In a puzzling move, with Jellaçiç still advancing in Hungary, the king appointed Feldmarschalleutnant Count Ferenc Lamberg as "royal commissioner and commander-in-chief of all forces in Hungary." Lamberg had been a member of the Hungarian upper house and a "reform conservative". While historians consider the appointment a move towards reconciliation, it was not welcome in Hungary: considered a rebuff to the National Defense Committee. Concurrently Baron Miklós Vay was asked to form a new Hungarian government. (He eventually declined). Returning from a military recrouting trip, the announcements were strongly denounced by Kossuth, in a September 27 speech in parliament. This set off demonstrations demanding "Lamberg's head".
Lamberg tried to contact Batthyány, travelled to Pest in civilian clothes, but was recognized when crossing the Danube on Sep 25, and killed by the demonstrators. Batthyány contacted Jellaçiç and, referring to the Lamberg appointment, asked him to stop fighting. Though defeated at Pákozd, Jellaçiç was noncommittal, so Batthyány went to Vienna to seek support. He had no luck and was suspected of contributing to Lamberg's death.
On October 1 Batthyány resigned for a second time : this time for good.
With Lamberg dead, Supported by other cabinet members, Latour was unhappy with the imperial forces' span of authority having been reduced by "sharing" with the honvéd, also with Hungarian units and individuals leaving imperial service. To replace Batthyány, the king appointed General Baron Ádám Récsey prime minister of Hungary. The National assembly nevertheless met in Pest and rejected the manifesto.
Back to Milestones of 1848-49