Dominik von Königsegg-Rothenfels
Encyclopedia
Lothar Joseph Dominik Graf von Königsegg-Rothenfels (May 17, 1673 – Vienna
December 8, 1751) was an imperial Fieldmarshal.
Lothar was the youngest son of Count Leopold Wilhelm von Königsegg-Rothenfels
and Maria Polyxena, Countess Scherffenberg. His parents sent him to the Jesuit school in Besançon
, to become a priest. At the age of 16 Lothar became capitular in Salzburg
and Passau
. Then he was sent to Rome to finish his education.
But Lothar didn't want to become a priest, left Rome and joined the Imperial army who was fighting the Turks in Hungary at that time.
He served between 1691 and 1699 in the Cuirassier
-Regiment
"Hohenzollern" in the war against the Turks. Two years later he participated in the Italian campaign under Prince Eugene of Savoy
in the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714).
On October 5, 1702 he became a Colonel, and received command of his own Infantry regiment. Later he was promoted to Generalfeldwachtmeister and Feldmarschallleutnant.
He distinguished himself in the Battle of Turin
(1706) and received command of the fortification of Mantua
.
At the end of the war, Lothar played an important role in the negotiations for the Treaty of Rastatt
.
Königsegg became commander of the Austrian troops of the newly conquered Habsburg Netherlands
, between 1714 and 1717.
Between 1718 and 1722 he served as a diplomat in Paris
and Warschau. In 1722 Königsegg became commander in Siebenbürgen, and became Fieldmarshal on October 16, 1723. After that he was a diplomat in The Hague
and Madrid
.
In 1731 he became a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
.
In the War of Polish Succession (1733–1738) he became supreme commander in Italy after the death of Florimund Mercy
. He had some successes against French and Spanish troops, but was beaten in the Battle of Guastalla
on September 19, 1734.
In 1735 he pulled back to Tyrol
and laid down his command.
In 1736 Eugen of Savoy died and Königsegg succeeded him as president of the Hofkriegsrat
.
In 1735, another war with the Turks had broken out and Königsegg personally assumed command in 1737. The Austrians suffered a defeat and Königsegg was forced to resign from all his military functions.
He was rehabilitated when Maria Theresia came to power and became Oberst-Land- und Hauszeugmeister. In this function he was involved in the negotiations for the withdrawal of the French troops from Prague in 1743 during the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748).
In 1744 he took arms one more time and became supreme commander of the troops in the Austrian Netherlands. He led an Austrian Army corps in the Battle of Fontenoy
(May 11, 1745). He was slightly wounded in the (lost) battle and returned to Vienna.
He died there on December 8, 1751 at the age of 78 without children. He was buried in St. Hieronymus church.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
December 8, 1751) was an imperial Fieldmarshal.
Lothar was the youngest son of Count Leopold Wilhelm von Königsegg-Rothenfels
Königsegg-Rothenfels
Königsegg-Rothenfels was a German state in far southwestern Bavaria, Germany, located north of Austria and west of Baden-Württemberg. It was created as a partition of the Barony of Königsegg in 1622, and was raised to a County seven years later...
and Maria Polyxena, Countess Scherffenberg. His parents sent him to the Jesuit school in Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
, to become a priest. At the age of 16 Lothar became capitular in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
and Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
. Then he was sent to Rome to finish his education.
But Lothar didn't want to become a priest, left Rome and joined the Imperial army who was fighting the Turks in Hungary at that time.
He served between 1691 and 1699 in the Cuirassier
Cuirassier
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval armoured knights...
-Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
"Hohenzollern" in the war against the Turks. Two years later he participated in the Italian campaign under Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
in the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714).
On October 5, 1702 he became a Colonel, and received command of his own Infantry regiment. Later he was promoted to Generalfeldwachtmeister and Feldmarschallleutnant.
He distinguished himself in the Battle of Turin
Battle of Turin
The Siege of Turin was undertaken by the Duke of Orléans and Marshal de la Feuillade between May and September 1706 against the Savoyard city of Turin during the War of the Spanish Succession...
(1706) and received command of the fortification of Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
.
At the end of the war, Lothar played an important role in the negotiations for the Treaty of Rastatt
Treaty of Rastatt
The Treaty of Rastatt of 7 March 1714, ended hostilities between France and Austria at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession. It complemented the Treaty of Utrecht, which had, the previous year, ended hostilities with Britain and the Dutch Republic...
.
Königsegg became commander of the Austrian troops of the newly conquered Habsburg Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
, between 1714 and 1717.
Between 1718 and 1722 he served as a diplomat in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Warschau. In 1722 Königsegg became commander in Siebenbürgen, and became Fieldmarshal on October 16, 1723. After that he was a diplomat in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
In 1731 he became a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
.
In the War of Polish Succession (1733–1738) he became supreme commander in Italy after the death of Florimund Mercy
Florimund Mercy
Count Claudius Florimund de Mercy was an Imperial field marshal, born at Longwy in Lorraine, now in France.Mercy entered the Austrian army as a volunteer in 1682. He won his commission at the great Battle of Vienna in the following year; and during seven years of campaigning in Hungary rose to the...
. He had some successes against French and Spanish troops, but was beaten in the Battle of Guastalla
Battle of Guastalla
The Battle of Guastalla or Battle of Luzzara was a battle fought on September 19, 1734, between Franco-Sardinian and Austrian troops as part of the War of Polish Succession.-Background:...
on September 19, 1734.
In 1735 he pulled back to Tyrol
German Tyrol
German Tyrol is a historical region in the Alps now divided between Austria and Italy. It includes largely ethnic German areas of historical County of Tyrol: the Austrian state of Tyrol and the province of South Tyrol but not the largely Italian-speaking province of Trentino .-History:German...
and laid down his command.
In 1736 Eugen of Savoy died and Königsegg succeeded him as president of the Hofkriegsrat
Hofkriegsrat
The Hofkriegsrat was the Court Council of War of the Habsburg Monarchy. Founded in 1556 in the reign of Emperor Ferdinand I, it was a council of men with military experience who could take charge of the army and its needs, in both war and peacetime...
.
In 1735, another war with the Turks had broken out and Königsegg personally assumed command in 1737. The Austrians suffered a defeat and Königsegg was forced to resign from all his military functions.
He was rehabilitated when Maria Theresia came to power and became Oberst-Land- und Hauszeugmeister. In this function he was involved in the negotiations for the withdrawal of the French troops from Prague in 1743 during the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748).
In 1744 he took arms one more time and became supreme commander of the troops in the Austrian Netherlands. He led an Austrian Army corps in the Battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenoy
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
(May 11, 1745). He was slightly wounded in the (lost) battle and returned to Vienna.
He died there on December 8, 1751 at the age of 78 without children. He was buried in St. Hieronymus church.
Literature
- Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, Bd. 16, Leipzig 1882, S.523-525
- Bernhard von Poten (Hrsg.): Handbuch der gesamten Militärwissenschaften, Bd.5, Leipzig 1878.