1848 is historically famous for the
wave of revolutions, a series of widespread struggles for more
liberal governments, which broke out from Brazil to Hungary; although most failed in their immediate aims, they significantly altered the political and philosophical landscape and had major ramifications throughout the rest of the century.
At a
Berlin barricade, fighting between revolutionaries and royalist forces marks the culmination of the
German revolutions of 1848–49. Hundreds are killed in the clashes, but King Frederick William IV of Prussia is forced to honour the dead, and appoint a liberal government.
March 24 – The
First Schleswig War (German: Schleswig-Holsteinischer Krieg, or Three Years' War (Danish: Treårskrigen)), a military conflict in southern Denmark and northern Germany rooted in the
Schleswig-Holstein Question, contesting the issue of who should control the Duchies of
Schleswig and
Holstein, begins.
April 25 – Captain
Francis Crozier and Commander
James Fitzjames of the
Royal Navy deposit the final formal record ever recovered from the
Franklin Expedition in a cairn on
King William Island, after deserting their ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, with their surviving 105 crew members on April 22 to attempt to march to the mainland of North America.
April 27 – The second abolition of slavery in France and its colonies initiated by
Victor Schœlcher.
April 29 –
Pope Pius IX publishes an allocution announcing his refusal to support Piedmont-Sardinia in its war with Austria, and dispelling hopes that he might serve as ruler of a pan-Italian republic. The allocution, by which Pius is seen to withdraw his moral support for the
Italian unification movement, is a key first step in the soon-to-be crushing reaction against the revolutions of 1848.
May 30 – The
Prudential Mutual Assurance Investment and Loan Association is established at
Hatton Garden in London (England) to provide loans to professional and working people, origin of the multinational life
insurance and
financial services group.[3]
June – The
Serbians from
Vojvodina start a rebellion against the Hungarian government.
June 22 – The French government dissolves the
national workshops in Paris, giving the workers the choice of joining the army or going to workshops in the provinces. The following day, the
June Days Uprising begins in response.
August 17 – The Independent
Republic of Yucatán officially unites with Mexico, in exchange for Mexican help in suppressing a revolt by the indigenous
Maya population.
September 10 – The Austrian commander
Karl von Urban makes the first stand against the Revolution in Hungary, assembling in his headquarters in Năsăud hundreds of delegates from all districts of the
Principality of Transylvania. As a result, 918 communities in the region distance themselves from the Revolution.
September 11 – The
Croatian army of
Josip Jelačić, encouraged in secret by the
Habsburg government, crosses the
Drava River and attacks Hungary, with the goal of ending the revolution in that country.
September 25 – The Hungarian king and
Habsburg emperor
Ferdinand V refuses to recognise the
Hungarian government, led by
Lajos Batthyány. The Batthyány government resigns and the National Defence Committee is formed, which is a temporary crisis government, totally independent from Vienna, under the leadership of
Lajos Kossuth.
October – During the ethnic conflict generated by the nationalist revolution in Hungary and Transylvania (mostly in October 1848–January 1849, but also between May–July 1849) between 4.400 and 6.000 Romanian civilians (men, women, and children) are massacred by Hungarian revolutionary forces, and 7,500 to 8,500 Hungarian civilians are massacred by Romanian insurgents.[5]
October 2 – The National Defence Committee (Országos Honvédelmi Bizottmány), led by
Lajos Kossuth, becomes the executive power in Hungary, after the resignation of the
Lajos Batthyány government.
October 3 – General Anton Puchner, commander of the Austrian armies of
Transylvania, declares insurrection against Hungary, and, together with
Karl von Urban in the north and the
Romanian insurgents led by
Avram Iancu, attacks and chases away the Hungarian armed forces occupying Transylvania.
November 13 – At the
Battle of Gherla, the Austrian commander
Karl von Urban wins a victory with his force of 3.000 against the 12.000-strong Hungarian Revolutionary Army led by
Manó Baldacci, the Hungarian commander-in-chief in Transylvania.
1848 is historically famous for the
wave of revolutions, a series of widespread struggles for more
liberal governments, which broke out from Brazil to Hungary; although most failed in their immediate aims, they significantly altered the political and philosophical landscape and had major ramifications throughout the rest of the century.
At a
Berlin barricade, fighting between revolutionaries and royalist forces marks the culmination of the
German revolutions of 1848–49. Hundreds are killed in the clashes, but King Frederick William IV of Prussia is forced to honour the dead, and appoint a liberal government.
March 24 – The
First Schleswig War (German: Schleswig-Holsteinischer Krieg, or Three Years' War (Danish: Treårskrigen)), a military conflict in southern Denmark and northern Germany rooted in the
Schleswig-Holstein Question, contesting the issue of who should control the Duchies of
Schleswig and
Holstein, begins.
April 25 – Captain
Francis Crozier and Commander
James Fitzjames of the
Royal Navy deposit the final formal record ever recovered from the
Franklin Expedition in a cairn on
King William Island, after deserting their ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, with their surviving 105 crew members on April 22 to attempt to march to the mainland of North America.
April 27 – The second abolition of slavery in France and its colonies initiated by
Victor Schœlcher.
April 29 –
Pope Pius IX publishes an allocution announcing his refusal to support Piedmont-Sardinia in its war with Austria, and dispelling hopes that he might serve as ruler of a pan-Italian republic. The allocution, by which Pius is seen to withdraw his moral support for the
Italian unification movement, is a key first step in the soon-to-be crushing reaction against the revolutions of 1848.
May 30 – The
Prudential Mutual Assurance Investment and Loan Association is established at
Hatton Garden in London (England) to provide loans to professional and working people, origin of the multinational life
insurance and
financial services group.[3]
June – The
Serbians from
Vojvodina start a rebellion against the Hungarian government.
June 22 – The French government dissolves the
national workshops in Paris, giving the workers the choice of joining the army or going to workshops in the provinces. The following day, the
June Days Uprising begins in response.
August 17 – The Independent
Republic of Yucatán officially unites with Mexico, in exchange for Mexican help in suppressing a revolt by the indigenous
Maya population.
September 10 – The Austrian commander
Karl von Urban makes the first stand against the Revolution in Hungary, assembling in his headquarters in Năsăud hundreds of delegates from all districts of the
Principality of Transylvania. As a result, 918 communities in the region distance themselves from the Revolution.
September 11 – The
Croatian army of
Josip Jelačić, encouraged in secret by the
Habsburg government, crosses the
Drava River and attacks Hungary, with the goal of ending the revolution in that country.
September 25 – The Hungarian king and
Habsburg emperor
Ferdinand V refuses to recognise the
Hungarian government, led by
Lajos Batthyány. The Batthyány government resigns and the National Defence Committee is formed, which is a temporary crisis government, totally independent from Vienna, under the leadership of
Lajos Kossuth.
October – During the ethnic conflict generated by the nationalist revolution in Hungary and Transylvania (mostly in October 1848–January 1849, but also between May–July 1849) between 4.400 and 6.000 Romanian civilians (men, women, and children) are massacred by Hungarian revolutionary forces, and 7,500 to 8,500 Hungarian civilians are massacred by Romanian insurgents.[5]
October 2 – The National Defence Committee (Országos Honvédelmi Bizottmány), led by
Lajos Kossuth, becomes the executive power in Hungary, after the resignation of the
Lajos Batthyány government.
October 3 – General Anton Puchner, commander of the Austrian armies of
Transylvania, declares insurrection against Hungary, and, together with
Karl von Urban in the north and the
Romanian insurgents led by
Avram Iancu, attacks and chases away the Hungarian armed forces occupying Transylvania.
November 13 – At the
Battle of Gherla, the Austrian commander
Karl von Urban wins a victory with his force of 3.000 against the 12.000-strong Hungarian Revolutionary Army led by
Manó Baldacci, the Hungarian commander-in-chief in Transylvania.