Lothar Joseph Dominik Graf von Königsegg-Rothenfels (17 May 1673 – Vienna, 8 December 1751) was an Imperial Fieldmarshal.
Lothar was the youngest son of Count Leopold Wilhelm von Königsegg-Rothenfels and Maria Polyxena, Countess Scherffenberg. He married Marie-Thérese de Lannoy, sister of Eugène-Hyacinthe de Lannoy, 5th Count of la Motterie.
His parents sent him to the
Jesuit school in
Besançon, to become a priest. At the age of 16 Lothar became capitular in
Salzburg and
Passau. Then he was sent to Rome to finish his education.
But Lothar didn't want to become a priest, left Rome and joined the Imperial army which was fighting the Turks in Hungary at that time.
He served between 1691 and 1699 in the
Cuirassier-
Regiment "Hohenzollern" in the war against the Turks. Two years later he participated in the Italian campaign under
Prince Eugene of Savoy in the
War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714).
On 5 October 1702 he became a Colonel, and received command of his own Infantry regiment. Later he was promoted to
Generalfeldwachtmeister and
Feldmarschallleutnant.
He distinguished himself in the
Battle of Turin (1706) and received command of the fortification of
Mantua.
At the end of the war, Lothar played an important role in the negotiations for the
Treaty of Rastatt.
Königsegg became commander of the Austrian troops of the newly conquered
Habsburg Netherlands, between 1714 and 1717.
Between 1718 and 1722, he served as
Ambassador in Paris and
Warschau. In 1722 Königsegg became commander in
Siebenbürgen, and became
Fieldmarshal on 16 October 1723. After that he was a diplomat in
The Hague and
Madrid.
In 1731, he became a Knight in the
Order of the Golden Fleece.
In the
War of Polish Succession (1733–1738) he became supreme commander in Italy after the death of
Florimund Mercy. He had some successes against French and Spanish troops, but was beaten in the
Battle of Guastalla on 19 September 1734.
In 1735, he pulled back to
Tyrol and laid down his command.
In 1736 Eugen of Savoy died and Königsegg succeeded him as president of the
Hofkriegsrat.
In 1735, another war with the Turks had broken out and Königsegg personally assumed command in 1737. The Austrians suffered a defeat and Königsegg was forced to resign from all his military functions.
He was rehabilitated when Maria Theresia came to power and became Oberst-Land- und Hauszeugmeister. In this function he was involved in the negotiations for the withdrawal of the French troops from Prague in 1743 during the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748).
In 1744, he took up arms one more time and became supreme commander of the troops in the Austrian Netherlands. He led an Austrian Army corps in the Battle of Fontenoy (11 May 1745). He was slightly wounded in the (lost) battle and returned to Vienna, where he became Obersthofmeister.
He died there on 8 December 1751 at the age of 78 without children. He was buried in St. Hieronymus church.
Lothar Joseph Dominik Graf von Königsegg-Rothenfels (17 May 1673 – Vienna, 8 December 1751) was an Imperial Fieldmarshal.
Lothar was the youngest son of Count Leopold Wilhelm von Königsegg-Rothenfels and Maria Polyxena, Countess Scherffenberg. He married Marie-Thérese de Lannoy, sister of Eugène-Hyacinthe de Lannoy, 5th Count of la Motterie.
His parents sent him to the
Jesuit school in
Besançon, to become a priest. At the age of 16 Lothar became capitular in
Salzburg and
Passau. Then he was sent to Rome to finish his education.
But Lothar didn't want to become a priest, left Rome and joined the Imperial army which was fighting the Turks in Hungary at that time.
He served between 1691 and 1699 in the
Cuirassier-
Regiment "Hohenzollern" in the war against the Turks. Two years later he participated in the Italian campaign under
Prince Eugene of Savoy in the
War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714).
On 5 October 1702 he became a Colonel, and received command of his own Infantry regiment. Later he was promoted to
Generalfeldwachtmeister and
Feldmarschallleutnant.
He distinguished himself in the
Battle of Turin (1706) and received command of the fortification of
Mantua.
At the end of the war, Lothar played an important role in the negotiations for the
Treaty of Rastatt.
Königsegg became commander of the Austrian troops of the newly conquered
Habsburg Netherlands, between 1714 and 1717.
Between 1718 and 1722, he served as
Ambassador in Paris and
Warschau. In 1722 Königsegg became commander in
Siebenbürgen, and became
Fieldmarshal on 16 October 1723. After that he was a diplomat in
The Hague and
Madrid.
In 1731, he became a Knight in the
Order of the Golden Fleece.
In the
War of Polish Succession (1733–1738) he became supreme commander in Italy after the death of
Florimund Mercy. He had some successes against French and Spanish troops, but was beaten in the
Battle of Guastalla on 19 September 1734.
In 1735, he pulled back to
Tyrol and laid down his command.
In 1736 Eugen of Savoy died and Königsegg succeeded him as president of the
Hofkriegsrat.
In 1735, another war with the Turks had broken out and Königsegg personally assumed command in 1737. The Austrians suffered a defeat and Königsegg was forced to resign from all his military functions.
He was rehabilitated when Maria Theresia came to power and became Oberst-Land- und Hauszeugmeister. In this function he was involved in the negotiations for the withdrawal of the French troops from Prague in 1743 during the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748).
In 1744, he took up arms one more time and became supreme commander of the troops in the Austrian Netherlands. He led an Austrian Army corps in the Battle of Fontenoy (11 May 1745). He was slightly wounded in the (lost) battle and returned to Vienna, where he became Obersthofmeister.
He died there on 8 December 1751 at the age of 78 without children. He was buried in St. Hieronymus church.