Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

Bertalan Széchényi de Sárvár-Felsővidék (24 October 1866 – 3 June 1943) was a Hungarian politician, who served as Speaker of the House of Magnates from 1 May 1935 until his death.

Biography

He was born into a prominent noble family in

Sopron Sopron (; german: Ödenburg, ; sl, Šopron) is a city in Hungary on the Austrian border, near Lake Neusiedl/Lake Fertő. History Ancient times-13th century When the area that is today Western Hungary was a province of the Roman Empire, a ...

on 24 October 1866. His parents were Count

Sándor Széchényi Sándor is a Hungarian given name and surname. It is the Hungarian form of Alexander. It may refer to: People Given name * Sándor Apponyi (1844–1925) was a Hungarian diplomat, bibliophile, bibliographer and great book collector * Sándor B ...

, grandson of Count

Ferenc Széchényi Count Ferenc Széchényi de Sárvár-Felsővidék (28 April 1754 in Fertőszéplak – 13 December 1820 in Vienna) was a Hungarian nobleman and statesman, known for founding the Hungarian National Library and the National Museum in Budapest. ...

, Lord Lieutenant (Count; ''comes'') of

Tolna County Tolna ( hu, Tolna megye, ; german: Komitat Tolnau) is an administrative county (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary), comitatus or megye) in present Hungary as it was of the former Kingdom of Hungary. It lies in central Hungary, on the west bank of the ...

, Deputy Speaker of the House of Magnates since 1905, and Natália Dőry de Jobaháza. He had four siblings, including Lajos Széchényi, an Austro-Hungarian diplomat and ambassador. His uncle was Imre Széchényi, who served as Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to Germany from 1878 to 1892. He married Countess Natália Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka on 11 December 1907. Their only child, Márton was born in 1909. Bertalan Széchényi graduated law at the

University of Budapest A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

. He served in the 7th Hussar Regiment as a reserve officer. He retired as a lieutenant. After that he traveled around the world, including

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

, and some parts of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

. After returning to home he directed his properties. He was appointed heritage member of the House of Magnates on 1 June 1894 by

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

Francis Joseph. He served as recorder of the upper house from 1896 to 1912. He became Imperial and Royal Chamberlain in 1910. He served as Second Deputy Speaker of the House of Magnates between 1912 and 1917. He was a member of the Committee of Economy until 1918. The House of Magnates was dissolved after the

Aster Revolution The Aster Revolution or Chrysanthemum Revolution ( hu, Őszirózsás forradalom) was a revolution in Hungary led by Count Mihály Károlyi in the aftermath of World War I which resulted in the foundation of the short-lived First Hungarian Peopl ...

, on 16 November 1918, so he lost his parliamentary seat. The Upper House of the Parliament was reorganized in 1927 and Count Széchényi became its member. He was a board member of the

Hungarian Academy of Sciences The Hungarian Academy of Sciences ( hu, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, MTA) is the most important and prestigious learned society of Hungary. Its seat is at the bank of the Danube in Budapest, between Széchenyi rakpart and Akadémia utca. Its ma ...

since 9 May 1933. He was appointed Speaker of the Upper House in 1935, following Baron

Gyula Wlassics Baron Gyula Wlassics de Zalánkemén (17 March 1852 – 30 March 1937) was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of Religion and Education between 1895 and 1903. Description In December 1895 Wlassics passed a law that allowed women, ...

in that position. He died in office in 1943. He was succeeded by Baron Zsigmond Perényi.

References

* Jónás, Károly – Villám, Judit: ''A Magyar Országgyűlés elnökei 1848–2002''. Argumentum, Budapest, 2002. pp. 305–307

External links

* 1866 births 1943 deaths Speakers of the House of Magnates Members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Bertalan People from Austria-Hungary {{Hungary-politician-stub