Ferenc Deák (politician)

Ferenc Deák
de Kehida
Deák c. 1870
1st Minister of Justice of Hungary
In office
17 March 1848  2 October 1848
Prime MinisterLajos Batthyány
Preceded byoffice established
Succeeded bySebő Vukovics
Personal details
Born(1803-10-17)17 October 1803
Söjtör, Kingdom of Hungary
Died28 January 1876(1876-01-28) (aged 72)
Budapest, Austria-Hungary
Resting placeKerepesi Cemetery
Political partyOpposition Party (1847–1849)
Address Party (1861)
Deák Party (1865–1875)
Liberal Party (1875–1876)
Parent(s)Erzsébet Sibrik
Ferenc Deák

Ferenc Deák de Kehida (archaically English: Francis Deak, Croatian: Franjo Deák; 17 October 1803 – 28 January 1876) was a Hungarian statesman and Minister of Justice. He was known as "The Wise Man of the Nation" and one of the greatest figures of Hungary's liberal movement.

He was an instrumental contributor to a number of major events in Hungarian history, including passing and support of the April laws, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and the Hungarian Nationalities Law (1868). While generally supporting reformist policies, he was well recognized for finding and negotiating reasonable middle ground compromises between various extremist political factions throughout his career.