Karl Alexander von der Goltz

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Karl (also Carl ) Alexander Freiherr von der Goltz , from 1786 Count von der Goltz (* August 20, 1739 , † November 15, 1818 in Altona ) was a Prussian colonel , Portuguese field marshal , Danish lieutenant general and an important Freemason .

Life

He was the eldest son of the Prussian Lieutenant General Karl Christoph von der Goltz (1707–1761) and his wife Margarete, née von Burgsdorff (1713–1773).

Von der Goltz entered Prussian service early on , where he rose to the rank of colonel. He became a wing adjutant of King Friedrich II. And Friedrich Wilhelm II. On November 19, 1786, he was also awarded the Prussian title of Count. Nevertheless, he moved to Denmark in 1789. There he became the Danish lieutenant general and inspector of the Schleswig and Holstein Jägerkorps in the same year . In 1790 he was also made a knight of the Order of Dannebrog . Why he switched is not known; it is believed that the Inspector General Karl von Hessen-Kassel recruited him. He apparently had big plans to reform the Danish army that he hoped to implement, but was unsuccessful because of the country's political problems.

In 1798 the Portuguese Commander-in-Chief Christian August von Waldeck-Pyrmont died. So the Portuguese government was looking for a successor. Count Anadia, Portuguese ambassador in Berlin, persuaded the general to come to Portugal in November 1799. In 1800 he asked for permission to move to Portugal; that was granted. On April 28, 1800 he signed the contract that would bind him for six years. On May 17, 1801, the Portuguese government confirmed and on July 1 he became Portuguese Field Marshal. In the meantime he was preparing to reform the army. Von der Goltz was probably already in Portugal when the brief Orange War broke out, which ended with a Portuguese defeat. Although he had the support of the prince, he could not push through the reforms that his predecessor von der Lippe had already prepared. On May 5, 1802, he asked for a leave of absence, which was granted on May 30, 1802.

He therefore returned to Danish service in 1803, but was no longer needed in active service. In 1808 he retired and moved back to Altona where he also died.

family

He was married twice. His first wife was born von Meinertshagen.

He married his second wife on July 18, 1792. It was Christine Sophie von Ahlefeldt (* February 7, 1745: † July 18, 1792), the daughter of Heinrich von Ahlefeldt (1711–1765) widow of General Peter Elias von Gähler ( 1718-1783). She died on her wedding night.

Freemasonry

Karl Alexander von der Goltz was a member of the Berlin Masonic Lodge "Minerva"; from December 29, 1776 he was state grandmaster of the great state box of the Freemasons of Germany for about a year .

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Goltz, Karl Alexander von der
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Goltz, Carlos Alexandre conde de
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian colonel, Portuguese field marshal and Danish lieutenant general
DATE OF BIRTH August 20, 1739
DATE OF DEATH November 15, 1818
Place of death Altona