Lajos Batthyány (palatine)

Initially known as a captain, Batthyány fought in 1716 at the Battle of Peterwardein and at the Siege of Temesvár under the command of Prince Eugene.

As such, he took part in the Diet in Pressburg in 1741 and supported Empress Maria Theresa in a memorable speech.

[1] In his final years, he fell out of favour on the question of the treatment of the serfs by the Hungarian nobility.

Frequent peasant riots and complaints of forced labour and harsh treatment on Batthyány's domains decided Maria Theresa to investigate the matter herself.

[2] The investigation led to a number of reforms aimed at improving peasant conditions in Hungary most notably the land registry patent of 1767.