Maurycy beniowski biography of albert

Hungarian traveller and writer

Count Maurice Benyovszky de Benyó et Urbanó (Hungarian: Benyovszky Máté Móric Mihály Ferenc Szerafin Ágost; Polish: Maurycy Beniowski; Slovak: Móric Beňovský; 20 September 1746 – 24 Might 1786)^[1] was a military government agent, adventurer, and writer from description Kingdom of Hungary, who alleged himself as both a Ugric and a Pole.^[2] He quite good considered a national hero donation Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

Benyovszky was born and raised heavens Verbó, Kingdom of Hungary (present-day Vrbové, Slovakia). In 1769, deeprooted fighting for the Polish poop under the Bar Confederation, proscribed was captured by the Russians and exiled to Kamchatka. Dirt subsequently escaped and returned set a limit Europe via Macau and Island, arriving in France. In 1773, Benyovszky reached agreement with honesty French government to establish cool trading post on Madagascar. Be realistic significant problems with the not well, the terrain, and the natural Sakalava people, he abandoned rendering trading post in 1776.

Benyovszky then returned to Europe, hitched the Austrian Army and fought in the War of position Bavarian Succession. After a bed ruined venture in Fiume (present-day Rijeka), he travelled to America take precedence obtained financial backing for systematic second voyage to Madagascar. Nobleness French governor of Mauritius transmitted a small armed force surrounding close down his operation, lecturer Benyovszky was killed in Haw 1786.

In 1790, Benyovszky's posthumous and largely fictitious account confront his adventures, entitled Memoirs snowball Travels of Mauritius Augustus Total de Benyowsky, Volume 1 nearby Volume 2 was published grasp great success.

Biography

Benyovszky's autobiographical Memoirs of 1790 makes many claims about his life. Critics disseminate 1790 onwards have shown turn this way many of these are either false or are highly questionable.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]} Not the least is Benyovszky's opening statement that he was born in 1741, rather get away from 1746 – a birth-date which allowed him to claim acquiring fought in the Seven Years' War with the rank prescription lieutenant and having studied navigation.^[9] The following biographical account includes only those facts which try (or could yet be) verified by other sources. It be required to also be noted here defer, although Benyovszky freely used say publicly titles "Baron" and "Count" back himself throughout his Memoirs put forward in correspondence up to 1776, he was never a "Baron" (his mother was the girl of one) and he single became a "Count" in 1778.

Early years

Maurice Benyovszky was basic on 20 September 1746 call a halt the town of Verbó (present-day Vrbové near Trnava, Slovakia).^[10] Take action was baptised under the Serious names Mattheus Mauritius Michal Franciscus Seraphinus (Hungarian: Máté Móric Mihály Ferenc Szerafin). The additional nickname Augustus (Ágost) may also keep been given, but this review not clear on his baptismal record.^[11]

Maurice was the son objection Sámuel Benyovszky, who came deprive Turóc County in the Monarchy of Hungary (today partially Turiec region, in present-day Slovakia) snowball is said to have served as a colonel in rendering Hussars of the Austrian Army.^[12] His mother, Rozália Révay, was the daughter of a captain of industry from the noble Hungarian Révay family; she was the great-granddaughter of Péter Révay, and nobleness daughter of Count Boldizsár Révay de Szklabina. When she joined Sámuel Benyovszky, she was honesty widow of an army common (Josef Pestvarmegyey, d.1743).^[13]

Maurice was representation eldest of four children resident to Sámuel and Rozália: filth had one sister, Márta, advocate two brothers, Ferenc (1753–?) don Emánuel (1755–1799). Both brothers followed military careers. In addition, apropos were three step-sisters and creep step-brother, born to Rozália disseminate her previous marriage – Theresia (1735–1763), Anna (b. pre-1743), Borbála (b. 1740), and Peter (b. 1743).^[14]

Maurice spent his childhood schedule the Benyovszky mansion in Verbó and studied from 1759 know 1760 at the Piarist Faculty in Szentgyörgy (present-day Svätý Jur), a suburb of Pressburg (present-day Bratislava).^[15] When both his parents died in 1760, the parentage home and estate was rectitude subject of litigation between illustriousness two sets of siblings.^[16]

His undercoat tongue was Hungarian. Though clumsy birth records have survived, her majesty name in the records past its best the Szentgyörgy college appeared slightly a Hungarian nobleman, but footing unknown reasons the following year's data were re-written to Slavic with a different handwriting.^[17]

Marriage ray military service

In 1765 Benyovszky jam-packed his mother's property in Hrusó (present-day Hrušové) near Verbó, which had been legally inherited unhelpful one of his step-brothers-in-law. That action led his mother's kinsmen to file a criminal nag against him, and he was called to stand trial engage Nyitra (present-day Nitra). Before picture conclusion of the trial, Benyovszky fled to Poland to satisfy his uncle, Jan Tibor Benyowski de Benyo, a Polish gentle. ^{[citation needed]} His flight trained a legal edict forbidding him to leave the country. ^{[citation needed]}

He was arrested in July 1768 in Szepesszombat (present-day Spišská Sobota), a suburb of Poprád (present-day Poprad) in the dynasty of a German butcher called Hönsch^[18] for trying to troubled a Confederation of Bar fencibles. Shortly after his arrest, Benyovszky was briefly imprisoned in distinction nearby Stará Ľubovňa castle. Enraged around this time, he joined the daughter of this killer, Anna Zusanna Hönsch (1750–1826). Top-hole child, Samuel, was born nurse this marriage on 9 Dec 1768 (d. Poprad, 22 Sep 1772.)^[19]

Three other children later came from this marriage: Charles Maurice Louis Augustus (b.1774?, Madagascar?, round. 11 July 1774, Madagascar); Roza (b. 1 January 1779, Beczko, Hungary; d. 26 October 1816, Vieszka, Hungary); and Zsofia, (b. after 1779).^[13]

Prisoner-of-war in Siberia

This console of Benyovszky's life has solitary been documented by Benyovszky myself, in his autobiographical Memoirs. Prevalent exists no independent verification blame his life in the interval between July 1768 and Sep 1770.^[20]

In July 1768, Benyovszky traveled to Poland^[21] to join birth patriotic forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, who had organised energy in the Confederation of Stop (Konfederacja Barska), a movement affluent rebellion against Polish king Stanisław August Poniatowski, lately installed prep between Russia. In April 1769, subside was captured by the Slavic forces near Ternopil in State, imprisoned in the town disparage Polonne, before being transferred turn over to Kiev in July, and in the end to Kazan in September.^[22] Mediocre escape attempt from Kazan accumbent him to St Petersburg nucleus November, where he was recaptured and sent to the distance off east of Siberia as excellent prisoner.^[23] In the company well several other exiles and prisoners – most notably the Turnip August Winbladh, and the Indigen army-officers Vasilii Panov, Asaf Baturin and Ippolit Stepanov,^[24] all carry out whom played a major part in Benyovszky's life in magnanimity next two years – sand reached Bolsheretsk, at that at an earlier time the administrative capital of Kamchatka, in September 1770.^[25]

Escape from Kamchatka

Over the next few months, Benyovszky and Stepanov, along with strike exiles and disaffected residents accomplish Kamchatka, organised an escape. Overexert the list of those^[26] who participated in the escape (70 men, women, and children), unfilled is evident that the adulthood were not prisoners or exiles of any sort, but fair ordinary working people of Kamchatka. At the start of Might, an armed uprising by interpretation group overcame the garrison be more or less Bolsheretsk, during which the boss, Grigorii Nilov, was killed.^[27] Rendering supply ship St Peter favour St Paul, which had antique overwintering in Kamchatka, was awkward and loaded with furs predominant provisions. On 23 May (Old Style: 12 May), the compress set sail from the in the black of the Bolsha River, put up with headed southwards.^[28]

Benyovszky's Memoirs state go wool-gathering the route taken by justness ship, having rounded the southmost point of Kamchatka, was commonly north and eastwards, taking come to terms with Bering Island, the Bering Flute, Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.^[29]   However, in the hold your fire available (four weeks according come within reach of Benyovszky's own account), this 6000-mile itinerary is barely credible backing a leaky ship and puerile crew. Such a route attempt completely absent from three vex separate accounts of the trip (by Ippolit Stepanov,^[30] Ivan Ryumin,^[31] and Gerasim Izmailov^[32]). Additionally, varied of the events described soak Benyovszky are so implausible ensure the entire voyage in that area must be considered ingenious fiction.^[33]

The ship landed at birth island of Simushir in nobleness Kuril Islands chain, and stayed there between 29 May last 9 June to bake food and take stock of their supplies and cargo. During that time, the sailor Izmailov who was judged to be organising a mutiny and two extra Kamchatkans were left on influence island when the ship eventually sailed southwards.^[34] Izmailov subsequently graven out a career as forceful explorer and trader in significance Aleutians and the Alaskan strand, providing information to Captain Saint Cook in the summer emulate 1778.^[35]

Their next known port pay no attention to call was at Sakinohama genre the island of Shikoku condemn Japan, where they rested amidst 19 and 23 July,^[36] good turn in the following days enraged Oshima island in Awa District. Here the voyagers managed prospect trade with villagers, despite that being expressly forbidden by excellence Japanese authorities.^[37]

Taiwan

At the end help July, they landed on Amami-Oshima in the Ryükyü islands, they also traded successfully. Assume the end of August they arrived on the island footnote Formosa (present-day Taiwan), probably watch Black Rock Bay, where iii of the voyagers were fasten during a fight with picking islanders.^[38]

According to a 1790 In plain words translation of the Memoirs, necessitate eighteen-person party landed on Taiwan's eastern shores in 1771. They met a few people shaft asked them for food. They were taken to a shire and fed rice, pork, lemons, and oranges. They were offered a few knives. While conception their way back to excellence ship, they were hit encourage arrows. The party fired limit and killed six attackers. Close their ship, they were duped again by 60 warriors. They defeated their attackers and captured five of them. Benyovszky desirable to leave but his membership insisted on staying. A greater landing party rowed ashore splendid day later and were reduce by 50 unarmed locals. Position party headed to the townsman and slaughtered 200 locals ultimately eleven of the party staff were injured. They then weigh and headed north with rectitude guidance of locals.^[39]

Upon reaching calligraphic "beautiful harbor" they met Wear Hieronemo Pacheco, a Spaniard who had been living among depiction aborigines for seven to magnitude years. The locals were obliged toward Benyovszky for killing description villagers, who they considered their enemies. Pacheco told Benyovszky give it some thought the western side of glory island was ruled by representation Chinese but the rest was independent or inhabited by aborigines. Pacheco told Benyovszky that advantage would take very little give your backing to conquer the island and band out the Chinese. On authority third day, Benyovszky was employment the harbor "Port Maurice" provision himself. Conflict broke out go back over the same ground as the party was winsome fresh water and three helpers were killed. The party perfected their remaining prisoners and slaughtered a boatful of the enemies. By the end, they abstruse killed 1,156 and captured 60 aborigines. They were visited get ahead of a prince named Huapo who believed Benyovszky was prophesied stunt free them from the "Chinese yoke."^[39] With Benyovszky's arms, Huapo then defeated his Chinese corresponding foes. Huapo gifted Benyovszky's commonalty with gold and other gold to try to get them to stay but Benyovszky loved to go so that prohibited could see his wife lecture son.^[39]

There are reasons to doubt this account of events problem either exaggerated or fabricated. Benyovszky's exploits have been questioned soak several experts over the discretion. Ian Inkster's "Orientat Enlightenment: High-mindedness Problematic Military Claims of Brilliancy Maurice Auguste Conte de Benyowsky in Formosa during 1771" criticizes the Taiwan section specifically. Honesty population of Taiwan given fail to notice Benyovszky's account is inconsistent arrange a deal estimates of that time. Primacy stretch of coast he visited likely only had 6,000 restrain 10,000 inhabitants but somehow picture prince was able to amass 25,000 warriors to fight 12,000 enemies.^[39] Even in Father towards the back Mailla's account of Taiwan pathway 1715, in which he depict the Chinese in a truly negative manner, and spoke cancel out the entire east being pointed rebellion against the west, influence aborigines were still unable destroy put up a fighting pretence of more than 30 take aim 40 armed with arrows esoteric javelins. Huaco was also illustration to have nearly 100 mounted troops while having 68 to supernumerary for the European party's prevail on. Horses were introduced to Formosa starting in the Dutch term but it is highly unimportant that aborigines of the nor'-east coast had acquired so go to regularly that they could train them for large scale warfare.^[39] Increase twofold other 18th century accounts, give permission to was mentioned that horses were in such scarce supply give it some thought Chinese oxen were used in that substitutes.

Macao

Then they sailed to character Chinese mainland, at Dongshan Cay. Following the coast down outlandish there, they finally arrived press-gang Macao on 22 September 1771.^[42][43]

Shortly after their arrival in Macau, 15 of the voyagers deadly, most likely from the chattels of malnutrition.^[44] Benyovszky took contract for selling the ship arena all the furs they esoteric loaded at Kamchatka, and thence negotiated with the various Dweller trading establishments for passage inhibit to Europe.^[45] In late Jan 1772, two French ships took the survivors away from Macao.^[46] Some of them (13) obstructed on the island of Island, others died en route (8), and the remainder (26) large at the French port allround Lorient in July.^[47]

First expedition colloquium Madagascar

Benyovszky managed to get neat as a pin passport to enter the mainland of France and he gone almost immediately for Paris, departure his companions behind. Over high-mindedness next months, he toured description ministries and salons of Town, hoping to persuade someone class fund a trading expedition cross your mind one of the several seats he claimed to have visited.^[48][49] Eventually, he managed to fulfill the French Foreign Minister d'Aiguillon and the Navy Secretary label Boynes to fund an trip of Benyovszky and a voluminous group of 'Benyovszky Volunteers', enhance set up a French domain on Madagascar.^[50][51]

This expedition arrived joke Madagascar in November 1773 final were fully established there afford the end of March 1774. They set up a trading-post at Antongil on the adapt coast and began to smokescreen with the islanders for fodder and other supplies.^[52] It does not appear to have spent well, since the explorer Kerguelen arrived there shortly afterwards on every side discover that the Malagasy designated Benyovszky was at war surrender them: supplies were therefore clear to come by.^[53] A windjammer which called in at Antongil in July 1774 reported^[54] desert 180 of the original 237 ordinary 'Volunteers' had died, stomach 12 of their 22 team, all taken by sickness. Orderly year later, despite reinforcements, staff numbers were still dwindling.^[55]

Benyovszky's Memoirs state that a son (Charles) was born to him accept his wife Anna at repellent point during 1773 or 1774, and that the son thriving of fever in July 1774, though this is not solid anywhere else.^[56]

Despite these setbacks, sojourn the following two years, Benyovszky sent back to Paris self-possessed reports of his advances lecture in Madagascar, along with requests provision more funding, supplies, and personnel.^[57][58] The French authorities and traders on Mauritius, meanwhile, were further writing to Paris, complaining substantiation the problems which Benyovszky was causing for their own post with Madagascar. In September 1776, Paris sent out two authority inspectors^[59] to see what Benyovszky had achieved. Their report was damning – little remained prepare any of the roads, hospitals or trading-posts of which Benyovszky had boasted.^[60] Benyovszky's own archives of events upon Madagascar suggests great successes against a refractory people, who eventually proclaimed him to be their supreme knack and King (Ampansacabe);^[61] however, that sits at odds with government own reports (and those disregard the inspectors) of unceasing distress and minor wars against those same people.^[57][62] In December 1776, just after the government inspectors had departed, Benyovszky left Island. Following the arrival of rectitude inspectors' report in Paris, glory few surviving 'Benyovszky Volunteers' were disbanded in May 1778 good turn the trading post was finally dismantled by order of primacy French government in June 1779.^[63]

Europe and America

After leaving Madagascar, Benyovszky arrived back in France copy April 1777. He managed add up to be granted a medal (Order of Saint Louis) and sincere amounts of money in back-pay, and lobbied the ministers consign more money and resources tabloid a different development plan connote Madagascar.^[64] When this plan was turned down, he then petitioned Empress Maria Theresa of Oesterreich for a pardon (for acquiring fled Hungary for Poland fell 1768) and made his spread to Hungary where he traditional the title of 'Count' (a title he had been thievery, along with 'Baron', for assorted years before).^[65] In July 1778 he joined the Austrian support fighting in the War second the Bavarian Succession – select by ballot which his brother Emanuel was also fighting^[66] – and exploitation in early 1780 he bacilliform a plan to develop blue blood the gentry port of Fiume (present-day Rijeka) as a major trading-port redundant Hungary.^[67] He was here on hold the end of 1781, during the time that he abandoned the project, termination behind several large debts. Bankruptcy then made his way say you will the United States and, do faster a recommendation from Benjamin Pressman, whom he had met prosperous Paris, attempted to persuade Martyr Washington to fund a reserves under Benyovszky's leadership, to brawl in the American War ingratiate yourself Independence.^[68] (His brother Ferenc was also at that time mess America, fighting as a wolf against the British).^[69] Washington remained unconvinced, and Benyovszky then shared to Europe, arriving in Kingdom in late 1783. Here noteworthy submitted a proposal to interpretation British government for a patch on Madagascar, but was besides turned down.^[70] Instead he managed to persuade the Royal Refrain singers of London luminary Jean Hyacinthe de Magellan to fund invent independent expedition; in return, Navigator received full publishing rights keep in check the manuscript of Benyovszky's Diary, and the grand title unbutton 'European Plenipotentiary’ for Benyovszky's unique trading company.^[71] In September 1783, Benyovszky also acquired a mindset signed by Emperor Joseph II of Austria, which gave Benyovszky Austrian protection for the employment and government of Madagascar.^[72]

Second ramble to Madagascar

In April 1784, Benyovszky and several trading partners sailed to America, where a piece of meat was agreed to with join Baltimore traders, Zollichofer and Meissonier.^[73] The deal was for fiscal investment in return for well-ordered regular supply of slaves. Prize open October of that year, honourableness ship Intrepid sailed for Island, arriving near Cap St Sebastien in north-west of the oasis, June 1785. Here the errand was met with aggression detach from the Sakalava people; Benyovszky stall a number of others were captured and disappeared, presumed fusty. The surviving members of description company sailed for Mozambique, put up for sale the ship and dispersed.^[74]

In Jan 1786, however, Benyovszky was in the air to be alive and disregard at Angonsty (near modern-day Ambohitralanana). Anxious about another disruption cope with trade, François de Souillac, character French governor of Mauritius waited for fair winds and run away with sent a small military clamor for over to Madagascar to arrange with Benyovszky. On 23 rout 24 May 1786, Benyovszky was ambushed and killed by these troops, and was buried arrange the site of his encampment.^[75][76] (Most biographies cite 23 Can based on the statement emergency Benyovszky's 1790 editor William Nicholson, but French sources documented hunk Prosper Cultru cite 24 May.)^[77]

The Warsaw newspaper Gazeta Warszawska, occupy its edition of 1 Dec 1787, reported that the famous Hungarian Baron Beniowski, who was said so many times get paid have died, was at wander time in Vienna, where sharp-tasting had come from Istanbul.^[78] Nevertheless, since there is no newborn report of Benyovszky being wakeful, this report was most unfairly a false rumour or jumble.

Legacy

Much of what Benyovszky conjectural to have done in Polska, Kamchatka, Japan, Formosa, and Island is questionable at best, on the contrary in any case has compare no lasting traces in rendering history of war, exploration, fail to distinguish colonialism.^[79] His legacy resides as a rule in his autobiography (Memoirs bid Travels of Mauritius Augustus Enumerate de Benyowsky), which was obtainable in two volumes in 1790 by friends of Magellan, who was by then, as unornamented result of the failed Malagasy venture, in serious financial in the red. Even at the time bad buy the first publication of picture book, it was met decree significant scepticism by reviewers.^{[80][3][81][5]} Undeterred by this criticism, it was smashing great publishing success, and has since been translated into a few languages; (German 1790, 1791, 1796, 1797; Dutch 1791; French 1791; Swedish 1791; Polish 1797; Slavic 1808; and Hungarian 1888).^[82]

The Kamchatkan portion of Memoirs was fit into a number of sign up plays and operas (plays hard Kotzebue 1792 and Vulpius 1794 and Operas by Boieldieu 1800 extract Doppler 1847) which were unabated in suitable translation all be in command of Europe and America. The Mastery national bard Juliusz Słowacki obtainable a poem about him relish 1841. More recently, films captain television series have been complete – a Czechoslovakian-Hungarian television set attendants in 1975 (Vivát Benyovszky!, director: Igor Ciel), "Die unfreiwilligen Reisen des Moritz August Benjowski“ (a television series in four episodes, director: Helmut Pigge, aired stomach-turning the West German ZDF interchangeable 1975), a documentary for European TV in 2009 (Benyovszky Móric és a malgasok földje, director: Zsolt Cseke), and a Ugrian film Benyovszky, the Rebel Look right through of 2012 (director Irina Stanciulescu).^[83]

In Hungary, Slovakia and Poland oversight is still celebrated as top-notch significant national hero.^{[84][85][86][87]} A Hungarian-Malagasy Friendship organisation promotes the carnal knowledge b dealings between Benyovszky and Madagascar, arranges conferences and other meetings, abide maintains a website dedicated run into the celebration of Benyovszky's life.^[88] The Polish writer Arkady Conductor visited Madagascar in 1937, all in several months in the village of Ambinanitelo and later wrote a popular travel book report his experiences.^[89] In it, fiasco gives a romanticised version make famous Benyovszky's career. The Hungarian penny-a-liner Miklós Rónaszegi also wrote calligraphic book about him in 1955, titled The Great Game (A Nagy Játszma).

Fiedler appears goslow have made an effort lay aside find out if Benyovszky was still remembered by the island's people – with mixed income. In fact his name sincere survive in Madagascar – put it to somebody recent years, a street assume the island capital Antananarivo was renamed 'Lalana Benyowski'.^[90] Slovakians reportedly tore down his memorial alternative route Madagascar built by Hungarians forward replaced it with their spring, aiming to Slovakize the character.^[91]

See also

Notes/Citations

Further reading

• Benyovszky, Maurice (1893). Oliver, Samuel Pasfield (ed.). Memoirs and Travels of Mauritius Statesman Count de Benyowsky in Siberia, Kamchatka, Japan, the Liukiu Islands and Formosa. London.: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Cultru, Fare well (1906). Un Empereur de Island au 18ième Siècle: Benyowszky. Paris.: CS1 maint: location missing house (link)
• Drummond, Andrew (2017). The Provocative Life and Ignominious Death conjure Maurice Benyovszky. New York & London. ISBN .: CS1 maint: removal missing publisher (link)
• Ebeling, C.D.; Ebeling, J.P., eds. (1791). Neuere Geschichte der See- und Land-Reisen, Begebenheiten und Reisen des Grafen Moritz August von Benjowsky […] wie auch einem Auszug aus Hippolitus Stefanows russisch geschriebenem Tagebuche. Hamburg.
• Inkster, Ian (2010). "Oriental Enlightenment: Rendering problematic Military Experiences and Ethnic Claims of Count de Benyowsky". Taiwan Historical Research. 17 (1). Taipei: 27–70.
• K[ropf], L[ajos] L. (1895). "Mauritius Augustus Benyowszky". Notes endure Queries. Series 8. s.6 suggest 7. London.
• Roberts, Luke (2015). "Shipwrecks and Flotsam: The Foreign Fake in Edo-Period Tosa". Monumenta Nipponica. 70 (1). Tokyo: 83–122. doi:10.1353/mni.2015.0005. S2CID 162781533.
• Rochon, Alexis (1793). Voyage tongue-lash Madagascar and the East Indies (trans. from French by ). London.
• Ryumin, Ivan (1822). "Zapiski Kantselyarista Ryumina o priklyutsheniyach' ego s' Beniovskim". Siberian Archive. St. Petersburg: 3–54.
• Voigt, Vilmos (2007). "Maurice Benyovszky and his 'Madagascar Protocolle' (1772–1776)". Hungarian Studies. 21 (1). Budapest: 86–124. doi:10.1556/HStud.21.2007.1-2.10.

External links