Moltke, HELMUTH, COUNT VON, field-marshal of the German empire, who as chief of the general staff at Berlin planned the Prussian campaign of 1866 against Austria, and the German campaign of 1870-71 against France. He was born 26th October 1800, at Parchim in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, his father being a general in the Danish army, of a good old family and considerable wealth. In 1812 he was, with his only brother, sent to the military academy at Copenhagen, where he remained under the strictest discipline for six years, and distinguished himself in the scientific branches of military study. In 1819 he became lieutenant in a Danish regiment, but on the separation of Denmark from Norway he determined to retire from the Danish and enter the Prussian service. This change being effected, he passed the necessary examinations, and entered a Prussian regiment at Frankfurt. His parents having by this time lost the whole of their property from war and misfortune, he had to undergo many hardships in order to maintain himself on the slender pay of a Prussian officer, and at the same time obtain instruction in various foreign languages. In 1832 Moltke was appointed to the staff, and for three years he continued to develop by scientific and exact study his extraordinary powers of combination and organisation. He then obtained leave to travel, and, arriving in Turkey at a critical moment, he was entrusted by the sultan with the task of remodeling the Turkish army, and remained with Mahmoud II. as military adviser till October 1839, when he returned to his old position at Berlin. From 1858 to 1888 he was chief of the general staff in Berlin, and he at once commenced the reorganisation of the Prussian army. He also elaborated plans for the defence of the German coasts, and the creation of a German navy. His wonderful strategical power was displayed in the wars with Denmark in 1863-64, with Austria in 1866, and with France in 1870-71, bringing them all to triumphant issues. He married in 1845 the daughter of an English gentleman residing in Holstein, but had no family. Known as 'The Silent,' he was a man of great modesty and simplicity of character. His ninetieth birthday was the occasion of numerous honours. He died 23d April 1891.
He wrote a series of letters from Turkey, and an account of the Russian campaign in Turkey in 1839 was published in 1841. His Letters from Russia, written in 1856 to his wife, were published in 1877 (Eng. trans. 1878). Histories of the Italian campaign of 1859, the Danish-German war, the Austro-Prussian war, and of the Franco-German war were prepared by the general staff under his direction. In 1891-93 an edition of his works in six vols. was published, containing biography, a novel, a short history of the Franco-German war (Eng. trans. 1892), letters to his mother and brothers (Eng. trans. 1892), speeches and reminiscences. See also Lives by Wilhelm Müller (Eng. trans. 1879), F. von Köppen (1888), Müller-Boln (1889), and Mary Herms (Eng. trans. 1892).