Part of the Habsburg empire, with a Hungarian tradition, but largely autonomous, Transylvania moved towards the same objectives as the reformers of Pozsony and Buda-Pest, but influenced by their own circumstances.
Differing from their West- Hungarian cousins in religious makeup (Catholics in the minority, dominated by Greek Catholics, Calvinists, Unitarians, Lutherans)

Transylvania c. of arms

Called a "Grand Principality" Transylvania had a Court Chancellery in Vienna, a Governor and a Diet in Kolozsvár (now Cluj Napoca). The Diet included representatives of the three recognized "nations" : Székelys, Hungarians, Saxons.(For a Hungary/Transylvania locating map click here) As time went by, the Rumanians became increasingly unhappy for not receiving special recognition of their religion,language and culture and began to accept the blandishments of the Vienna court who led them to believe they'll be under increased domination by the Hungarian nobility.
The Saxons tended to sympathize with that fear and liked the prospects of Vienna's advocacy of a German official language. With the Transylvania Diet voting to unify with Hungary, internal tensions began to mount. Saxon and Rumanian interests became suspicious of the "Kossuth-clique" usurping their prerogatives as the Austrians encouraged an anti-Hungarian faction.(See also the events of May 17 1848)

Gen "Papa" Bem

Focal point of this new alliance was "General der Cavallerie" Baron Anton Puchner. He, at first, supported Kossuth, but when the gap with the Court became obvious, he switched allegiance. Proclaiming as acting under the Oct 3 '48 imperial manifesto, on Oct 18 he claimed charge of civilian matters, banned Honvéd recruiting, put himself in opposition of a Székely assembly at Agyagfalva and allied with the Rumanian border guards. In alliance with Windischgraetz, he engaged in sporadic and guerilla warfare against the Székelys, occupied Kolozsvár and thrust Westward towards Nagyvárad (Oradea). Still, the Székelys in the East held their own. Before Puchner's complete victory however, Kossuth appointed Polish General Bem, whose energetic campaign with well-trained, but small forces, brought Puchner to a halt in a series of skirmishes in Dec '48 and January '49.
In effect, "father" Bem insured that the main Hungarian forces not be stabbed in the back by Puchner.

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