Maurice Benyovszky

594:'s "Orientat Enlightenment: The Problematic Military Claims of Count Maurice Auguste Conte de Benyowsky in Formosa during 1771" criticizes the Taiwan section specifically. The population of Taiwan given by Benyovszky's account is inconsistent with estimates of that time. The stretch of coast he visited likely only had 6,000 to 10,000 inhabitants but somehow the prince was able to gather 25,000 warriors to fight 12,000 enemies. Even in Father de Mailla's account of Taiwan in 1715, in which he portrayed the Chinese in a very negative manner, and spoke of the entire east being in rebellion against the west, the aborigines were still unable to put up a fighting force of more than 30 or 40 armed with arrows and javelins. Huaco was also mentioned to have nearly 100 horsemen while having 68 to spare for the European party's use. Horses were introduced to Taiwan starting in the Dutch period but it is highly unlikely that aborigines of the northeast coast had acquired so many that they could train them for large scale warfare. In other 18th century accounts, it was mentioned that horses were in such scarce supply that Chinese oxen were used as substitutes. 673:, meanwhile, were also writing to Paris, complaining of the problems which Benyovszky was causing for their own trade with Madagascar. In September 1776, Paris sent out two government inspectors to see what Benyovszky had achieved. Their report was damning – little remained of any of the roads, hospitals or trading-posts of which Benyovszky had boasted. Benyovszky's own journal of events upon Madagascar suggests great successes against a recalcitrant people, who eventually proclaimed him to be their supreme chief and King (Ampansacabe); however, this sits at odds with his own reports (and those of the inspectors) of unceasing troubles and minor wars against those same people. In December 1776, just after the government inspectors had departed, Benyovszky left Madagascar. Following the arrival of the inspectors' report in Paris, the few surviving 'Benyovszky Volunteers' were disbanded in May 1778 and the 587:

the island was ruled by the Chinese but the rest was independent or inhabited by aborigines. Pacheco told Benyovszky that it would take very little to conquer the island and drive out the Chinese. On the third day, Benyovszky was calling the harbor "Port Maurice" after himself. Conflict broke out again as the party was fetching fresh water and three members were killed. The party executed their remaining prisoners and slaughtered a boatful of the enemies. By the end, they had killed 1,156 and captured 60 aborigines. They were visited by a prince named Huapo who believed Benyovszky was prophesied to free them from the "Chinese yoke." With Benyovszky's arms, Huapo then defeated his Chinese aligned foes. Huapo gifted Benyovszky's crew with gold and other valuables to try to get them to stay but Benyovszky wanted to go so that he could see his wife and son.

583:, an eighteen-person party landed on Taiwan's eastern shores in 1771. They met a few people and asked them for food. They were taken to a village and fed rice, pork, lemons, and oranges. They were offered a few knives. While making their way back to the ship, they were hit by arrows. The party fired back and killed six attackers. Near their ship, they were ambushed again by 60 warriors. They defeated their attackers and captured five of them. Benyovszky wanted to leave but his associates insisted on staying. A larger landing party rowed ashore a day later and were met by 50 unarmed locals. The party headed to the village and slaughtered 200 locals while eleven of the party members were injured. They then left and headed north with the guidance of locals. 274: 33: 515: 511:. However, in the time available (four weeks according to Benyovszky's own account), this 6000-mile itinerary is barely credible for a leaky ship and inexperienced crew. Such a route is completely absent from three other separate accounts of the voyage (by Ippolit Stepanov, Ivan Ryumin, and Gerasim Izmailov). Additionally, some of the events described by Benyovszky are so implausible that the entire voyage in this area must be considered a fiction. 364: 140: 822:, who was by then, as a result of the failed Malagasy venture, in serious financial difficulties. Even at the time of the first publication of the book, it was met with significant scepticism by reviewers. Despite this criticism, it was a great publishing success, and has since been translated into several languages; (German 1790, 1791, 1796, 1797; Dutch 1791; French 1791; Swedish 1791; Polish 1797; Slovak 1808; and Hungarian 1888). 804: 714:. (His brother Ferenc was also at that time in America, fighting as a mercenary against the British). Washington remained unconvinced, and Benyovszky then returned to Europe, arriving in Britain in late 1783. Here he submitted a proposal to the British government for a colony on Madagascar, but was again turned down. Instead he managed to persuade the 876:

In Hungary, Slovakia and Poland he is still celebrated as a significant national hero. A Hungarian-Malagasy Friendship organisation promotes the links between Benyovszky and Madagascar, arranges conferences and other meetings, and maintains a website dedicated to the celebration of Benyovszky's life.

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arrived there shortly afterwards to discover that the Malagasy claimed Benyovszky was at war with them: supplies were therefore hard to come by. A ship which called in at Antongil in July 1774 reported that 180 of the original 237 ordinary 'Volunteers' had died, and 12 of their 22 officers, all taken

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Maurice was the eldest of four children born to Sámuel and Rozália: he had one sister, Márta, and two brothers, Ferenc (1753–?) and Emánuel (1755–1799). Both brothers followed military careers. In addition, there were three step-sisters and one step-brother, born to Rozália from her previous marriage

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Over the next few months, Benyovszky and Stepanov, along with other exiles and disaffected residents of Kamchatka, organised an escape. From the list of those who participated in the escape (70 men, women, and children), it is evident that the majority were not prisoners or exiles of any sort, but

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with the rank of lieutenant and having studied navigation. The following biographical account includes only those facts which are (or could yet be) corroborated by other sources. It should also be noted here that, although Benyovszky freely used the titles "Baron" and "Count" for himself throughout

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Upon reaching a "beautiful harbor" they met Don Hieronemo Pacheco, a Spaniard who had been living among the aborigines for seven to eight years. The locals were grateful toward Benyovszky for killing the villagers, who they considered their enemies. Pacheco told Benyovszky that the western side of

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visited Madagascar in 1937, spent several months in the town of Ambinanitelo and later wrote a popular travel book describing his experiences. In it, he gives a romanticised version of Benyovszky's career. The Hungarian writer Miklós Rónaszegi also wrote a book about him in 1955, titled The Great

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waited for fair winds and then sent a small military force over to Madagascar to deal with Benyovszky. On 23 or 24 May 1786, Benyovszky was ambushed and killed by these troops, and was buried on the site of his encampment. (Most biographies cite 23 May based on the statement by Benyovszky's 1790

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Shortly after their arrival in Macao, 15 of the voyagers died, most likely from the effects of malnutrition. Benyovszky took responsibility for selling the ship and all the furs they had loaded at Kamchatka, and then negotiated with the various European trading establishments for passage back to

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of 1790 makes many claims about his life. Critics from 1790 onwards have shown that many of these are either false or are highly questionable. Not the least is Benyovszky's opening statement that he was born in 1741, rather than 1746 – a birth-date which allowed him to claim having fought in the

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In 1765 Benyovszky occupied his mother's property in Hrusó (present-day Hrušové) near Verbó, which had been legally inherited by one of his step-brothers-in-law. This action led his mother's family to file a criminal complaint against him, and he was called to stand trial in Nyitra (present-day

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as a prisoner. In the company of several other exiles and prisoners – most notably the Swede August Winbladh, and the Russian army-officers Vasilii Panov, Asaf Baturin and Ippolit Stepanov, all of whom played a major role in Benyovszky's life in the next two years – he reached

634:, leaving his companions behind. Over the next months, he toured the ministries and salons of Paris, hoping to persuade someone to fund a trading expedition to one of the several places he claimed to have visited. Eventually, he managed to convince the French Foreign Minister 693:

of Austria for a pardon (for having fled Hungary for Poland in 1768) and made his way to Hungary where he received the title of 'Count' (a title he had been misusing, along with 'Baron', for several years before). In July 1778 he joined the Austrian forces fighting in the

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who was judged to be organising a mutiny and two other Kamchatkans were left on the island when the ship finally sailed southwards. Izmailov subsequently carved out a career as an explorer and trader in the Aleutians and the Alaskan coast, providing information to Captain

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Much of what Benyovszky claimed to have done in Poland, Kamchatka, Japan, Formosa, and Madagascar is questionable at best, but in any case has left no lasting traces in the history of war, exploration, or colonialism. His legacy resides largely in his autobiography

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His mother tongue was Hungarian. Though no birth records have survived, his name in the records of the Szentgyörgy college appeared as a Hungarian nobleman, but for unknown reasons the following year's data were re-written to Slovak with a different handwriting.

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Three other children later came from this marriage: Charles Maurice Louis Augustus (b.1774?, Madagascar?, d. 11 July 1774, Madagascar); Roza (b. 1 January 1779, Beczko, Hungary; d. 26 October 1816, Vieszka, Hungary); and Zsofia, (b. after 1779).

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Despite these setbacks, over the following two years, Benyovszky sent back to Paris positive reports of his advances in Madagascar, along with requests for more funding, supplies, and personnel. The French authorities and traders on

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C.D and J.P. Ebeling: Neuere Geschichte der See- und Land-Reisen, Vol.IV. Begebenheiten und Reisen des Grafen Moritz August von Benjowsky wie auch einem Auszug aus Hippolitus Stefanows russisch geschriebenem Tagebuche. (1791)

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Fiedler appears to have made an effort to find out if Benyovszky was still remembered by the island's people – with mixed results. In fact his name did survive in Madagascar – in recent years, a street in the island capital

702:) as a major trading-port for Hungary. He was here until the end of 1781, when he abandoned the project, leaving behind several large debts. He then made his way to the United States and, with a recommendation from 1377:

Ian Inkster: Oriental Enlightenment – the Problematic Military Experiences and Cultural Claims of Count Maurice August comte de Benyowsky in Formosa during 1771. In: Taiwan Historical Research, Vol.17, No.1 (2010)

689:) and considerable amounts of money in back-pay, and lobbied the ministers for more money and resources for a different development plan for Madagascar. When this plan was turned down, he then petitioned 947:

Most biographies base themselves on Benyovszky’s editor Wm. Nicholson in citing 23 May as the date of death; however, French sources documented by Prosper Cultru cite 24 May – see: Prosper Cultru:

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castle. At around this time, he married the daughter of this butcher, Anna Zusanna Hönsch (1750–1826). A child, Samuel, was born to this marriage on 9 December 1768 (d. Poprad, 22 September 1772.)

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Neuere Geschichte der See- und Land-Reisen, Vol.IV. Begebenheiten und Reisen des Grafen Moritz August von Benjowsky wie auch einem Auszug aus Hippolitus Stefanows russisch geschriebenem Tagebuche

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state that a son (Charles) was born to him and his wife Anna at some point during 1773 or 1774, and that the son died of fever in July 1774, though this is not verified anywhere else.

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There are reasons to suspect this account of events is either exaggerated or fabricated. Benyovszky's exploits have been questioned by several experts over the years.

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to fund an independent expedition; in return, Magellan received full publishing rights over the manuscript of Benyovszky's Memoirs, and the grand title of 'European

1987: 332:, and the daughter of Count Boldizsár Révay de Szklabina. When she married Sámuel Benyovszky, she was the widow of an army general (Josef Pestvarmegyey, d.1743). 742:

traders, Zollichofer and Meissonier. The deal was for monetary investment in return for a regular supply of slaves. In October of that year, the ship

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sailed for Madagascar, arriving near Cap St Sebastien in north-west of the island, June 1785. Here the expedition was met with aggression from the

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on the east coast and began to negotiate with the islanders for cattle and other supplies. It does not appear to have gone well, since the explorer

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This expedition arrived in Madagascar in November 1773 and were fully established there by the end of March 1774. They set up a trading-post at

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to join his uncle, Jan Tibor Benyowski de Benyo, a Polish nobleman. His flight violated a legal edict forbidding him to leave the country.

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Website (in English) containing background materials and links to other resources relevant to Benyovszky's life. Last accessed 24 Oct 2017

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chain, and stayed there between 29 May and 9 June to bake bread and take stock of their supplies and cargo. During this time, the sailor

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state that the route taken by the ship, having rounded the southernmost point of Kamchatka, was generally north and eastwards, taking in

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people; Benyovszky and a number of others were captured and disappeared, presumed dead. The surviving members of the company sailed for

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about him in 1841. More recently, films and television series have been made – a Czechoslovakian-Hungarian television series in 1975 (

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Patrik Kunec: The Hungarian Participants in the American War of Independence. In: Codrul Cosminului, Vol.XVI, No.1. Suceava (2010)

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Patrik Kunec: The Hungarian Participants in the American War of Independence. In: Codrul Cosminului, Vol.XVI, No.1. Suceava (2010)

1113: 698:– in which his brother Emanuel was also fighting – and then in early 1780 he formed a plan to develop the port of Fiume (present-day 265:

and in correspondence up to 1776, he was never a "Baron" (his mother was the daughter of one) and he only became a "Count" in 1778.

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Website run by the Hungarian-Madagascan Friendship Society and dedicated to Benyovszky (in Hungarian). Last accessed 24 Oct 2017

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Ivan Ryumin: Zapiski Kantselyarista Ryumina o priklyutsheniyach' ego s' Beniovskim. In: Siberian Archive. St. Petersburg (1822)

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Ivan Ryumin: Zapiski Kantselyarista Ryumina o priklyutsheniyach' ego s' Beniovskim. In: Siberian Archive. St. Petersburg (1822)

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Ivan Ryumin: Zapiski Kantselyarista Ryumina o priklyutsheniyach' ego s' Beniovskim. In: Siberian Archive. St. Petersburg (1822)

351:). When both his parents died in 1760, the family home and estate was the subject of litigation between the two sets of siblings. 1314:

Ivan Ryumin: Zapiski Kantselyarista Ryumina o priklyutsheniyach' ego s' Beniovskim. In: Siberian Archive. St. Petersburg (1822)

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Inkster, Ian (2010). "Oriental Enlightenment: The problematic Military Experiences and Cultural Claims of Count de Benyowsky".

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Europe. In late January 1772, two French ships took the survivors away from Macao. Some of them (13) stopped on the island of

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Vilmos Voigt: Maurice Benyovszky and his "Madagascar Protocolle" (1772–1776). In: Hungarian Studies, Vol.21, Part 1, (2007)

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Vilmos Voigt: Maurice Benyovszky and his "Madagascar Protocolle" (1772–1776). In: Hungarian Studies, Vol.21, Part 1, (2007)

639: 2243: 178:, who described himself as both a Hungarian and a Pole. He is considered a national hero in Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. 1368:

Luke Roberts: Shipwrecks and Flotsam – The Foreign World in Edo-Period Tosa. In: Monumenta Nipponica, Vol.70, No.1 (2015)

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Luke Roberts: Shipwrecks and Flotsam – The Foreign World in Edo-Period Tosa. In: Monumenta Nipponica, Vol.70, No.1 (2015)

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Memoirs and Travels of Mauritius Augustus Count de Benyowsky in Siberia, Kamchatka, Japan, the Liukiu Islands and Formosa

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just ordinary working people of Kamchatka. At the start of May, an armed uprising by the group overcame the garrison of

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V.I.Stein, Samozvannoi imperator Madagaskarskii. (M.A.Ben’ëvskii).In: Istoricheskii Vestnik No.7. St Petersburg (1908)

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islands, where they also traded successfully. At the end of August they arrived on the island of Formosa (present-day

209:, arriving in France. In 1773, Benyovszky reached agreement with the French government to establish a trading post on 2328: 2224:

Digital version of Mor Jokai’s 1888 translation of Benyovszky’s Memoirs (in Hungarian) . Last accessed 24 Oct 2017

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Google Books digitisation of 1790 English edition of Volume 2 of Benyovszky’s Memoirs. Last accessed 25 Sep 2021

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Google Books digitisation of 1893 English edition of Volume 1 of Benyovszky’s Memoirs. Last accessed 25 Sep 2021

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In April 1784, Benyovszky and several trading partners sailed to America, where a contract was agreed to with two

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Digitised version of 1908 Russian analysis by V.I.Stein of the escape from Kamchatka. Last accessed 24 Oct 2017

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to fund an expedition of Benyovszky and a large group of 'Benyovszky Volunteers', to set up a French colony on

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After leaving Madagascar, Benyovszky arrived back in France in April 1777. He managed to be granted a medal (

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Benyovszky managed to get a passport to enter the mainland of France and he departed almost immediately for

415:. There exists no independent verification of his life in the period between July 1768 and September 1770. 2283: 766: 711: 2219:

Details of the 2015 film of Benyovszky’s life: ‘Benyovszky, the Rebel Count’ . Last accessed 26 Jul 2017

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1847) which were performed in suitable translation all over Europe and America. The Polish national bard

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In January 1786, however, Benyovszky was reported to be alive and operating at Angonsty (near modern-day

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of Austria, which gave Benyovszky Austrian protection for the exploitation and government of Madagascar.

726:’ for Benyovszky's new trading company. In September 1783, Benyovszky also acquired a document signed by 411:

This period of Benyovszky's life has only been documented by Benyovszky himself, in his autobiographical

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of the Austrian Army. His mother, Rozália Révay, was the daughter of a baron from the noble Hungarian

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Maurice spent his childhood in the Benyovszky mansion in Verbó and studied from 1759 to 1760 at the

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S.Pasfield Oliver (ed): Memoirs and Travels of Mauritius Augustus Count de Benyowsky London (1904)

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L.L.K: Mauritius Augustus Benyowszky. In: Notes and Queries, Series 8, Vols.6 and 7. London (1895)

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in Japan, where they rested between 19 and 23 July, and in the following days at Oshima island in

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Drummond, Andrew (2017): The Intriguing Life and Ignominious Death of Maurice Benyovszky (2017)

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Ryumin, Ivan (1822). "Zapiski Kantselyarista Ryumina o priklyutsheniyach' ego s' Beniovskim".

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sent a small armed force to close down his operation, and Benyovszky was killed in May 1786.

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In 1790, Benyovszky's posthumous and largely fictitious account of his adventures, entitled

2263: 2258: 1892:"Count Matus Moric Benovsky – Maurice Benyowsky – Slovak Adventurer and King of Madagascar" 1332:

L.L.K: Mauritius Augustus Benyowszky. In: Notes and Queries, Series 8, Vol.7. London (1895)

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L.L.K: Mauritius Augustus Benyowszky. In: Notes and Queries, Series 8, Vol.6. London (1895)

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L.L.K: Mauritius Augustus Benyowszky. In: Notes and Queries, Series 8, Vol.6. London (1895)

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by sickness. A year later, despite reinforcements, personnel numbers were still dwindling.

174:; 20 September 1746 – 24 May 1786) was a military officer, adventurer, and writer from the 131: 1014:(ed): Memoirs and Travels of Mauritius Augustus Count de Benyowsky, &c London (1893) 8: 830: 384: 257: 198: 2176:

Voigt, Vilmos (2007). "Maurice Benyovszky and his 'Madagascar Protocolle' (1772–1776)".

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editor William Nicholson, but French sources documented by Prosper Cultru cite 24 May.)

488:: 12 May), the ship set sail from the mouth of the Bolsha River, and headed southwards. 430:, lately installed by Russia. In April 1769, he was captured by the Russian forces near 2146: 2084: 2049: 2026: 1185: 907: 838: 309: 182: 175: 151: 96: 2129:

Roberts, Luke (2015). "Shipwrecks and Flotsam: The Foreign World in Edo-Period Tosa".

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