# Menyhért Lónyay

Menyhért Count Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (6 January 1822, in Nagylónya – 3 November 1884, in Budapest) was a Hungarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary from 1871 to 1872.

## Early life and ancestry

He was born to an old Protestant Hungarian aristocratic family, dating back to 13th century, as the elder of two sons of János, Baron Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1796-1859) and his wife and cousin, Florentina, Baroness Lónyay de Nagy-Lónya et Vásárosnamény (1802-1885). His first cousin once removed was Count Elemér Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1863-1946), second husband of Crown Princess Stéphanie of Austria, who converted to Catholicism upon his marriage and was elevated into the rank of Fürst on 9 February 1917 by Charles I of Austria.

## Biography

He studied law in Pest and became a member of the Hungarian Diet in 1843, where he was a member of the opposition, though he also opposed the protectionist tariff system of Lajos Kossuth. He was undersecretary of state in the government brought to power by the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, and fled when the rebellion was put down in 1849. He returned to the country in 1850 with amnesty granted. After his return, he championed the construction works intended to provide navigation and flood control over the Tisza river and had an active role in launching projects in the agricultural and financial sectors. He protested in favor of the autonomy of Protestant churches after the Patent of 1859 endangered them.
He was appointed Minister of Finance under the first constitutional Prime Minister, Gyula Andrássy, in 1867, and in 1870 became the Minister of Finance of Austria-Hungary. In August 1871 he was raised to the rank of Count, and in November 1871 he became Prime Minister of Hungary. He resigned relatively quickly, however, amidst accusations of corruption: He was accused directly by a member of the Diet on 18 November 1872, and was dismissed on 2 December of that year. He became a member of the upper chamber of the Diet in 1875, and died in 1884.

## Private life

Count Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény was married in Pest, Hungary on 20 September 1845 to Emília Kappel (1825-1888), the daughter of Frigyes Kappel (1773-1855). They had four sons:
* Count Béla Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1890-1869), married his cousin Baroness Mária Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1849-1893) and had issue:
** Countess Margit Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1870-1931), married Árpád Vásárhelyi de Kézdivásárhely (1877-1955)
** Count Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1873-1937), married Ilona Kendeffy de Malomvíz (1873-1958), had issue
* Count Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1849-1884), married Countess Margit Forgách de Ghymes et Gács (1851-1933) and had one daughter:
** Countess Pálma Eleonora Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1880-1967), married to Prince Eugen Zoárd Odescalchi (1876-1917)
* Count Gábor Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1851-1927), never married
* Count János Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény (1860-1937), never married

## Ancestors

Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény's ancestors in three generations :
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Father: János Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Paternal Grandfather: Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Paternal Great-grandfather: Baron László Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Father: János Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Paternal Grandfather: Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Paternal Great-grandmother: Zsófia Darvas de Nagy-Réth |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Father: János Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Paternal Grandmother: Erzsébet Szemere de Szemere | Paternal Great-grandfather: László Szemere de Szemere |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Father: János Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Paternal Grandmother: Erzsébet Szemere de Szemere | Paternal Great-grandmother: Klára Szentpétery de Erzsébetváros |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Mother: Florentina Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Maternal Grandfather: Gábor Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Maternal Great-grandfather: János Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Mother: Florentina Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Maternal Grandfather: Gábor Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Maternal Great-grandmother: Florentina Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Mother: Florentina Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Maternal Grandmother: Piroska Prónay de Tóthpróna et Blathnicza | Maternal Great-grandfather: László Prónay de Tóthpróna et Blathnicza |
| Menyhért Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Mother: Florentina Lónyay de Nagylónya et Vásárosnamény | Maternal Grandmother: Piroska Prónay de Tóthpróna et Blathnicza | Maternal Great-grandmother: Rozália Radvánszky de Radvány et Sajókaza |