Count Gyula Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka |
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Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary | |
In office 17 February 1867 – 14 November 1871 |
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Monarch | Francis Joseph I |
Preceded by | Bertalan Szemere |
Succeeded by | Menyhért Lónyay |
Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary | |
In office 14 November 1871 – 8 October 1879 |
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Preceded by | Count Friedrich Ferdinand Beust |
Succeeded by | Baron Heinrich Karl von Haymerle |
Member of the House of Representatives | |
In office 17 April 1861 – 22 April 1869 |
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Constituency | Sátoraljaújhely |
Personal details | |
Born |
Oláhpatak, Habsburg Empire (today Vlachovo, Slovakia) |
3 March 1823
Died | 18 February 1890 Volosko, Austro-Hungarian Empire (today Croatia) |
(aged 66)
Nationality | Hungarian |
Spouse(s) | Katinka Kendeffy |
Signature |
Count Gyula Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka (8 March 1823 – 18 February 1890) was a Hungarian statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Hungary (1867–1871) and subsequently as Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary (1871–1879). Andrássy was a conservative; his foreign policies looked to expanding the Empire into Southeast Europe, preferably with British and German support, and without alienating Turkey. He saw Russia as the main adversary, because of its own expansionist policies toward Slavic and Orthodox areas. He distrusted Slavic nationalist movements as a threat to his multi-ethnic empire.
The son of Count Károly Andrássy and Etelka Szapáry, he was born in Oláhpatak (now in Rožňava District, Slovakia), Kingdom of Hungary. The son of a liberal father who belonged to the political opposition, at a time when opposing the government was very dangerous, Andrássy at a very early age threw himself into the political struggles of the day, adopting at the outset the patriotic side.
Count István Széchenyi was the first adequately to appreciate his capacity. In 1845 Andrássy was appointed as president of the society for the regulation of the waters of the Upper Tisza River.
In 1846, he attracted attention by publishing highly critical articles of the government in Lajos Kossuth's paper, the Pesti Hírlap. He was elected as one of the Radical candidates to the Diet of 1848.
When the Croats under Josip Jelačić attempted to have Međimurje, which was then part of Hungary, returned to Croatia, Andrássy entered military service. He was commander of the gentry of his county, and served with distinction at the battles of Pákozd and Schwechat, as Arthur Görgey's adjutant (1848).