The Fate of Western Hungary 1918-1921 - Corvinus Library ...

Officer Company demobilized; of those who stayed in active status, the
commander, Capt. Pál Gebhardt, organized a 15-man bodyguard unit for the
personal protection of the royal couple. The majority swore allegiance and took
part in the later clashes.
The king set out for Budapest on October 21 with the units of Lehár and
Ostenburg in four railway trains. The Royal Guard Combat Regiment, as the
primary unit of the legitimists, reached Budaörs in the outskirts of Budapest, on
October 23 and routed an 80-strong unit of volunteers made up of medical
students. Although Charles IV had a force of about 5,000 soldiers, he wanted to
enter Budapest without bloodshed, which is why he declined to order an attack.
The Hungarian government had, at this time, a mere 2,000 armed men but, after
a recruiting speech by Governor Horthy on the same day, their ranks swelled to
three-fold. A significant role in this increase was played by Gyula Gömbös,
who organized several companies from the Hungarian National Defense League
(Magyar Országos Véderő Egyesület), the Awakening Hungarians Association
(Ébredő Magyarok Egyesülete / ÉME) and the volunteer security units of the
universities. In the meantime, military units called in arrived by trains from the
cities of Debrecen, Miskolc and other places. The diplomatic representatives of
the Entente Powers, too, called on the Hungarian government to resist and the
deposition of the former ruler. Czechoslovakia and the Kingdom of Serbs-
Croats-Slovenes ordered partial mobilization. 475 The government named
infantry General Pál Nagy as commander plenipotentiary of all military forces.
After the successful counterattack of the government forces in Budaörs, and the
victorious clash on October 23, Charles IV ordered a retreat. By morning of the
next day, government forces encircled the ‘monarchist forces.” As a result of
the defeat and unsuccessful truce, Charles’ units began to disintegrate and
surrendered at Budaörs with their commander, Gyula Ostenburg. 476 The king
fled to the Esterhazy castle in Tata where he was taken into custody with his
wife, Rakovszky, Andrássy and Gratz on the 24th. They were taken to the
Benedictine monastery of Tihany. 477 Charles and Zita were handed over to the
representatives of the Entente Powers on November 1, who exiled the royal
couple to the island of Madeira. They were taken there on board a British
warship. 478 Col. Antal Lehár fled the country at the strong urging of Charles IV
and lived out the rest of his life in Austria and Germany.
On the day of Charles’ arrest, the 24 th , Governor Horthy issued a
proclamation in which he drew the conclusions of the events. “The Hungarian
nation lived through momentous hours. Unscrupulous persons misled Charles
IV, convincing him to return unexpectedly to Hungary to exercise his regal
475 Report. In: IV. Károly visszatérési kísérletei. I. füzet. 1921, pp. 215–220.
476 Gyula Ostenburg was arrested on October 23 after the clash in Budaörs. He spent
several months in jail for his role in the monarchist coup until his release in July of
1922, when the military officially retired him.
477 Bánffy, op. cit., pp. 97–105.
478 Charles IV died on April 1, 1922 at his place of exile, the island of Madeira.
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