In 1848, Lamberg was the commander of the Pozsony division of the Hungarian General Headquarters. When the first independent government of Hungary was formed, and the country was establishing its independent military force,
Minister of War Lázár Mészáros asked Lamberg to join, but he refused. In his memoire, Lázár wrote "
[Lamberg] was more of an enemy than a friend of the new constitution (...) he expressed the greatest distaste for it". On 25 September 1848, the Viennese Court appointed Lamberg as the military commander and provisional
palatine of Hungary. The appointment had not been previously signed by the Hungarian minister, so the government deemed it invalid on 27 September. Lamberg arrived in
Buda on 28 September to get the signature and take his office. He wished to meet
Prime Minister Count Lajos Battyhány, who had already left to meet Lamberg at an army base, where he intended to sign the appointment. While he was crossing the
Chain Bridge, an angered mob frustrated by the approaching
Croatian army recognised Lamberg, murdered him,
mutilated the body and triumphantly carried its pieces around,
impaled on
scythes. Lamberg's death proved a turning point for the revolution, killing all hopes of a peaceful solution. It was one of the reasons for King
Ferdinand V to dissolve the
Diet of Hungary on 4 October 1848 and appoint
Count Josip Jelačić von Bužim,
Ban of Croatia and leader of the Croatian army as the military and civil governor of Hungary. ==Marriage and issue==