Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny

Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny was born in 1689, the son of Hungarian noble Miklós Bercsényi who was a friend of Francis II Rákóczi.

After his mother's death in 1691, he lived with relatives in Hlohovec until 1695 when his father remarried to Krisztina Csaky who raised him and his sister at the castle in Užhorod.

After his father fled to Poland in 1701, twelve-year-old Ladislas was transferred to the Jesuit grammar school in Košice.

After a year spent at Rákóczi's court-in-exile in Constantinople, Bercheny was promoted mestre de camp (colonel) in the Rattky Regiment in 1719.

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.