Otto Wilhelm von Podewils

Otto Wilhelm von Podewils (* 1595 in Königsberg (Prussia) , † September 14, 1657 in Pillau ) was a Prussian officer .

Life

Otto Wilhelm Podewils came from the well-known noble family of those von Podewils from Western Pomerania . He had been sent to the Old Town School in his hometown by his parents, Obermarschall Georg von Podewils and Elisabeth von Rauschenplatt . After his father's death, his school education was continued in the country - in Ortelsburg and Gallingen . He was then sent to Thorn for a year to expand his knowledge of the Polish language and then received lessons in Königsberg for another year. He then embarked on a military career and made the cavalier tour in France and England for six years, and finally in the Netherlands , where he joined the bodyguard of Prince Moritz of Orange . In 1618 he took part in the Bohemian campaign as a lieutenant under the Count of Styrum and received a company on foot in the regiment of Count Wilhelm von Nassau . He was present at the relief of Bergen op Zoom and in 1626 became captain of Prince Henry of Orange's guards . He took part in battles near Herzogenbusch , where he lost an eye, and fought near Roermond , Venlo , Maastricht and Rheinberg .

In 1633 he returned to Prussia with his war experience. He became a Polish war council and colonel and led the German regiments on the train to Smolensk . When the armistice at Altmark had expired and the cities of Königsberg and Pillau were put into defense readiness, he was given supreme command of the troops stationed there. After the fall of Wolf von Kreytzen, he was also given command of the entire defensive work in Prussia.

Although he was not allowed to achieve anything extraordinary in this leading position, the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm was so convinced of his military expertise that in 1641 he entrusted him with the post of governor of Pillau, the most important military base in Prussia at the time. At the same time he became chief of the Rhedern on foot regiment stationed in Pillau . Since 1653 the importance of this position grew considerably because of the Polish-Swedish conflict .

Podewils had joined the Reformed Creed in the Netherlands , to which he remained faithful in Königsberg, even though the majority of the citizens here were Evangelical-Lutheran .

family

On February 3, 1629 Podewils married the chief stewardess of the Brandenburg Electress , Katharina von Sevenaer adH Hagen in the county of Mark (1602–1678). This marriage gave birth to ten children:

• Heinrich († young)
• Matz († 1656), Brandenburg-Prussian lieutenant colonel
• Amelie (Amalie, Aemilia), ⚭ 1649 Ludwig von Rautter (1623–1665), chamberlain from Brandenburg, heir to Willkamm and other estates
• Louise Charlotte († after 1698), ⚭ Theophil von Lewald († after 1697), governor of Insterburg , heir to Groß and Klein Ottlau and other estates
• Anna Dorothea († 1676), ⚭ 1665/1669 Count Gerhard Ahasverus von Lehndorff (1637–1688), heir to Steinort and other estates, Polish lieutenant colonel and chamberlain, Danish lieutenant general, chief bailiff in the Duchy of Prussia
• Georg Wilhelm (1639–1679), Chamberlain of the Electress, High Appeal Judge , Captain zu Rastenburg , heir to Penken and Dollstädt , ⚭ 1669 Louise Catharina von Goldstein adH Carben (1651–1706), daughter of the Swedish cavalry general, Johann Arend von Goldstein ( † 1653)
• Sibylla Catharina (1643–1719), ⚭ before 1674 Freiherr Friedrich von Heydeck (1634–1696), heir to Neuhoff and Klein Wohlsdorf
• Elisabeth Christina († young)
• Wilhelm Friedrich († 1671), Brandenburg-Prussian cavalry master, chamberlain to the electoral prince
• Anna Sybilla († young)

literature

• Christian Krollmann : (Ed.): Old Prussian Biography, Volume 2 . Elwert, Marburg / Lahn 1974, p. 510 (reprint of the edition Königsberg / P. 1944).
• Helmut Walsdorf: Regular roles from the 17th century. In: Old Prussian Gender Studies - New Series. Volume 8, 1975, The soldiers in the Pillauer Schanze 1601 , p. 433f; Under the great Elector , p. 467f

Web links

• Otto Wilhelm von Podewils at genealogy.net
• Otto Wilhelm von Podewils 30jaehrigerkrieg.de