Why was Lajos Kossuth considered the virtual dictator of Hungary in 1848?

Lajos Kossuth became the virtual dictator of Hungary in September 1848 following the resignation of Prime Minister Lajos Batthyány during the Hungarian Revolution.1

His rise to this position was driven by several key factors:

• Provisional Authority: After the invasion of Hungary by an Austrian-inspired Croat army, the Diet appointed Kossuth as the head of the committee of national defense, establishing him as the provisional authority of the country.1
• Unrivaled Influence: Even before his formal appointment, Kossuth acted as the life and soul of the nationalist movement. He frequently bypassed his fellow ministers, appealing directly to the public through his own writings to maintain support.1
• Leadership in Crisis: His immense popularity and ability to inspire the nation were considered essential assets that his colleagues could not afford to lose, despite his tendency to act independently or in defiance of government decisions.1
• Political Control: Kossuth effectively directed the nation's course, including the refusal to recognize the abdication of the Austrian emperor and the eventual declaration of the dethronement of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine in 1849.1