BATTHYANY, LOUIS (LAJOS), COUNT Hungarian statesman, was born at Presburg in 1806. When Sze chenyi drew nearer to the court in Batthyany became the leader of the opposition in the upper house. In 1847 he pro cured the election of Kossuth, took part in the deputation of March 15, and on March 31, 1848, became the first constitutional prime minister of Hungary. His position became extremely diffi cult when Jellachich and the Croats took up arms. He did his ut most, in his frequent journeys to Innsbruck, to persuade the court to condemn Jellachich and establish a strong national government at Budapest. Unfortunately, however, he was persuaded to consent to the despatch of Magyar troops to quell the Italian rising, before the Croat difficulty had been adjusted, and thenceforth his author ity in Hungary declined. When Jellachich invaded Hungary, Bat thyany resigned, with the intention of forming a new ministry excluding Kossuth, but this had now become impossible. Then Batthyany attempted to mediate between the two extreme parties, and subsequently raised a regiment from among his peasantry and led them against the Croats. He formed the deputation from the Hungarian diet to Prince Windischgratz, whom the Austrian com mander refused to receive. A few days later (Jan. 8, 1849) he was arrested at Budapest. As a magnate he was only indictable by the grand justiciary, as a minister he was responsible to the diet alone. At Laibach, whither he was taken, he asked that Deak might be his advocate, but this being refused, he wrote his own defence. Sentence of hanging was finally pronounced upon him at Olmutz for violating the Pragmatic Sanction, overthrowing the constitution, and aiding and abetting the rebellion. To escape this fate he stabbed himself with a small concealed dagger, and bled to death in the night of Oct. 5, See Bertalan Szemere, Batthyany, Kossuth, Gorgei (Ger.) (Ham burg, 1853).