Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Encyclopedia
Joseph Maria Frederick Wilhelm of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Duke in Saxony (Erbach
, 5 October 1702 – Hildburghausen
, 4 January 1787), was an Austrian General and Field Marshal. He is best known for commanding the Franco-Austrian forces at the Battle of Rossbach
.
of Waldeck. His mother died ten days after his birth, on 15 January 1710.
He received the typical education of a nobleman of his time, with some educational journeys to the different countries of Europe. When he was sixteen years old, the prince joined the Habsburg Army and became already in 1719 a Staff Captain in the Infantry Regiment N°18 "Seckendorff", and fought in it in Sicily
during the War of the Quadruple Alliance
(1717–1720).
After his conversion to Catholicism
in 1728, began for Joseph a fast ascent in his military career. In 1729 he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and the next year (18 July 1730) Colonel of the Regiment "Palffy". In January 1732 he even got his own 8th Infantry Regiment. Briefly after the outbreak of War of the Polish Succession
(1733-1735/1738) he served in the following campaigns in northern Italy. He distinguished himself, especially in the Battle of San Pietro
where he was wounded in the face, and was promoted to Field Marshal-Lieutenant before the end of the war (on 30 April 1735).
Joseph ended the War of the Polish Succession with the rank of Feldzeugmeister
(25 September 1736). Only one year later, during the Austro-Turkish War, 1737-1739, he was entrusted with the command of an Austrian Corps. In 1737, his attempt to conquer Banja Luka
failed, but in practically all important engagements of the war, Joseph displayed personal bravery, for example in the Battle of Grocka
(on 22 July 1739), where he covered the retreat of the Imperial Army.
in Hungary. At the beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession
(1740–1748) Joseph raised in Komárom new Hungarian Regiments and consultated by the Austrian military administration in the conduct of the war. In 1743 he was appointed High Military Director and General Commander of Inner-Austria, Karlstadt
and Warasdin. Thus he was responable for the organization of the Military Frontier
and the military supply. for this service, he was promoted to Field Marshal (18 April 1744). In May 1749 he was relieved of his duties at his own demand.
(1756–1763), in the spring of 1757, Joseph was appointed Commander of the Imperial Army, with orders to advance against the King Frederick II of Prussia
. Together with a French Corps, the Imperial Army was defeated in the Battle of Rossbach
(5 November 1757). Joseph, shamed by the defeat, decided to renounce all military functions. In the evaluation by later historians the prince was nearly always blamed for the defeat, although he could hardly have changed the outcome of the fight, because of the catastrophic condition of the Imperial Army and the ineffectiveness of the French troops. Rather symbolic was the appointment to the post of Field Marshal of the Imperial Army (9 November 1785), with which the military career of Joseph ended. He died shortly after.
appointed him Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
, the Honorific Medal of the Habsburgs. On 13 March 1741 he represented King August III of Poland as godfather of the young Archduke Joseph
, the son of the Empress Maria Theresa
. This illustrates how close he stood to the new Empress, whose close friend he was to remain the rest of his life.
On 17 April 1738 Joseph married in Paris
with Princess Maria Anna Victoria of Savoy, niece and sole heiress of the enormous fortune of the deceased Prince Eugene of Savoy
. She was also twenty years older than he was. Thanks for this union, Joseph came into the possession of large real estates, and lots of money. The marriage, however, was unhappy, and in 1752 they separated, but never formalised the divorce.
The prince earned himself a reputation as Patronage, but also as a spendthrift. He spent most time at his castle in Vienna
, but when his relatives the Dukes of Saxe-Hildburghausen were heavily indebted, he became by order of the Emperor Joseph II in 1769 Manager of the Duchy, in order to avoid the bankruptcy of Saxe-Hildburghausen. His grandnephew, Duke Ernst Frederick III, was incapacitated for ruling. When he died (1780) he left a young heir, the seventeen years old prince Frederick, over whom Joseph took on the function of prince-regent, which he retained upon his own death, aged eighty-four.
Erbach
-Places:*Erbach, a constituent community of Bad Camberg in Hesse*Erbach an der Donau, town in Baden-Württemberg**Erbach Castle, castle in Erbach an der Donau*Erbach im Odenwald, town in Hesse**Erbacher Schloss, castle in Erbach im Odenwald...
, 5 October 1702 – Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
, 4 January 1787), was an Austrian General and Field Marshal. He is best known for commanding the Franco-Austrian forces at the Battle of Rossbach
Battle of Rossbach
The Battle of Rossbach took place during the Seven Years' War near the village of Roßbach, in the Electorate of Saxony. Frederick the Great defeated the allied armies of France and the Holy Roman/Austrian Empire...
.
Early life
He was the third but second surviving son of Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen and SophieSophie
Sophie is the French and German form of the name Sophia. In English speaking countries, Sophie has also been a diminutive of Sophia.Sophie and Sophy may refer to:-People:...
of Waldeck. His mother died ten days after his birth, on 15 January 1710.
He received the typical education of a nobleman of his time, with some educational journeys to the different countries of Europe. When he was sixteen years old, the prince joined the Habsburg Army and became already in 1719 a Staff Captain in the Infantry Regiment N°18 "Seckendorff", and fought in it in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
during the War of the Quadruple Alliance
War of the Quadruple Alliance
The War of the Quadruple Alliance was a result of the ambitions of King Philip V of Spain, his wife, Elisabeth Farnese, and his chief minister Giulio Alberoni to retake territories in Italy and to claim the French throne. It saw the defeat of Spain by an alliance of Britain, France, Austria , and...
(1717–1720).
After his conversion to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
in 1728, began for Joseph a fast ascent in his military career. In 1729 he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and the next year (18 July 1730) Colonel of the Regiment "Palffy". In January 1732 he even got his own 8th Infantry Regiment. Briefly after the outbreak of War of the Polish Succession
War of the Polish Succession
The War of the Polish Succession was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests...
(1733-1735/1738) he served in the following campaigns in northern Italy. He distinguished himself, especially in the Battle of San Pietro
Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro, also known as the Battle of Crocetta or the Battle of Parma was a battle fought on June 29, 1734, between troops of France and Sardinia on one side, and Habsburg Austrian troops on the other, as part of the War of Polish Succession, between the village of La Crocetta and...
where he was wounded in the face, and was promoted to Field Marshal-Lieutenant before the end of the war (on 30 April 1735).
Joseph ended the War of the Polish Succession with the rank of Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister was a military rank in various European armies , especially in the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found in the beginning of the 20th century in some European countries...
(25 September 1736). Only one year later, during the Austro-Turkish War, 1737-1739, he was entrusted with the command of an Austrian Corps. In 1737, his attempt to conquer Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
failed, but in practically all important engagements of the war, Joseph displayed personal bravery, for example in the Battle of Grocka
Battle of Grocka
The Battle of Grocka, also known as Battle of Krotzka, was fought between Austria and the Ottoman Empire on July 21–22, 1739, in Grocka, Belgrade. The Turks were victorious and took the city of Belgrade. The battle was part of the Ottoman-Habsburg wars.-Battle:The Austrians had direct orders from...
(on 22 July 1739), where he covered the retreat of the Imperial Army.
War of the Austrian Succession
After the war, Joseph was promoted on 11 June 1739 to Generalfeldzeugmeister of the Imperial Army and was appointed Governor of KomáromKomárom
Komárom is a city in Hungary on the right bank of the Danube in Komárom-Esztergom county.The city of Komárom was formerly a separate suburban village called...
in Hungary. At the beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
(1740–1748) Joseph raised in Komárom new Hungarian Regiments and consultated by the Austrian military administration in the conduct of the war. In 1743 he was appointed High Military Director and General Commander of Inner-Austria, Karlstadt
Karlovac
Karlovac is a city and municipality in central Croatia. The city proper has a population of 49,082, while the municipality has a population of 59,395 inhabitants .Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County...
and Warasdin. Thus he was responable for the organization of the Military Frontier
Military Frontier
The Military Frontier was a borderland of Habsburg Austria and later the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which acted as the cordon sanitaire against incursions from the Ottoman Empire...
and the military supply. for this service, he was promoted to Field Marshal (18 April 1744). In May 1749 he was relieved of his duties at his own demand.
Battle of Rossbach
In the following years, he lived quietly in Austria. After the 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...
(1756–1763), in the spring of 1757, Joseph was appointed Commander of the Imperial Army, with orders to advance against the 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...
. Together with a French Corps, the Imperial Army was defeated in the Battle of Rossbach
Battle of Rossbach
The Battle of Rossbach took place during the Seven Years' War near the village of Roßbach, in the Electorate of Saxony. Frederick the Great defeated the allied armies of France and the Holy Roman/Austrian Empire...
(5 November 1757). Joseph, shamed by the defeat, decided to renounce all military functions. In the evaluation by later historians the prince was nearly always blamed for the defeat, although he could hardly have changed the outcome of the fight, because of the catastrophic condition of the Imperial Army and the ineffectiveness of the French troops. Rather symbolic was the appointment to the post of Field Marshal of the Imperial Army (9 November 1785), with which the military career of Joseph ended. He died shortly after.
Personal life
Joseph maintained for most of his life very good relations with the Habsburg family. In 1739 the Emperor Charles VICharles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
appointed him Knight of 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...
, the Honorific Medal of the Habsburgs. On 13 March 1741 he represented King August III of Poland as godfather of the young Archduke Joseph
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, the son of the Empress Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
. This illustrates how close he stood to the new Empress, whose close friend he was to remain the rest of his life.
On 17 April 1738 Joseph married 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...
with Princess Maria Anna Victoria of Savoy, niece and sole heiress of the enormous fortune of the deceased 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...
. She was also twenty years older than he was. Thanks for this union, Joseph came into the possession of large real estates, and lots of money. The marriage, however, was unhappy, and in 1752 they separated, but never formalised the divorce.
The prince earned himself a reputation as Patronage, but also as a spendthrift. He spent most time at his castle in 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...
, but when his relatives the Dukes of Saxe-Hildburghausen were heavily indebted, he became by order of the Emperor Joseph II in 1769 Manager of the Duchy, in order to avoid the bankruptcy of Saxe-Hildburghausen. His grandnephew, Duke Ernst Frederick III, was incapacitated for ruling. When he died (1780) he left a young heir, the seventeen years old prince Frederick, over whom Joseph took on the function of prince-regent, which he retained upon his own death, aged eighty-four.