Frederick Augustus Rutowsky
Encyclopedia
Frederick Augustus, Count Rutowsky (also written Rutowski) (Warsaw
/Dresden
[?], 19 June 1702 – Pillnitz
, 16 March 1764), was a Saxon
Field Marshal
who commanded Saxon forces in the Siege of Pirna
during the Seven Years War.
by Hans Adam von Schöning
. After she became the King's mistress, she was christened Maria Anna and moved to the Dresden court.
The child got the name of his father, but shortly after the birth Fatima was married at the instigation of Augustus to his chamberman Johann Georg of Spiegel. Frederick Augustus moved to the estates of the Spiegel Family
, but his father cared about his education, which led him among other things to go to Paris, where he found his half-sister Anna Karolina
(the later countess Orzelska) and bring her to Dresden.
Fatima, despite her marriage, remained a mistress of Augustus. In 1706, she gave birth to the King's second child, a daughter, called Maria Anna Katharina
. However, soon Frederick Augustus and his sister became orphans: Johann Georg of Spiegel died in 1715 and their mother Fatima five years later.
Augustus the Strong took the guardianship of the children, but he only recognized and legitimized them both in 1724. Shortly after, he raised both, as his right of King of Poland, with the Polish title of Count Rutowski and Countess Rutowska. The coat of arms awarded to them shows a Saxon rhombus wreath as well as a Polish White Wagle.
On 8 October 1724 Frederick August, now Count Rutowski, obtained of his father the highest condecoration of the Wettin lands, the Order of the White Eagle
, which gave him the rank of an Oberst of the Saxon Army.
and Venice
, Rutowski arrived in February 1725 at the court of the King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy, Victor Amadeus II
in Turin
, where he took command of the Piedmont regiment and was garrisoned in Alessandria
. He really enjoyed his time there, and maybe that was the reason why he wrote his father asking to give to him the permission to enter in French services in order to remain in Turin. His father refused this request and demanded his return.
On 26 May 1727 he became a Major-General in the Saxon Army and shortly after he served under the Prussians; however, in 1729 he returned again to the Saxon Army. During the following years, in the War of Polish Succession, he participated in the campaigns in Poland
and on the Rhine, becoming Lieutenant-General on 1 January 1736 and Commander of the Garde du Corps. As such he was in 1737 the leader of the Saxon Contingent in the War against the Turks in Hungary
.
On 21 April 1738 he became General of the Cavalry, on 9 August 1740 Governor of Dresden
and Commander of the Grenadier Guard, Obristhaus on 10 Augustand Landzeugmeister. On 10 January 1742 he was appointed Commander of a Dragoon's Regiment.
During the First Silesian War he commanded the Saxon troops in Bohemia
and participated on the 26 November 1742 in the storming of Prague
. Frederick Augustus commanded the troops which stayed behind in Saxony, and fought with these troops and the biggest part of the Saxon Army coming back from Bohemia the battle of Kesselsdorf
near Dresden
(15 December 1745), where they suffered a crucial defeat in the Second Silesian War against the Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau
.
On 6 January 1746 he was ranked General en Chef, and on 11 January 1749, at last, he was appointed Field Marshal. During the next peace years, he did not succeed in spite of multiple efforts, to avert the cutbacks in the Saxon Army by the prime minister Brühl
, which seriously reduced its effectiveness.
, he concentrated the Saxon Army of only 18,100 men in a strong defensive position near Pirna
. He withstood a siege of 6 weeks, but had to capitulate on 16 October 1756, and became a prisoner of King Frederick II of Prussia
.
During the years of war Rutowsky stayed in Saxony and renounced all his military functions directly after the Treaty of Hubertusburg
on 8 March 1763. He died one year later, aged sixty-two.
. Their only child, August Joseph, Count Rutowsky (b. 2 August 1741) died of smallpox
in Brunswick
, 17 January 1755.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
/Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
[?], 19 June 1702 – Pillnitz
Pillnitz
Pillnitz is a city quarter in the east of Dresden, Germany. The quarter is situated in the east of Dresden. It can be reached by bus, ship, walking along the river or by bicycle...
, 16 March 1764), was a Saxon
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
who commanded Saxon forces in the Siege of Pirna
Siege of Pirna
The Siege of Pirna took place in 1756 as part of the Prussian invasion of Saxony during the Seven Years War.Following the occupation of the capital Dresden by Frederick the Great on 9 September the Saxon army had withdrawn south and taken up position at the fortress of Pirna under Frederick von...
during the Seven Years War.
Early years
He was an illegitimate son of August the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, by the Turk Fatima (or Fatime), who was captured during the Battle of Buda (1686)Battle of Buda (1686)
The Battle of Buda was fought between the Holy League and Ottoman Turkey, as part of the follow-up campaign in Hungary after the Battle of Vienna...
by Hans Adam von Schöning
Hans Adam von Schöning
Hans Adam von Schöning was a Generalfeldmarschall in the service of Brandenburg-Prussia and the Electorate of Saxony.Schöning was born at Tamsel near Küstrin in the Margraviate of Brandenburg...
. After she became the King's mistress, she was christened Maria Anna and moved to the Dresden court.
The child got the name of his father, but shortly after the birth Fatima was married at the instigation of Augustus to his chamberman Johann Georg of Spiegel. Frederick Augustus moved to the estates of the Spiegel Family
Spiegel (surname)
Spiegel is a surname of German origin. In German language Spiegel means mirror.Spiegel is an ancient German Christian surname. Family tradition says it was taken from a town or lake named Spiegel. There is a small community south of Munich named Spiegel...
, but his father cared about his education, which led him among other things to go to Paris, where he found his half-sister Anna Karolina
Anna Karolina Orzelska
Anna Karolina Orzelska was an adventuress and Polish szlachcianka , the illegitimate daughter of August II the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, by Henriette Rénard.-Life:...
(the later countess Orzelska) and bring her to Dresden.
Fatima, despite her marriage, remained a mistress of Augustus. In 1706, she gave birth to the King's second child, a daughter, called Maria Anna Katharina
Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska
Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska was a Polish noblewoman.She was the illegitimate daughter of Polish king Augustus II the Strong and his mistress, the Turk Fatima or Fatime, later renamed Maria Anna of Spiegel.-Life:...
. However, soon Frederick Augustus and his sister became orphans: Johann Georg of Spiegel died in 1715 and their mother Fatima five years later.
Augustus the Strong took the guardianship of the children, but he only recognized and legitimized them both in 1724. Shortly after, he raised both, as his right of King of Poland, with the Polish title of Count Rutowski and Countess Rutowska. The coat of arms awarded to them shows a Saxon rhombus wreath as well as a Polish White Wagle.
On 8 October 1724 Frederick August, now Count Rutowski, obtained of his father the highest condecoration of the Wettin lands, the Order of the White Eagle
Order of the White Eagle
The Order of the White Eagle is Poland's highest decoration awarded to both civilians and the military for their merits. It was officially instituted on November 1, 1705 by Augustus II the Strong and bestowed on eight of his supporters: four Polish magnates, three Russian field marshals , and one...
, which gave him the rank of an Oberst of the Saxon Army.
Military career
After a journey to MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Rutowski arrived in February 1725 at the court of the King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy, Victor Amadeus II
Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus II was Duke of Savoy from 1675 to 1730. He also held the titles of marquis of Saluzzo, duke of Montferrat, prince of Piedmont, count of Aosta, Moriana and Nizza. Louis XIV organised his marriage in order to maintain French influence in the Duchy but Victor Amadeus soon broke away...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, where he took command of the Piedmont regiment and was garrisoned in Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
. He really enjoyed his time there, and maybe that was the reason why he wrote his father asking to give to him the permission to enter in French services in order to remain in Turin. His father refused this request and demanded his return.
On 26 May 1727 he became a Major-General in the Saxon Army and shortly after he served under the Prussians; however, in 1729 he returned again to the Saxon Army. During the following years, in the War of Polish Succession, he participated in the campaigns in 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...
and on the Rhine, becoming Lieutenant-General on 1 January 1736 and Commander of the Garde du Corps. As such he was in 1737 the leader of the Saxon Contingent in the War against the Turks in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
On 21 April 1738 he became General of the Cavalry, on 9 August 1740 Governor of Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and Commander of the Grenadier Guard, Obristhaus on 10 Augustand Landzeugmeister. On 10 January 1742 he was appointed Commander of a Dragoon's Regiment.
During the First Silesian War he commanded the Saxon troops in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and participated on the 26 November 1742 in the storming of Prague
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...
. Frederick Augustus commanded the troops which stayed behind in Saxony, and fought with these troops and the biggest part of the Saxon Army coming back from Bohemia the battle of Kesselsdorf
Battle of Kesselsdorf
The Battle of Kesselsdorf was fought on December 15, 1745, between Prussia and the combined forces of Austria and Saxony during the part of the War of the Austrian Succession known as the Second Silesian War. The Prussians were led by Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, while the Austrians and...
near Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
(15 December 1745), where they suffered a crucial defeat in the Second Silesian War against the Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau
Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau. He was also a Generalfeldmarschall in the Prussian army...
.
On 6 January 1746 he was ranked General en Chef, and on 11 January 1749, at last, he was appointed Field Marshal. During the next peace years, he did not succeed in spite of multiple efforts, to avert the cutbacks in the Saxon Army by the prime minister Brühl
Heinrich von Brühl
Heinrich, count von Brühl , was a German statesman at the court of Saxony and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth...
, which seriously reduced its effectiveness.
Siege of Pirna
At the sudden outbreak of the Seven Years' WarSeven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, he concentrated the Saxon Army of only 18,100 men in a strong defensive position near Pirna
Pirna
Pirna is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, capital of the administrative district Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge. The town's population is over 40,000. Pirna is located near Dresden and is an important district town as well as a Große Kreisstadt...
. He withstood a siege of 6 weeks, but had to capitulate on 16 October 1756, and became a prisoner of King Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
.
During the years of war Rutowsky stayed in Saxony and renounced all his military functions directly after the Treaty of Hubertusburg
Treaty of Hubertusburg
thumb|right|300px|Hubertusburg, WermsdorfThe Treaty of Hubertusburg was signed on 15 February 1763 at Hubertusburg by Prussia, Austria, and Saxony. Together with the Treaty of Paris, it marked the end of the French and Indian War and of the Seven Years' War. The treaty ended the continental...
on 8 March 1763. He died one year later, aged sixty-two.
Marriage and issue
On 4 January 1739 Frederick Augustus married with the Princess Ludovika Amalie LubomirskaLubomirski
Lubomirski family is a Polish szlachta family. The family used the "Szreniawa without a cross" arms and their motto was: Nil conscire sibi ....
. Their only child, August Joseph, Count Rutowsky (b. 2 August 1741) died of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, 17 January 1755.