Schwarzenberg

Schwarzenberg, a princely family of Germany, the head of which was raised (1429) by the Emperor Sigismund to the dignity of Baron of the Empire. Three of this family have acquired a European reputation. ADAM, Count of Schwarzenberg, who was born in 1584, became (1619) prime-minister and adviser of George William, Elector of Brandenburg. He was all-powerful during the Thirty Years' War, and brought down terrible calamities on Brandenburg by his obstinate refusal to join the Protestant union and his firm adherence to a policy of neutrality. He died 14th March 1641, shortly after the death of his master.—KARL PHILIPP, Prince of Schwarzenberg, won distinction as an Austrian field-marshl during the Napoleonic wars. He was born at Vienna, 15th April 1771, and first served against the Turks. In the war against the French republic he fought with especial honour at the battles of Cateau-Cambrésis (1794), Würzburg (1796), and Hohenlinden (1800), and reached the grade of lieutenant field-marshal. He was under the orders of Mack in the campaign of 1805; and, when he saw that Ulm was lost, he cut his way through the French army and retired to Eger. He was ambassador at the Russian court in 1808 by the express wish of the Emperor Alexander, fought at Wagram in 1809, and conducted the negotiations for the marriage between Napoleon and Maria Louisa. In this capacity and as ambassador at Paris he so far gained the esteem of Napoleon that the latter expressly demanded him as general-in-chief of the Austrian contingent which was sent to aid France in the invasion of Russia in 1812. Schwarzenberg passed the Bug and achieved some slight successes, but was driven into the 'duchy of Warsaw,' where, acting on secret instructions from Napoleon, he took up a position at Pultusk and remained inactive. In the following year he was appointed to the command of the Austrian army of observation in Bohemia; and, when Austria joined the allied powers, he became generalissimo of the united armies, and won the great battles of Dresden and Leipzig. The year after (1814) he marched into France and captured Paris. He died of apoplexy at Leipzig, 15th October 1820. Although a bold and skilful leader of cavalry, as a general he was a pedant. His memoirs were edited by Prokesch-Osten (Vienna, new ed. 1861).—His nephew, FELIX LUDWIG JOHANN FRIEDRICH, born October 2, 1800, was sent on a diplomatic mission to London in 1826, but became involved with Lady Ellenborough in a divorce case, was ambassador at Naples in 1846, distinguished himself in the Italian campaign of 1848, was placed at the head of affairs at Vienna, called in the aid of the Russians against Hungary, and pursued a bold absolutist policy, his object being to make Austria supreme amongst the German states. He died at Vienna, April 5, 1852. See Life by Berger (Leip. 1853).