Why did Lajos Kossuth work with Napoleon III before the war between Austria and France in 1859?

In 1859, as war between Austria and France became imminent, the French emperor Napoleon III invited Lajos Kossuth to a personal interview to discuss the conflict. The primary objective of this collaboration was for Kossuth to organize a revolt within Hungary upon the outbreak of hostilities, effectively opening a second front against the Austrian Empire.1

Kossuth agreed to the proposal, provided that certain safeguards and conditions were met. Consequently, military preparations were coordinated between France, Piedmont, and the Hungarian leadership. Kossuth’s efforts and his public influence also played a role in deterring Great Britain from intervening on behalf of Austria. However, the alliance proved unsuccessful for the Hungarian cause; the plans collapsed in July 1859 when Napoleon III concluded an armistice with the Austrian emperor Francis Joseph I, leaving the Hungarians without the support they had anticipated.1