Peculiarities of aristocratic education at the beginning of the 19th century

Abstract

This paper examines the education of the Hungarian aristocracy in the period from 1790 to 1848. Since the progressive-minded members of this social class, which was highly qualified by European standards, played a significant role in promoting culture and education, especially since the Reform Era, I wanted to find out what educational characteristics underpinned their education. I explored the question of what trends prevailed in the different directions of home education and how the political, social and intellectual challenges and changes in the first half of the 19th century affected private education. In the course of the research, I applied the traditional method of educational history, source and document analysis and the analytical (deductive) research strategy. After studying the Hungarian, German and English literature on the subject, I examined and evaluated the primary sources available in Hungary - diaries, memoirs, journal articles, autobiographical writings, records of foreign travellers, archival and manuscript sources. In addition to asserting their primary power interests and their role as patrons, a small but crucial group of aristocrats took an active role in raising the level of national culture and education. They championed the cause of education, founded educational institutions and thus became mediators of culture for other strata of society. Their education, enlightened thinking and European erudition undoubtedly contributed to their recognition of this role and task and their commitment to it.