Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (or
Charles Philip, Prince of Schwarzenberg (April 18, 1771 – October 15, 1820) was an
Austrian field marshal.
Life
Karl Philipp was born in
Vienna as the son of
Johann Nepomuk Anton of Schwarzenberg and Marie Eleonore Countess of
Öttingen-Wallerstein.
He entered the imperial
cavalry in 1788, fought in 1789 under
Lacy and
Loudon against the
Turks, distinguished himself by his bravery, and became major in 1792. In the French campaign of 1793, he served in the advanced guard of the army commanded by
Prince Josias of Coburg, and at
Le Cateau-Cambrésis in 1794 his impetuous charge at the head of his regiment, vigorously supported by twelve
British squadrons, broke a whole corps of the French, killed and wounded 3000 men, and brought off 32 of the enemy's guns. He was immediately decorated with the Knight's Cross of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa.
After taking part in the battles of
Amberg and
Würzburg in 1796 he was raised to the rank of
General-Major, and in 1799 he was promoted
Feldmarschal-Leutnant. At the
Battle of Hohenlinden he led a division in the right wing, and was almost the only Austrian general who emerged from that debacle with distinction. During the retreat, his promptitude and courage saved the right wing of the Austrian army from destruction, and he was afterwards entrusted by the
Archduke Charles of Austria with the command of the rearguard. In 1804, Prince Karl...
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