Entre fascination et désillusion : attitudes des nobles hongrois devant la cour de Versailles à l’époque des Lumières

Abstract

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, a few members of the Hungarian nobility sought refuge in France after the failure of the battles for independence and some of them were received at the court of Versailles. Prince Francis II Rákóczi was certainly the most eminent of them. His accounts (above all his Confession d’un pêcheur) and those of his entourage (like the Journal by Ádám Szathmári-Király) express a sense of wonder in the face of a centre of power whose assistance they hoped for in their projects. Versailles attracted numerous visitors from the Hungarian nobility, who were curious to visit it. The case of Joseph Teleki illustrates the discovery of a different world seen through the eyes of a noble Hungarian Protestant. Teleki left us a captivating account of his travels which reveals both wonder and disillusion. Back in their homeland, these aristocrats drew on French models for the construction of their own residences. The best-known example is the Esterházy Palace, nicknamed by historians ‘the Hungarian Versailles’, which was famous for its prestigious structures and its splendid festivities.

Keywords

• Versailles
• Hungary
• 18th century
• Rákóczi (Francis II)
• Hungarian aristocracy
• Eszterháza