Artúr Görgey

Who was 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. The family name refers to their origin from Görgő village

In 1837 he entered the Bodyguard of Hungarian Nobles at Vienna, where he combined military service with a course of study at the university. In 1845, on his father's death, he left the army to study chemistry at the University of Prague, after which he retired to the family estates in Hungary.

When the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 broke out against the Austrian Empire, Görgey joined the rebels. He entered the Honvéd Army with the rank of captain, was employed in the purchase of arms, and soon became major and commandant of the national guards north of the Tisza. While resisting the Croatian army 's crossing of the Danube at Csepel-sziget, Görgey captured and arrested the wealthy Hungarian Count Ödön Zichy. Count Zichy was charged with treason for his pro-Austrian activities, court-martialed, and hanged.