Gyula Szapáry

He studied law, entered the government service and became Viscount (vicecomes) of Heves County. He spent nine legislative sessions for the Liberal Party as a representative in the Diet of Hungary. He was elected Count (comes) of Heves in 1867. In 1870 he became Secretary to the Transport Ministry, Interior Minister in 1873, finance minister from 1878 to 1887 in the cabinet of Kálmán Tisza, then also Minister for Transport and Minister of Agriculture from 1889.[1]

Szapáry in 1873

During his tenure as prime minister of Hungary from 13 March 1890 to 17 November 1892 were laws to promote the industrial, social reform and currency reform, switching silver-based Forint to the gold-based Korona, to be carried out by Finance Minister Sándor Wekerle.[2]

Szapáry was a less than outstanding, cautious conservative politicians,[3] technocratic,[4] or bureaucrat[5] described, but he was able to rely on experienced ministers, which he had largely taken from the Tisza government. Therefore, his government was essentially also the policy of his predecessor.[6] An administrative and ecclesiastical reform but without success and after the national opposition won the parliamentary elections 1892. Sándor Wekerle succeeded him.[2]

Wekerle, Dezső Szilágyi, Gábor Baross and Albin Csáky were all members of his cabinet. The relative success of his government was possible due to the high ministers. Szapáry was appointed Master of the Treasury in 1900. He served as president of the Credit Bank since 1904.

He married to Karolina Festetics de Tolna on 30 May 1864 with whom he had 7 children including Lőrinc Szapáry.