Sándor Kisfaludy facts for kids
Sándor Kisfaludy (born September 27, 1772 – died October 28, 1844) was an important Hungarian poet. He is best known for his love poems, especially a collection called Himfy's Loves. Many people consider him the first romantic poet from Hungary. He was the older brother of another famous writer, Károly Kisfaludy. His poems were even used in music by the composer Zoltán Kodály.
A Poet's Life Story
Sándor Kisfaludy was born into a noble family in the town of Sümeg, in Zala county, Hungary. His father, Mihály Kisfaludy, was a landowner and a local leader. His mother was Anna Sándorffy.
Sándor first decided to become a military officer. He served in Vienna as an officer in the imperial army. Later, he took part in the war against Napoleon, helping to defend the city of Milan.
Captured During War
In June 1796, during a battle in Milan, Sándor was captured. He became a prisoner of war and was taken to France, to a town called Draguignan. He wrote about his time there and meeting a girl named Julie-Caroline d'Esclapon in his diary, called "My French Captivity".
This educated girl helped him discover his passion for poetry. He was inspired by the famous Italian poet Francesco Petrarca and French love poems.
Returning Home and Writing
Sándor was later released in a prisoner exchange. He returned to military service for a short time. After finishing his service, he left the army.
His strong feelings about love were a big part of his writing. When he returned home, he became famous in Hungarian literature. He wrote his poems called Himfy's Loves under a different name at first.
By the time he was in his early thirties, he was a celebrated poet in the Kingdom of Hungary. He is seen as the founder of Hungarian romanticism in literature. He made a lasting impact with his love poems. The special way he structured his songs is even called the Himfy stanza in poetry studies.
His Inspiration
Sándor Kisfaludy's first wife was Róza Szegedy de Mezőszeged (born April 6, 1774 – died May 18, 1832). He believed she was his most important muse or source of inspiration. She came from a noble family. Her father, Ignác Szegedy, was a royal counselor and a leader in Vas county.
