István Bittó

Count István Bittó de Sárosfa et Nádasd
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary
In office 21 March 1874 – 2 March 1875
Monarch	Francis Joseph I
Preceded by	József Szlávy
Succeeded by	Béla Wenckheim
Personal details
Born	(1822-05-03)3 May 1822 Sárosfa, Kingdom of Hungary (today Blatná na Ostrove, Slovakia)
Died	7 March 1903(1903-03-07) (aged 80) Budapest, Hungary
Political party	Deák Party (1865–1875) Moderate Opposition (1875–1884)
Spouse	Mária Emilia Ágnes Lídia Irma Bittó de Nádasd et Sárosfalva

The native form of this personal name is sárosfai és nádasdi gróf Bittó István. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Count István Bittó de Sárosfa et Nádasd (3 May 1822 in Sárosfa, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire – 7 March 1903 in Budapest) was a Hungarian politician who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Hungary from 10 September 1872 to 23 March 1874 and as Prime Minister of Hungary from 1874 to 1875.

Early life and ancestry

Born into an old Hungarian noble family, he was the younger son of Benjámin Flórián Bittó de Sárosfalva et Nádasd (1786-1844) and his wife, Mária Julia Nagy de Lidértejed (1795-1868).

Career

Bittó studied law and entered into a legal civil service. During the Revolution of 1848–49, he was a revolutionary and a member of the Diet of Hungary. He emigrated after the defeat of Hungary in 1849 out of the country, but returned in 1851. From 1861 Bittó was a parliamentarian in the newly convened parliament to the Liberal Party of Ferenc Deák.

After the compromise with Austria Bittó was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1869 and 1872. He served as justice minister in the government of Menyhért Lónyay from 1871 to 1872. On 1 March 1874 he was appointed by King Ferenc József prime minister. The office he held only until 2 March 1875 when he was replaced by Béla Wenckheim. In the era of Kálmán Tisza (1875–1890) he was one of the few former liberal oppositionists (he was the only Prime Minister who later joined to the opposition). From 1899 until his death, Bittó was a member of the House of Magnates.

Private life

István was married to his cousin, Mária Emilia Ágnes Lídia Irma Bittó de Nádasd et Sárosfalva (1839-1921), the daughter of Szeraf Ferenc József Bittó de Nádasd et Sárosfalva (1811-1866) and his wife, Mária Markovich de Zséna (1820-1903). The marriage didn't produce any children.

Death

István Bittó died on 7 March 1903 in Budapest, at the age of 80.

References

• Rövid életrajza A Pallas nagy lexikonában
• Életrajza a Magyar Országgyűlési Almanach 1901-1906-ban
• Rövid életrajza a Magyar életrajzi lexikonban
• Életrajza a Parlament honlapján