Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny ( hu, Bercsényi László) (August 3, 1689 in Eperjes, Sáros County,

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephe ...

(today

Prešov Prešov (, hu, Eperjes, Rusyn language, Rusyn and Ukrainian language, Ukrainian: Пряшів) is a city in Eastern Slovakia. It is the seat of administrative Prešov Region ( sk, Prešovský kraj) and Šariš, as well as the historic Sáros Cou ...

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...

) – January 9, 1778 in

Luzancy Luzancy () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Demographics Inhabitants are called ''Luzancéens''. See also *Communes of the Seine-et-Marne department The following is a list o ...

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period ...

(today

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

) was a Hungarian-born soldier who became

Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

Life

Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny was born in 1689, the son of Hungarian noble Miklós Bercsényi who was a friend of Francis II Rákóczi. Bercheny started his military career in the Bodyguard of prince Rákóczi. After the Prince's failure to achieve Hungarian independence in 1711, Bercheny emigrated to France. In 1712, he was named

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

in the Rattky Hussards Regiment, then the only hussar regiment in the French Army. After a year spent at Rákóczi's court-in-exile in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth ( Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...

, Bercheny was promoted ''mestre de camp'' (

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

) in the Rattky Regiment in 1719. Around 1720, Bercheny proposed to recruit new hussars for the Rattky Regiment among the exiled Hungarians in Constantinople. The prospect soon turned into the creation of a new regiment, with Bercheny as his colonel-proprietor. Along with several French and Hungarians officers, Bercheny was able to muster 174 Hungarians by the end of 1722. Afterwards Bercheny settled permanently in France. He married Anne Catherine Girard, a middle-class girl from Haguenau, who had already given birth to his first son, in 1726. He was made a French subject by letters from the King the same year. Bercheny purchased the lordship and manor of

, which became his home, in 1729. The new regiment, known as ''Bercheny-Houzards'', participated in the War of the Polish Succession (1733-1735), during which Bercheny was promoted

brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

. He was further promoted to ''maréchal de camp'' (

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

) in 1738 and participated in the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George' ...

, during which he was promoted

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

, and the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754– ...

, during which he was made

. This final promotion was only honorary, as he retired from active service the same day. Bercheny died in 1778 in his manor of Luzancy.

Military History

Insigne régimentaire du 1er régiment de hussards parachutistes

Bercheny was renowned as an expert on light cavalry and became the first Inspector General of Hussars in 1743, giving him advisory role in officers' nominations and tactical use of units. He is widely known as the ''Father of French Hussars''. His regiment, Bercheny Houzards, became the most ancient hussars regiment in the French Army after the dissolution of the former Rattky regiment in 1756. This regiment is nowadays the 1st Parachute Hussars Regiment, but is still widely known as ''Bercheny-Houzards''.Raymond Boissau, "La Levée de Bercheny-hussards", ''Revue historique des armées'', n° 225, 2009, pp. 15-21

Trivia

The

Hungarian military The Hungarian Defence Forces ( hu, Magyar Honvédség) is the national armed forces, defence force of Hungary. Since 2007, the Hungarian Armed Forces is under a unified command structure. The Ministry of Defence maintains the political and civil ...

special forces, ''34th László Bercsényi Special Operations Battalion'', is named in his honour.

References

External links

Bercheny
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bercheny, Ladislas 1689 births 1778 deaths People from Prešov Marshals of France Hungarian nobility Hungarian soldiers 18th-century Hungarian people