Andreas Hadik
Encyclopedia
Count András Hadik de Futak was a Hungarian Noble
. He was Governor of Galicia and Lodomeria
from January 1774 to June 1774, and the father of Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak
. He was commander of a Habsburg army corps in the Seven Years' War
under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
.
He is famous for capturing the Prussia
n capital Berlin
during the war.
(then Kingdom of Hungary
, now Žitný ostrov in Slovakia
) or in Kőszeg
, Kingdom of Hungary
(then part of the Habsburg Empire). He had Hungarian,
Luxembourg
ian and Slovak
ancestors. According to another source, he was of Hungarian ethnic origin, but the name "Hadik" is a diminutive from the Slovak appellative had 'snake', the family was thus of Slovak
extraction.
Alternative theories also suggest his Tartar or Cherkess ancestry.
His father, Mihály Hadik was a cavalryman. His mother, Franciska Hardy had a German background. Andras Hadik volunteered for the Ghilányi Hussar regiment when he was 20, and at 22 he was given the rank of officer and became the standard bearer in the Dessewffy Hussar regiment in the Austrian army. Hadik fought in the War of the Polish Succession
(1733 – 1738) and the Austro-Turkish War, 1737-1739. In 1738 Hadik was promoted to the rank of captain.
(1740 – 1748) he gained fame for his actions against the Prussia
ns at the city of Neisse (Nysa
, now Poland) using surprise attacks and tricks under the unwritten laws of the so-called "small war," relying on the excellent training of his light cavalry hussar
s. During the war, he was again promoted, this time to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1744 he gained the rank of Commanding Colonel of his own hussar regiment, then near the end of the war in 1747 he attained the rank of General and was appointed commander of a cavalry
brigade.
Early in the Seven Years' War
(1756 – 1763), Hadik executed the most famous hussar action in history: when the Prussian King Frederick was marching south with his powerful armies, the Hungarian general unexpectedly swung his 5,000 force of mostly hussars around the Prussians and took their capital Berlin
. The city was spared for a negotiated ransom of 200,000 thaler
s. For this feat, Hadik was promoted to the rank of Marshal
.
Nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary
The origin of the nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary can be traced to the Magyar conquest of Pannonia in the 9th century, and it developed over the course of the Middle Ages...
. He was Governor of Galicia and Lodomeria
Lodomeria
Lodomeria is the Latinized name of Volodymyr-Volhynia, a medieval Ruthenian principality, which was part of Halych-Volhynia in the 13th and 14th centuries...
from January 1774 to June 1774, and the father of Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak
Karl Joseph Hadik von Futak
Karl Joseph Graf Hadik von Futak was an Austrian cavalry soldier and commander of Hungarian origin during the War of the Bavarian Succession, Austro-Turkish War , and French Revolutionary Wars.-References:* in Constantin von Wurzbach: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich, Bd. 7, S...
. He was commander of a Habsburg army corps in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine was a Lorraine-born Austrian soldier.-Background:Charles was the son of Leopold Joseph, Duke of Lorraine and Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans...
.
He is famous for capturing the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n capital Berlin
1757 Berlin raid
The 1757 Berlin raid took place during the Seven Years' War. Cavalrymen of the Holy Roman Empire attacked and briefly occupied Berlin, the capital of Prussia.-Background:...
during the war.
Early life
András Hadik, son of a lesser noble family, was born on October 16, 1710 in CsallóközŽitný ostrov
Žitný ostrov, also called Veľký Žitný ostrov to differentiate it from Malý Žitný ostrov , is a river island in southwestern Slovakia, extending from Bratislava to Komárno. It lies between the Danube and its tributary Little Danube and is a major part of the Danubian Flat...
(then Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, now Žitný ostrov in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) or in Kőszeg
Koszeg
----Kőszeg is a town in Vas county, Hungary. The town is famous for its historical character.- History :The origins of the only free royal town in the historical garrison county of Vas go back to the third quarter of the 13th century...
, Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
(then part of the Habsburg Empire). He had Hungarian,
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
ian and Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
ancestors. According to another source, he was of Hungarian ethnic origin, but the name "Hadik" is a diminutive from the Slovak appellative had 'snake', the family was thus of Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
extraction.
Alternative theories also suggest his Tartar or Cherkess ancestry.
His father, Mihály Hadik was a cavalryman. His mother, Franciska Hardy had a German background. Andras Hadik volunteered for the Ghilányi Hussar regiment when he was 20, and at 22 he was given the rank of officer and became the standard bearer in the Dessewffy Hussar regiment in the Austrian army. Hadik fought in the War of the Polish Succession
War of the Polish Succession
The War of the Polish Succession was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests...
(1733 – 1738) and the Austro-Turkish War, 1737-1739. In 1738 Hadik was promoted to the rank of captain.
Military successes
During the War of the Austrian SuccessionWar of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
(1740 – 1748) he gained fame for his actions against the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
ns at the city of Neisse (Nysa
Nysa, Poland
Nysa is a town in southwestern Poland on the Nysa Kłodzka river with 47,545 inhabitants , situated in the Opole Voivodeship. It is the capital of Nysa County. It comprises the urban portion of the surrounding Gmina Nysa, a mixed urban-rural commune with a total population of 60,123 inhabitants...
, now Poland) using surprise attacks and tricks under the unwritten laws of the so-called "small war," relying on the excellent training of his light cavalry hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
s. During the war, he was again promoted, this time to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1744 he gained the rank of Commanding Colonel of his own hussar regiment, then near the end of the war in 1747 he attained the rank of General and was appointed commander of a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
brigade.
Early in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
(1756 – 1763), Hadik executed the most famous hussar action in history: when the Prussian King Frederick was marching south with his powerful armies, the Hungarian general unexpectedly swung his 5,000 force of mostly hussars around the Prussians and took their capital Berlin
1757 Berlin raid
The 1757 Berlin raid took place during the Seven Years' War. Cavalrymen of the Holy Roman Empire attacked and briefly occupied Berlin, the capital of Prussia.-Background:...
. The city was spared for a negotiated ransom of 200,000 thaler
Thaler
The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s. For this feat, Hadik was promoted to the rank of Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
.
Legacy
Nowadays, the Slovak National Academy of Defense named after him.External links
- http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/thou/thou08.htm
- http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Poland.htm
- http://www.napoleon-series.org/reviews/military/c_duffy.html
- http://www.militaryheritage.com/hadiksword.htm
- Records about András Hadik (Maria Terezia's general, second volume, 2002. Editor: Gyongyi Farkas) (In Hungarian)