Morgan County republican., 1907-10-24

The men of the SEechenyi family
have borne the title OF count for more
than 300 years. Among the most cele-
brated of them was Count Nicholas
Szechenyi, companion in arms Of the
famous Hungarian general, Zrinyi
who in the sixteenth century stood
like a battlement between the en-
croachments of the Turks on the
south and east and the kingdoms Of
western Europe.
Few episodes of medieval history
are more romantic than the story OF
Zrinyi's defense of Sziget, fortress
on the Danube. withstanding for a
month, and with $500 men, the on.
slaughts of the Sultan Solyman and
G., 900 Turks. Zrinyi's fate has been
made the theme of one of Theodore
Koerner's most famous tragedies.
Another of the Szechenyis. holding
the rank of archbishop, was the me-
diator in bringing about the peace be-
tween Emperor Ferdinand and Roko-
czy, by which the latter was recog.
nized as legitimate prince Of Transyl.
vania
Like their ancestors the wealth Of
the family lies In the ownership Of
land. The young counts father owned
thousands of acres divided into scores
of farms and forest preserves. AS
did their forefathers. the Szechenyis
drew from these domains tribute Of
wheat, Turkish pepper, tobacco, hemp
and grapes, and next to France, Hun.
gary is the greatest wine-producing
| country in the world. According to
Hungarian standards the Szechenyis
are very rich and powerful.
During the period of Kossuth the
| young counts great-uncle played a
conspicuous part. High above all the
other members Of the family, famous
| in his country as statesmen and public
benefactor, rises this conspicuous fig
ure of Count Istvan (Stephen) SEE
chenyi, Indeed, his people fondly call
him the Greatest Hungarian"
The suspension bridge between Pest
and Buda, the removal of obstancles
to navigation at the Iron Gate, the
regulation ot the River Thesis and the
introduction of steamboats, on the
Danube were due to his exertions.
Count Laszio is not the first of hi.
family 10 visit America. His kinsman
Count Bella Szechenyi, well known IL
his own country as a traveller and ex
plorer, visited the United States A
years ago.
When Miss Vanderbilt goes as {
bride TO Austro.Hungary she may wei
believe herself in that Ruritanla which
Anthony Hope has made the scene 0
so many adventures. Her new dc
mains, now broken by the Carpathial
mountains and the Alps, now reaching
: out toward the rivers In great grail
fields or vineyards, will be a land O
? quaint customs, of traditional romano
4, and of old world aristocracy in pres
; ent-day surroundings. The grea
5 houses of Vienna and the imperia
: court will be open TO her, and Vienn
e Is one Of the gayest Of European citiel
Budapest will offer her social pre-
a tige little less alluring.
AAt ltaopu lpl AAlb 10 lldN INT Tau
lily of Count Szechenyi is represente
y in nearly every branch OF the oficii
e life The counts father, the lat
Il Count Emerich S2echenyi, was co
n fdcntial councillor to the Austrian er
y peror, Franz Joseph, and afterwal
d, Ambassador Of AustroHungary
r Berlin, and wore the Order OF Il
It Golden Fleece. His mother was Il
's Countess Alexandra sztaray.Szirini
.e of ancient Hungarian lineage.
IS The Count Laszlo is 2S years oil
% having been born on Feb. IS, 1879. I
IS is the youngest Of four brothers. II
s. eldest, Count Dionys, man of Al, vi
es Is minister plenipotentlary and cou
OF cilOr of the Austrian embassy at Par
ss His wife was Countess Maria de Car
%, man ct Chimay. The other brothe,
d. Peter. man of 81, and Stephen, W
Mt is "a, are unmarried, All Of the bror
m ers are reserve lleutenants In the /
nd perial tuz2ars as well as chamberlal
at the court