Lázár Mészáros
| Lázár Mészáros | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
20 February 1796 Baja |
| Died | 16 November 1858 (aged 62) |
| Rank | Minister of War, Hungary (1848–1849) |
General Lázár Mészáros (English: Lazarus Mészáros) (20 February 1796 in Baja – 16 November 1858 in Eywood), was the Minister of War during the 1848 Hungarian Revolution.
He was born into a noble family of landowners. His parents died when he was four; as a child he was moved from one relative to another. He had his schooling in Baja, Szabadka (today Subotica), Pest and Pécs. Mészáros dropped out of his studies of law and joined the military.
In 1813, he became Lieutenant in a cavalry regiment in Bács County. He took part in the war against Napoleon. He was an officer of the 7th regiment of hussars from 1816 to 1837; then he was put in charge of the 5th regiment of hussars. He spent 18 years in Italy with his regiment. Field marshal Radetzky discovered the talented hussar officer, and, based on Radetzky's suggestion, he was promoted to be a colonel (1845). He also became his regiment's commandant.
Lázár Mészáros was a highly cultivated officer. He spoke seven languages. He was well versed in military matters, but he was also knowledgeable about society and the economy. In 1837, he started to correspond by mail with István Széchenyi. Mészáros was elected to be a mailing member of the Magyar Tudós Társaság (English: Hungarian Erudite Association, today: Hungarian Academy of Sciences). He chose the theme "Armed forces in modern bourgeois societies" for his inaugural.
On Lajos Kossuth's suggestion Lajos Batthyány appointed Mészáros to be Minister of War in the first responsible Hungarian government (22 March 1848). He took up his office after returning from Italy, where his regiment was posted (23 May). Some time later he became Major general of the Imperial and Royal forces and the commander of Imperial troops stationed on Hungarian territory.
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