For centuries, until the area was ceded to Romania after the Treaty of Trianon following World War I, the city was a local administrative center inside the Kingdom of Hungary and later within Austria-Hungary. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, Târnăveni was included in the administrative units of Romanians resisting the Hungarian revolutionary government, and, as part of the 3rd Legion "Cetatea de Baltă", provided soldiers for the army of Avram Iancu; its prefect was Vasile Moldovan (the latter was ultimately defeated and settled in Boziaş, where he later died).