Wilhelm of Pfalz-Gelnhausen

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Wilhelm von Pfalz-Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen (born January 4, 1701 in Gelnhausen , † December 25, 1760 in The Hague ) was Count Palatine of Pfalz-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld zu Gelnhausen and imperial field marshal .

Life

Wilhelm was the youngest son of Duke and Count Palatine Johann Karl von Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen (1638–1704) from his second marriage to Marie Esther (1665–1725), daughter of Baron Georg Friedrich von Witzleben zu Elgersburg.

Wilhelm had been in Austrian service since 1729 and was wounded in the battle of Mollwitz . In 1742 he won a victory against the French general Bouffleur and drove the French out of Tein. In 1743 he became Dutch general of the cavalry . He accompanied Emperor Franz I to his imperial coronation in Frankfurt am Main and in 1754 became Imperial Field Marshal. In 1757 he became governor of Namur .

literature

  • Jean Baptiste Ladvocat: New historical hand lexicon , Stettin, 1800, p. 229 f.
  • Johann Samuelersch : General Encyclopedia of Sciences and Arts: in alphabetical order. Section 2, H-N; Theil 21, Johann (Infant von Castilien) - Johann-Boniten , part 2, volume 21, p. 189