Leopold Joseph von Daun
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Leopold Joseph von Daun | |
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Born | Vienna, Austria | 24 September 1705
Died | 5 February 1766 Vienna | (aged 60)
Allegiance | Holy Roman Empire |
Service/ | Imperial Army |
Years of service | 1718–1766 |
Rank | Generalfeldmarschall |
Battles/wars |
|
Signature |
Count Leopold Joseph von Daun (
Early years
Leopold Joseph Maria was born at
He was intended for the church, but his natural inclination for the army, in which his father and grandfather had been distinguished generals, proved irresistible. In 1718 he served in the
War of the Austrian Succession
In the War of the Austrian Succession from 1740, Daun distinguished himself by the careful leadership which was afterwards his greatest military quality.[3]
In Austria's
Seven Years' War
During the interval of peace that preceded the
Frederick now reappeared and won the most brilliant victory of the age at Leuthen. Daun was present on that field, but was not blamed for the disaster, and when Prince Charles resigned his command, Daun was appointed in his place. With the campaign of 1758 began the war of manoeuvre in which Daun, though missing some opportunities to crush the Prussians through over-caution, at least maintained a steady and cool resistance to the fiery strategy of Frederick. In 1758 Major-General Laudon, acting under Daun's instructions, forced the king to raise the siege of Olmütz (Battle of Domstadtl), and later in the same year Daun himself surprised Frederick at the Battle of Hochkirch and inflicted a severe defeat upon him (14 October).[3] Despite the tactical success and capture of many munitions and supplies that Daun achieved at Hochkirch, his failure to pursue Frederick through the densely wooded area allowed the Prussians to block his path into Silesia, meaning that his victory counted for little.[citation needed] In the following year the war of manoeuvre continued, and on 20 and 21 November he surrounded the entire corps of General Finck at Maxen, forcing the Prussians to surrender. These successes were counterbalanced in the following year by the defeat of Laudon at Liegnitz, which was attributed partly to the dilatoriness of Daun, and Daun's own subsequent defeat by Zieten's bold attack in the great Battle of Torgau. In this engagement, Daun was so severely wounded that he had to return to Vienna to recuperate.[3] However, Daun and his forces inflicted heavy casualties on the Prussians and were able to retreat in good order.
Reception
Daun continued to command until the end of the war, and afterwards worked with the greatest energy at the reorganization of the imperial forces. In 1762 he had been appointed president of the Hofkriegsrat. By order of Maria Theresa, a monument to his memory was erected by Balthasar Ferdinand Moll in the church of the Augustinians, with an inscription describing him as the "saviour of her states." In 1888, the 56th Regiment of Austrian Infantry was named after him.[3]
Called the Austrian Fabius Cunctator, Daun has been criticized for the dilatoriness of his operations, but wariness was not misplaced when one faced a general like Frederick, who was quick and unpredictable.[3] His inability to exploit a victory, on the other hand, might not be so easily excused. The relationship with his daring general Ernst Gideon von Laudon remained tense.
Personal life
He was married to Countess Maria Josepha Fuchs vom Bimbach und Dornheim (1711-1764), widowed Countess von Nostitz-Rieneck. They had:
- Countess Maria Theresia von Daun (1745-1777) ⚭ Count Leopold Pálffy von Erdöd (1739-1799); had issue
- Count Franz Karl von Daun (1746-1771) ⚭ Princess Maria Franziska von Auersperg(1745-1818); had issue
Notes
Regarding personal names: Until 1919, Graf was a title, translated as Count, not a first or middle name. The female form is Gräfin. In Germany, it has formed part of family names since 1919. Regarding personal names: Fürst is a title, translated as Prince, not a first or middle name. The feminine form is Fürstin.
For an overview of the system of military ranks that existed in the Austro-Hungarian Empire up to the first World War see
References
- ^ Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618–1905) (in German). Vienna & Leipzig: C. W. Stern. p. 788. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ The wife of the Marquis of Pombal was actually his first cousin, not his daughter. Gräfin Eleonora von und zu Daun was the daughter of Graf Heinrich Reichard Lorenz von und zu Daun and Gräfin Maria Josepha Violante von Poymund und Payersberg. Heinrich was the son of Graf Wilhelm Johann Anton von und zu Daun and Gräfin Anna Maria Magdalena von Althann, who were also the parents of Graf Wirich Philipp Lorenz von Daun, Marchese di Rivoli, Principe di Teano, father of Leopold Joseph. See Europäische Stammtafeln, J.A. Stargardt Verlag, Marburg, Schwennicke, Detlev (Ed.), Reference: XI 20-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Daun, Leopold Josef, Count von". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 849. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
Further reading
- Der deutsche Fabius Cunctator, oder Leben und Thaten seiner Excellentz, des Herrn Leopold Joseph Maria Reichsgrafen von Daun ... (S.l.: s.n., 1759–1760), and works dealing with the wars of the period.