François Sébastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt

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François Sébastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt
François de Croix, Count of Clerfayt
Born14 October 1733 (1733-10-14)
Died21 July 1798 (1798-07-22) (aged 64)
Allegiance Habsburg Monarchy
Years of service1753 – c. 1798
RankField marshal
Battles/wars
AwardsMilitary Order of Maria Theresa

François Sébastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt (14 October 1733 – 21 July 1798),

Field Marshal
.

Early career

In the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) he distinguished himself, earning rapid promotion, and received the Military Order of Maria Theresa decoration. At the conclusion of the peace (Treaty of Hubertusburg, 15 February 1763), though still under thirty, he had already become an Oberst (colonel).[2]

During the

Feldzeugmeister.[3]

French Revolutionary Wars

In 1792, as one of the most distinguished of the emperor's generals, he received the command of the Austrian contingent in army of the

duke of Brunswick, and at La Croix-aux-Bois his corps inflicted a reverse on the troops of the French Revolution. In the Netherlands, he commanded the center at the Battle of Jemappes on 6 November. He opened the campaign of 1793 with the victory of Aldenhoven and the relief of Maastricht, and on 18 March 1793 proved instrumental in causing the complete defeat of Charles Dumouriez at the Battle of Neerwinden. In October, however, his victorious career suffered a reverse at the Battle of Wattignies.[2]

His Grave in Vienna Hernals Cemetery

He participated in the

Prince Josias of Coburg in the supreme command, but he failed to make headway against the French, and had to recross the Rhine.[2]

A

Feldmarschall from 22 April 1795,[3] he commanded on the middle Rhine against Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, and this time the fortunes of war changed. Clerfayt beat Jourdan at Höchst and brilliantly relieved Mainz. But the Austrian Foreign Minister Johann Thugut did not approve Clerfayt's action in concluding an armistice with the French, so the field marshal resigned his command and became a member of the Aulic Council in Vienna. He died in 1798.[2]

Clerfaytgasse in Hernals, Vienna is named after him.

Commentary

A brave and skillful soldier, Clerfayt perhaps achieved more than any other Austrian commander (except the

Archduke Charles of Austria) in the hopeless struggle of small dynastic armies against a French "nation in arms".[2]

Notes

  1. ^ His title is also spelled Count of Clairfayt and Count of Clairfait
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Chisholm 1911, p. 496.
  3. ^ a b Kudrna & Smith, "Clerfayt de Croix".

References

  • Kudrna, Leopold; Smith, Digby. "C2 Clerfayt de Croix, (Franz Sebastian) Karl Joseph Graf". A Biographical Dictionary of All Austrian Generals during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars •1792–1815 (with Biographical Essays by Digby Smith). Napoleon Series website. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
Attribution

Further reading

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