During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, negotiations took place in Abrud between the leaders of the Romanian peasants, led by Avram Iancu and Ion Dragoș, the envoy of Lajos Kossuth, deputy of Bihar County in the Parliament of Budapest, regarding the conciliation of the Romanian and Hungarian revolutionary forces. On May 6, in violation of the negotiated armistice, Major Imre Hatvani conducted a one-way action without any compliance by attacking and occupying Abrud which triggered the Abrud massacre. Hatvani embarked also on unnecessary killings, hanged Romanian lawyer Ioan Buteanu, while his drunken soldiers massacred prefect Petru Dobra. In the next two weeks 88 Romanians were killed in the central square and also around 2500 Hungarians died per the revenge of Iancu's army in the town and Roșia Montană, as well Dragoș was massacred as he was considered as a traitor. Unfortunately the escalated conflict could not be settled, Abrud was conquered and lost several times by the Hungarian troops, until May 18 when they retreated to Arad.