Adolf Alfson

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Adolf Nicolaus Alfson (born January 12, 1704 in Eidsvoll , Norway , † December 17, 1779 in Moravia ), Baron von Alfson since 1777 , was a Norwegian artillery officer and imperial general of the Austrian Habsburgs .

Life

Knight's Cross of the Military Maria Theresa Order

He was the only Norwegian who ever became an imperial general and knight of the Order of Maria Theresa. Moreover, he was living proof that in the imperial army even a man from the simplest of backgrounds had the chance to rise to the highest ranks. Alf Nikolai Alfson, as he was called in Norway, came from Eidsvoll , a small town north of Oslo . He came from a poor family, but the ambitious lad managed to graduate from high school.

Soon after graduating from school, he joined the Royal Danish Army in 1733 , as Norway was under Danish rule at that time. He went through officer training and became an artillery officer. In 1754 he took his leave to offer the Austrian army his services as an artillery specialist. There they were very interested in capable representatives of this branch of arms and he was readily accepted. As a lieutenant colonel in the field artillery corps , he took part in the Seven Years' War and was able to consolidate his reputation as an excellent artilleryman. In 1758 he led the artillery operation in the defense of Olomouc so successfully that he was promoted to colonel and awarded the Maria Theresa Order . In 1763 he was appointed general field sergeant ( major general ) and in 1777 he was promoted to the rank of baron. He ended his career as military commander of Moravia . He died shortly after his retirement.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Alfson, Adolf
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Alfson, Adolf Nicolaus (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Norwegian artillery officer in Austrian service
DATE OF BIRTH January 12, 1704
PLACE OF BIRTH Oathful
DATE OF DEATH December 17, 1779
Place of death Moravia