maneuver had the additional effect of sending the Austrians on the western front retreating back toward Agram
Agram
Agram may refer to:Places*Agram, the historic Austrian German name for Zagreb, Croatia*Agram Township, Minnesota, United States*Agram mountains, a small range in north eastern Niger...
in southwestern Hungary and Esseg (now Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
) in Croatia. Marching back across the Banat toward the Theiss River, Perczel's army was stopped pushed into retreat by Serbian forces under Georg Stratimirovich, and Kusman von Todorovich. On 29 April at Melence
Melenci
Melenci is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 6,737 people . The brackish water lake of Okanj is nearby.-Sports:FK...
he won a battle against the Tudorovic general and on 10 May he marched on Pancsova
Pancevo
Pančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
. Later, with the contribution of General József Bem, he occupied Temesköz. This brought the southern operations to a successful close.
On 7 June 1849 Perczel fought against Jelačić, but he lost this battle at Káty
KAC
KAC may refer to:*Knight's Armament Company*EC KAC, a professional ice hockey team*Kajonk-A-Con*King Armored Car, the USA's first armored vehicle....
. Because of the defeat the government relieved him and gave an order to set up and lead the reserve army. In the middle of July another army joined Perczel's near Cegléd
Cegléd
Cegléd is a city in Pest county, Hungary, approximately southeast of the Hungarian capital, Budapest.-Name:There are discussions going on about the origin of the name of the town...
with Perczel as commander of the two, but he did not want to fight larger battles.
When the Government and the leading generals met, Perczel criticised the leadership, especially Lajos Kossuth. They forced him to resign his commission. Perczel fought as a volunteer in the Battle of Szőreg
Battle of Szőreg
The Battle of Szőreg was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 5 August 1849 at Szőreg, Hungary. The Hungarian troops, led by Henryk Dembiński, lost the battle against the Emperor’s troops, led by Haynau...
on 5 August 1849 and Battle of Temesvár
Battle of Temesvár
The Battle of Temesvár was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 9 August 1849 between the Austrian Empire and Hungarian Revolutionary Army supplemented by Polish volunteers. The Austrians were led by Julius Jacob von Haynau, while the Hungarians were led by Józef Bem who...
on 9 August 1849. He was in Orsova
Orsova
Orșova is a port city on the Danube river in southwestern Romania's Mehedinți County. It is one of four localities in the county located in the Banat historical region. It is situated just above the Iron Gates, on the spot where the Cerna River meets the Danube.- History :The first documented...
when he heard news of the final 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...
(now Şiria, Romania).
Banishment
On 21 September 1851 the Hungarian Government sentenced Perczel and his brother MiklósMiklós Perczel
Sir Miklós Perczel de Bonyhád , was a Hungarian landholder, general, and one of the leaders of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. After the emigration he participated in the American Civil War as a colonel of the Union Army. He had signification role in the liberation of Missouri...
(Michael) to death. Perczel escaped to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and in 1852 to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He lived for a while on the Channel Island of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. In 1859 Perczel tried to forget his arguments with 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...
and travelled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to help the Hungarian Nationals Trust, an organisation set up to help Hungarian emigrants.