October 31, 1918

Aster Revolution

The Aster Revolution brings Mihály Károlyi to power in Hungary

Soldiers tore the imperial insignia off their caps and pinned asters there instead. That evening, the revolution's new ministers swore loyalty to the Habsburg king.

The night of 30–31 October 1918

During the night of 30–31 October 1918, soldiers and civilian revolutionaries supporting the Hungarian National Council occupied Budapest's major public buildings, transport junctions, telephone exchange and arms depots, and released political prisoners. The revolution's name comes from the asters placed in soldiers' caps once the imperial insignia were removed.

By the morning of 31 October the police and guards, along with the post, telegraph and railway, had joined or yielded to the movement. Effective power lay with the National Council.

A revolutionary appointed in the king's name

János Hadik abandoned his attempt to form a government. Archduke Joseph, acting for King Charles IV, appointed National Council leader Mihály Károlyi prime minister.

Károlyi built a coalition from the National Council parties — his Independence Party, the Civic Radicals and the Social Democrats. Its ministers swore allegiance to Charles that evening, taking their formal legitimacy from the monarch.

Not bloodless, and not yet a republic

Four soldiers shot the former prime minister István Tisza dead at his Budapest home the same day. The Chain Bridge confrontation three days earlier had left 3 dead and 55 reported wounded.

Hungary did not become a republic on 31 October. The ministers were released from their oath the following day, and the People's Republic was proclaimed on 16 November.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 6 sources 2 audit passes

How this was checked

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What the sources leave uncertain

The revolutionary takeover and Károlyi’s appointment on 31 October are firmly dated.
Sources variously date the Hungarian National Council’s formation to the night of 23–24 October or to its consolidated formation/announcement on 25 October.
Saying this event “dissolved the Austro-Hungarian Empire” is interpretive. The monarchy was already disintegrating through military collapse and several national secessions; legal and political ties were severed in stages.
Hadik is often said to have served for 17 hours, but he had not completed formation or swearing-in of a cabinet, so descriptions of a 17-hour tenure require qualification.