Bonneval, CLAUDE ALEXANDRE, COUNT DE

Bonneval, CLAUDE ALEXANDRE, COUNT DE, also called Achmed Pasha, a French adventurer, was born of a noble family at Coussac, in Limousin, on 14th July 1675; and entered the army in his thirteenth year. He served with distinction in Italy and the Netherlands, but for extortion and insolence was condemned to death by a court-martial. He fled to Germany, where he obtained employment in the Austrian service; fought against his native country, distinguished himself by many daring exploits, and bore a principal part under Prince Eugene in the war against Turkey. But during a residence at Vienna he made himself disagreeable to the prince, and was sent, in 1723, as master-general of ordnance to the Netherlands, where he quarrelled with the governor, was brought to trial, and condemned to death by a court-martial. The emperor commuted the sentence to one year's imprisonment, upon condition of his never afterwards setting foot on German soil. He went to Constantinople, became a Mohammedan, was made a pasha of three tails, and achieved success as general in the war of the Porte with Russia, and in Persia. The sultan appointed him governor of Chios; but his own imprudence, and the envy of others, caused his banishment to the shores of the Black Sea. He died at Constantinople on 27th March 1747. The memoirs published as his are spurious. See Prince de Ligny. Mémoire sur la Comte de Bonneval (1817).