The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was a pivotal moment in history for both Hungary and Austria. March 15th, the day of the Hungarian revolution against the Habsburgs, is still celebrated as a national holiday to commemorate the revolution, and the revolution is recognized as a significant part of Hungary’s national identity.
The Austrians controlled the Hungarian lands since the end of the Ottoman occupation, when the Hungarian lands were officially given from the Ottomans to the Habsburgs. After years of resentment brewing towards the Habsburgs, especially by the Hungarian nobility, and a couple of failed revolution attempts, the tension between the Habsburgs and Hungarian nobility started rising again. A key figure of the 1848 revolution was Kossuth Lajos.
Lajos Kossuth, or Kossuth Lajos in the Hungarian naming tradition, was a Hungarian lawyer, journalist and politician. He was born in 1802 and entered into politics in his mid-20s. He started as a parliamentary politician and was primarily serving as a reporter, writing on parliamentary activities. He was a pro-democracy politician and was arrested for treason after publishing writing that focused on democracy and liberal politics.
