March Madness

Not sure what the Magyars are commemorating on the March 15th holiday in Hungary? The following exerpt from the Bradt Guide's book on Hungary provides us with a clue.

On March 15 1848 revolution broke out on Pest's streets, its spokesmen the poet Sándor Petőfi and his fellow radicals. A National Assembly convened in Pest, led by Kossuth Lajos - the "Moses of the Hungarians" - who spearheaded the War of Independence.The Habsburgs prevailed in 1849 after Emperor Ferenc József (1848-1916) enlisted the help of a Russian force. Petőfi had died in battle and Kossuth went into exile. Lajos Batthyány, the first independent prime minister, was executed.The Habsburgs built a citadel looking down from the Buda bank, and the Hungarians were rudely awoken from their dreams of freedom.

However, renewed hope came more swiftly than expected. The Austrians suffered several defeats to Italian, French and Prussian armies, and - anxious to shore up the Habsburg empire - acceded to an agreement drawn up by the liberal politician Ferenc Deák. The Compromise (Ausgleich) of 1867 established a dual monarchy, whereby Hungary had its own government, parliament and even small army, but operated jointly with Austria in matters of foreign policy and defense.