The Revolt
In Poland Rákóczi planned to make contact with Lewis XIV, the king of France for military support, because he wanted to do something for the independence of Hungary. His goal was reunion of the country under the reign of a new Hungarian king and restoration of the traditional rights of noblemen. Ferenc Rákóczi became the head of a revolt in 1703. He sent a proclamation and flags for Hungary. The revolt's slogan was 'Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate' (With God for country and freedom). When he crossed the Hungarian border he was shocked, because he waited for a drilled army instead of a weakly armed 'crowd'. Rákóczi began to organise the military and the economy of the country. He bought guns and offered tax exemption for his soldiers and their families. In the second half of the year that was a great chance joining with the French army, which was only 400 km from Vienna, but in 1704 the Hapsburg's army won an important battle at Höchstadt.
Rákóczi's party contains mainly those aristocrats, whose landed properties were in the north-eastern part of Hungary. Noblemen were unpleasant, because their servants jointed to the army and they had to donate the revolt, whicht decreased their incomes. Rákóczi got advisers and annually ten thousand tallers from France. In the first years the kuruc army contained about 70 thousand soldiers. This undrilled army was faced with a drilled, experienced Hapsburg army which was armed with modern guns. This little troop was able to fight efficiently with kuruc army, which had many times more soldiers. Rákóczi had the most success in 1707, when he controlled Transdanubia and Transylvania as well. In that year he won the position of Prince of Transylvania as Ferenc Rákóczi II. In Ónod the parliament declared the dethronement of the Hapsburg family. In 1709 the French army suffered a large defeat from the Austrian army in Belgium, which settled the 'Inheritance War' between France and Austria for the Spanish throne. After that time France did not send more support for Rákóczi, and Austria could send more troops to Hungary. Rákóczi asked for Peter I, Russian tsar's, help, but he could not send any support because of the war between Russia and Sweden. The revolt finished with conclusion of peace. The new Austrian emperor gave impunity for rebels, promised to restore the traditional right of Hungarian noblemen and reduce taxes. Later he kept his promise because he wanted to keep peace in his background. Rákóczi was not able to win the independence of Hungary, but the country came to a better position like it was before the war. Transylvania lost its independence; it became part of the Austrian empire, without union with Hungary.
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