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Prince Alfred Windischgratz

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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PRINCE ALFRED WINDISCHGRATZ (1787-1862), Austrian field-marshal, entered the Austrian army in 1804, participated in all the wars against Napoleon and fought with distinction at Leipzig and in the campaign of 1814. In the following years of peace he held successive commands in Prague, being appointed head of the army in Bohemia in 1840. Having gained a reputation as a champion of energetic measures against revolution he was called upon to suppress the insurrection of March 1848 in Vienna, but finding himself ill-supported by the ministers he speedily threw up his post. Having returned to Prague he there showed firmness in quelling an armed outbreak of the Czech separatists (June 1848). Upon the recrudescence of revolt in Vienna he was summoned at the head of a large army and reduced the city by a formal siege (Oct. 20-29). Appointed to the chief command against the Hungarian rebels he gained some early successes and reoccupied Budapest (Jan. 1849), but by his slowness in pursuit he allowed the enemy to rally in superior numbers and to prevent an effective concentration of the Austrian forces. In April 1849 he was relieved of his command and henceforth rarely appeared again in public life.

See Furst Windischgratz. Eine Lebens-Skizze. Aus den Papieren eines Zeitgenossen der Sturm-Jahre 1848 and 1849 (2nd ed., Leipzig, 1898).