Franz Schlik
Encyclopedia
Franz Joseph von Shlik of Bassano and Weisskirchen (Prague
, 23
May 1789 – Vienna
, 17 March 1862) was an Earl
and general in the Austrian Empire
's army. He was one of the most successful Austrian generals during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
.
In 1808 he enrolled in the Emperor's army. He was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars
. He lost the sight of his right eye in the Battle of Leipzig
on 19 October 1813. In 1848, with the rank of Lieutenant general
, he was regent
of Kraków
, Poland
.
before Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz started to attack Hungary in the Winter Campaign of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
. On 11 December Schlik defeated Sándor Pulszky in the Battle of Budamér and occupied Eperjes (now Prešov
, Slovakia
) and Kassa (now Košice
, Slovakia).
His victories alarmed the Hungarian Military Commission and they recruited approximately 10,000 men around Miskolc
, under Lázár Mészáros
's command, but Schlik defeated him on 28 December 1848 in the Battle of Szikszó and on 4 January 1849 in Kassa.
After this Schlik waited two weeks to resume the attack. Meanwhile György Klapka
reorganized the Upper Tisza
legion and because of this the Hungarians won the Battle of Tarcal
on 22 January and the Battle of Bodrogkeresztúr on 23 January. In the Battle of Tokaj Schlik and Windish-Grätz attacked Klapka's positions on 31 January, but they lost again.
Richard Guyon's victory in the Battle of Branyiszkó created the possibility that Schlik would be surrounded, but Henryk Dembiński
wouldn't change his plans Schlik escaped and joined up with Windish-Grätz. Because of their joining forces they won the Battle of Kápolna
on 26 – 27 February.
Schlik took part in the Spring Campaign as the leader of the 3rd legion. He lost the battle against András Gáspár, the leader of the 7th Hungarian legion in the Battle of Hatvan on 2 April. He took part in the Battle of Isaszeg on 6 April and on 26 April in the First Battle of Komárom and later he retreated in the direction of the River Rába
.
In the Summer Campaign he took part as a leader of the 1st legion and so was in command at the Battle of Győr on 28 June and the July Battles of Komárom
. Julius Jacob von Haynau
moved the Austrian legions in three parallel lines against the Hungarians at Szeged
. Schlik was the leader of the line which was advancing towards Makó
and he fought to cross the River Maros
on 5 August. Haynau ordered Schlik that after the Battle of Szőreg
he was to continue the advance to the Castle of Arad
, where János Damjanich
was based, but the castle had been retaken by another Austrian legion so he did not occupy it.
and the Military Order of Maria Theresa
for his victories during the Hungarian Revolution. From 1854 he was Galicia and Bukovina
's major general and was the commander of the 4th legion against the Russian Empire
. On 24 June 1859 he was the command of the 2nd Italian army in the Battle of Solferino
. After the Treaty of Villafranca he resigned his commission.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, 23
May 1789 – Vienna
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...
, 17 March 1862) was an Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
and general in the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
's army. He was one of the most successful Austrian generals during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
.
In 1808 he enrolled in the Emperor's army. He was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. He lost the sight of his right eye in the Battle of Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
on 19 October 1813. In 1848, with the rank of Lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
, he was regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
During the Hungarian Revolution
In late 1848 Schlik led a legion of 8,000 men through the Dukla Pass into the Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
before Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz started to attack Hungary in the Winter Campaign of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
. On 11 December Schlik defeated Sándor Pulszky in the Battle of Budamér and occupied Eperjes (now Prešov
Prešov
Prešov Historically, the city has been known in German as Eperies , Eperjes in Hungarian, Fragopolis in Latin, Preszów in Polish, Peryeshis in Romany, Пряшев in Russian and Пряшів in Rusyn and Ukrainian.-Characteristics:The city is a showcase of Baroque, Rococo and Gothic...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) and Kassa (now Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, Slovakia).
His victories alarmed the Hungarian Military Commission and they recruited approximately 10,000 men around Miskolc
Miskolc
Miskolc is a city in northeastern Hungary, mainly with heavy industrial background. With a population close to 170,000 Miskolc is the fourth largest city of Hungary It is also the county capital of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and the regional centre of Northern Hungary.- Geography :Miskolc is located...
, under Lázár Mészáros
Lázár Mészáros
General Lázár Mészáros , was the Minister of War during the 1848 Hungarian Revolution....
's command, but Schlik defeated him on 28 December 1848 in the Battle of Szikszó and on 4 January 1849 in Kassa.
After this Schlik waited two weeks to resume the attack. Meanwhile György Klapka
György Klapka
--------György Klapka , also known as , or George Klapka, was a Hungarian soldier.Klapka was born at Temesvár, Kingdom of Hungary and entered the Austrian Army in 1838...
reorganized the Upper Tisza
Tisza
The Tisza or Tisa is one of the main rivers of Central Europe. It rises in Ukraine, and is formed near Rakhiv by the junction of headwaters White Tisa, whose source is in the Chornohora mountains and Black Tisa, which springs in the Gorgany range...
legion and because of this the Hungarians won the Battle of Tarcal
Battle of Tarcal
The Battle of Tarcal or Battle of Tokaj was a battle fought on 27 September 1527 between the Habsburg-German-Hungarian forces of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and an opposing Hungarian army under the command of János Szapolyai...
on 22 January and the Battle of Bodrogkeresztúr on 23 January. In the Battle of Tokaj Schlik and Windish-Grätz attacked Klapka's positions on 31 January, but they lost again.
Richard Guyon's victory in the Battle of Branyiszkó created the possibility that Schlik would be surrounded, but Henryk Dembiński
Henryk Dembinski
Henryk Dembiński was a Polish engineer, traveler and general.Dembiński was born in Strzałków, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 1809 he entered the Polish army of the Duchy of Warsaw and took part in most of the Napoleonic campaigns in the East. Among others, he took part in the Battle of Leipzig in...
wouldn't change his plans Schlik escaped and joined up with Windish-Grätz. Because of their joining forces they won the Battle of Kápolna
Battle of Kápolna
The Battle of Kápolna was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 26 and 27 February 1849. The battle ended with Austrian victory and influenced the politics of central Europe: Franz Joseph I announced the Constitution of Omnütz on 4 March 1849.- Dembiński, the Polish supreme...
on 26 – 27 February.
Schlik took part in the Spring Campaign as the leader of the 3rd legion. He lost the battle against András Gáspár, the leader of the 7th Hungarian legion in the Battle of Hatvan on 2 April. He took part in the Battle of Isaszeg on 6 April and on 26 April in the First Battle of Komárom and later he retreated in the direction of the River Rába
Rába
The Rába is a river in southeastern Austria and western Hungary and a right tributary of the Danube. Its source is in Austria, some kilometres east of Bruck an der Mur below Heubodenhöhe Hill. It flows through the Austrian states of Styria and Burgenland, and the Hungarian counties of Vas and...
.
In the Summer Campaign he took part as a leader of the 1st legion and so was in command at the Battle of Győr on 28 June and the July Battles of Komárom
Battles of Komárom
Three Battles of Komárom were fought in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 between the Hungarian and Austrian armies at the Castle of Komárom.The Austrian legions were attacking Komárom from December 1848. Under the command of János Damjanich and György Klapka Hungarian troops arrived to liberate the...
. Julius Jacob von Haynau
Julius Jacob von Haynau
Julius Jacob von Haynau was an Austrian general.The illegitimate son of the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, William I and Rebecca Richter, a Jewish woman, he entered the Austrian army as an infantry officer in 1801 and saw much service in the Napoleonic wars...
moved the Austrian legions in three parallel lines against the Hungarians at Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
. Schlik was the leader of the line which was advancing towards Makó
Makó
Makó is a town in Csongrád County in southeastern Hungary. It lies on the Maros River, near the Romanian border. The area of the town is of which is arable land. The climate is very warm with hot and dry summers. Makó and the surrounding region get the most sunshine in Hungary, about 85-90...
and he fought to cross the River Maros
Maros
Maros is a town in the South Sulawesi province of Indonesia; it is the capital of the Maros Regency. Nearby is a prehistoric cave that has been submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative list.- References :...
on 5 August. Haynau ordered Schlik that after the Battle of Szőreg
Battle of Szőreg
The Battle of Szőreg was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 5 August 1849 at Szőreg, Hungary. The Hungarian troops, led by Henryk Dembiński, lost the battle against the Emperor’s troops, led by Haynau...
he was to continue the advance to the Castle of Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
, where János Damjanich
János Damjanich
János Damjanich was a Hungarian general of Serb origin. He is considered a national hero in Hungary.He never lost on the battlefield.-Life:...
was based, but the castle had been retaken by another Austrian legion so he did not occupy it.
After the Hungarian Revolution
In September 1849 Schlik was promoted to cavalry general and he received the Order of the Iron CrownOrder of the Iron Crown
The Imperial Order of the Iron Crown was established June 5, 1805 by Napoleon Bonaparte . It took its name from the ancient Iron Crown of Lombardy, a medieval jewel with an iron ring, forged from what was supposed to be a nail from the True Cross as a band on the inside. This crown also gave its...
and the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa was an Order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin, by the Empress...
for his victories during the Hungarian Revolution. From 1854 he was Galicia and Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
's major general and was the commander of the 4th legion against the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. On 24 June 1859 he was the command of the 2nd Italian army in the Battle of Solferino
Battle of Solferino
The Battle of Solferino, , was fought on June 24, 1859 and resulted in the victory of the allied French Army under Napoleon III and Sardinian Army under Victor Emmanuel II against the Austrian Army under Emperor Franz Joseph I; it was the last major battle in world...
. After the Treaty of Villafranca he resigned his commission.
Sources
- :hu:Révai Nagy Lexikona ("Revai's Hungarian Encyclopaedia")