Cardinal Alexander Rudnay (October 4, 1760 - September 13, 1831)

He was born in yeomen family in Svätý Kríž nad Váhom (today a part of Považany). He studied at gymnasium in Nitra, at Emerikána in Bratislava, philosophy in Tmava, theology in Budín and at the general seminar in Bratislava. He acted as a priest in Častá, Hronský Beňadik, Tmava and Krušovce. He became Esztergom's canon in 1805, titular bishop in 1808 and later Esztergom's general vicar and governor's counsellor, bishop in Alba Iulii in 1815, Esztergom's archbishop in 1819, high Hungarian civil dignitary prince, Hungarian primate and cardinal from 1828.
As archbishop primate, he dedicated himself much to improve the church educational system, to reorganise clerical studies, to publish religious literature and textbooks. He supported construction of churches, he gave an impulse to built a monumental basilica in Esztergom, and he moved the archbishop's seat to Esztergom. Cardinal Alexander Rudnay was an enlightened intellectual, church and national official, member and patron of the Slovak learned journeycraft, supporter of Bemolák's followers and the Slovak national movement. When appointed as cardinal, he said to the pope Leo XIII: "I am a Slovak, and even if l would sit on Peter's stool, I still would be a Slovak."