Prince Gottfried von Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
Encyclopedia
Gottfried Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingfürst, Ratibor und Corvey (8 November 1867 – 7 November 1932), was an Austro-Hungarian
army officer and diplomat during World War I
.
on 8 November 1867 to Lord High Steward Konstantin Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1828–1896) and brother of Konrad Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
, who was Prime Minister of Austria in 1906 and who would too become Lord High Steward in 1917. He married Archduchess Maria Henrietta
, daughter of Archduke Friedrich
who was the Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian army
during World War I, on 3 June 1908 in Baden.
Following graduation from the Scottish gymnasium in Vienna, Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst entered the army as a hussar in 1887. Promoted to lieutenant in 1889, he attended the War Academy from 1893 to 1895, followed by duty with the General Staff. In 1900, he was promoted to captain and was sent to St. Petersburg as military attaché in 1902. In 1906, he was promoted to major but retired the following year and transferred to the foreign service
but had to leave in 1908 due to his engagement with the Archduchess. On 2 February 1913, Emperor Franz Joseph I entrusted Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst with a special mission to St. Petersburg designed to alleviate the strained relations arising out of the Balkan crisis
in the winter of 1912/1913. In April 1914, he re-entered the diplomatic corps while his wife had to renounce her title 'Her Imperial and Royal Highness'
.
On 4 August 1914, Emperor Franz Joseph I appointed Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst as ambassador of the Dual Monarchy at Berlin
, replacing the aging and decrepit Count von Szögyény-Marich
, an appointment that had been discussed long before the advent of war but blocked by the latter's refusal to make a graceful exit. He was an ardent supporter of the Dual Alliance
of 1879 and he sought to maintain the alliance on the basis of equality. The deteriorating military fortunes of the Dual Monarchy, however, hampered his endeavours in that regard. In 1917, he was convinced that military victory was out of reach and that a peace settlement had to be found as soon as possible, thus he supported the unsuccessful attempts of the new Emperor Karl I to bring about a separate peace.
Following the end of the war, Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst retired from public service and devoted his remaining years to horse racing.
In 1917, he had been promoted a major-general on the retired list. He was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1917.
He died in Vienna on 7 November 1932.
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
army officer and diplomat during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Life
Born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on 8 November 1867 to Lord High Steward Konstantin Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1828–1896) and brother of Konrad Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
Prince Konrad of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst
Prince Konrad zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst was an Austrian statesman.-External links :* * - See also :* Konstantin zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst...
, who was Prime Minister of Austria in 1906 and who would too become Lord High Steward in 1917. He married Archduchess Maria Henrietta
Archduchess Maria Henrietta of Austria (1883–1956)
Archduchess Maria Henrietta, full German name: Maria Henrietta Caroline Gabriele, Erzherzogin von Österreich was a member of the Teschen branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and an Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Bohemia, Hungary, and Tuscany by birth...
, daughter of Archduke Friedrich
Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen was a member of the House of Habsburg and the Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I.-Early life:...
who was the Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
during World War I, on 3 June 1908 in Baden.
Following graduation from the Scottish gymnasium in Vienna, Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst entered the army as a hussar in 1887. Promoted to lieutenant in 1889, he attended the War Academy from 1893 to 1895, followed by duty with the General Staff. In 1900, he was promoted to captain and was sent to St. Petersburg as military attaché in 1902. In 1906, he was promoted to major but retired the following year and transferred to the foreign service
Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service
The Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service was the diplomatic service carrying out the foreign policy of the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the formation of the Dual Monarchy in 1867 until it was dissolved in 1918.- Diplomatic missions :...
but had to leave in 1908 due to his engagement with the Archduchess. On 2 February 1913, Emperor Franz Joseph I entrusted Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst with a special mission to St. Petersburg designed to alleviate the strained relations arising out of the Balkan crisis
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
in the winter of 1912/1913. In April 1914, he re-entered the diplomatic corps while his wife had to renounce her title 'Her Imperial and Royal Highness'
Imperial and Royal Highness
Imperial and Royal Highness is a style possessed by someone who either through birth or marriage holds two individual styles, Imperial Highness and Royal Highness....
.
On 4 August 1914, Emperor Franz Joseph I appointed Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst as ambassador of the Dual Monarchy at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, replacing the aging and decrepit Count von Szögyény-Marich
Ladislaus de Szögyény-Marich
Ladislaus Freiherr von Szögyény-Marich von Magyar-Szögyén und Szolgaegyháza , was an Austro-Hungarian diplomat of Hungarian origin who was a long serving Ambassador at Berlin.- Life :...
, an appointment that had been discussed long before the advent of war but blocked by the latter's refusal to make a graceful exit. He was an ardent supporter of the Dual Alliance
Dual Alliance, 1879
The Dual Alliance was a defensive alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary, which was created by treaty on October 7, 1879 as part of Bismarck's system of alliances to prevent/limit war. In it, Germany and Austria-Hungary pledged to aid one another in case of an attack by Russia...
of 1879 and he sought to maintain the alliance on the basis of equality. The deteriorating military fortunes of the Dual Monarchy, however, hampered his endeavours in that regard. In 1917, he was convinced that military victory was out of reach and that a peace settlement had to be found as soon as possible, thus he supported the unsuccessful attempts of the new Emperor Karl I to bring about a separate peace.
Following the end of the war, Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst retired from public service and devoted his remaining years to horse racing.
In 1917, he had been promoted a major-general on the retired list. He was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1917.
He died in Vienna on 7 November 1932.