Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg
Encyclopedia
Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg (2 February 1711 – 27 June 1794) was a diplomat
and statesman of the Holy Roman Empire
. In 1764 he was made a prince of the Holy Roman Empire as Reichfürst von Kaunitz-Rietberg and in 1776 prince of the Kingdom of Bohemia.
, one of 19 children of Maxmilian Ulrich, third count of Kaunitz, and Marie Ernestine née von Ostfriesland-Rietberg
, an heiress. The Kounic family was an old Bohemia
n noble family descending from the Duchy of Troppau
, settled in Slavkov
(Austerlitz) Castle, Moravia
. As the second son, it was at first intended that he should become a clergyman, and at thirteen he held a canonry at Münster
. With the death of his elder brother, he decided on a secular career, and studied law and diplomacy in Vienna, Leipzig
and Leyden. He became a chamberlain
of the emperor Charles VI, and continued his education by traveling for some years in Germany
, Italy
, France
, and England
.
In 1735, he was appointed aulic councillor of the empire . At the German Diet of Ratisbon in 1739 he was one of the imperial commissaries. In March 1741, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Florence, Rome
, and Turin
, and in August 1742 was appointed Austrian ambassador at Turin. In October 1744, he became minister in the Austrian Netherlands. Its ruler, Prince Charles of Lorraine
, was commanding the Austrian army in Bohemia against the King of Prussia, and after the December 1744 death of the governor, Archduchess Maria-Anna, who was Charles of Lorraine's wife and sister of Maria Theresa, Kaunitz was virtually the head of government.
In 1746 he was forced to leave Brussels
after it was besieged by French forces
and move with the government of the Austrian Netherlands, first to Antwerp, then to Aachen
. His request to be recalled from his difficult situation was heeded in June 1846. In 1848, he represented Holy Roman Empire
at the Congress of Aachen at the close of the War of the Austrian Succession
. Extremely displeased with the provisions that deprived Austria of the provinces of Silesia and Glatz
and guaranteed them to Frederick II of Prussia
, he reluctantly signed the resulting Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
on 23 October 1748.
In 1749 Maria Theresa appealed to all her counsellors for advice as to the policy Austria ought to pursue in view of the changed conditions produced by the rise of Prussia
. The great majority of them, including her husband Francis I
, were of opinion that the old alliance with the sea powers, England and Holland, should be maintained. Kaunitz had long been a strong opponent of the Anglo-Austrian Alliance
, which had existed since 1731, and gave it as his opinion that Frederick was now the “most wicked and dangerous enemy of Austria,” that it was hopeless to expect the support of Protestant nations against him, and that the only way of recovering Silesia was by an alliance with Russia
and France. The empress eagerly accepted views which were already her own, and entrusted the adviser with the execution of his own plans. Thus Kaunitz was ambassador at Versailles 1750-53, where he cooperated in laying the groundwork for the future Bourbon-Habsburg alliance.
Kaunitz's most important and extremely influential office was that of the chancellor of state and minister of foreign affairs, which he held 1753-93 and where he had Empress Maria Theresa's full trust. Thanks in large part to him, Habsburg Austria entered the Treaty of Versailles (1756)
with her old enemy France
(in 1757
expanded to include Russia
and Sweden
) against the Kingdom of Prussia
to win back Silesia
. This alliance was considered a great feat of diplomacy, and established Kaunitz as the recognized master of the art.
Thus began the Seven Years' War
, which ultimately failed to bring the lost provinces back to Austria. Kaunitz founded the Austrian Council of State , 1761, overseeing the reorganization of the army under Daun and worked towards the goal of subjecting the church to the state. He followed the thoughts of the Age of Enlightenment
and among his aims was also the better education of the commoners. Following the end of the Seven Years' War, Kaunitz gained the title of Reichsfürst (prince of the Holy Roman Empire). The lack of a navy during the war had demonstrated Austria's vulnerability at sea, and he was instrumental in the creation of a small Austrian navy to boost the state's presence in the Mediterranean Sea
, laying the foundations for the future Austro-Hungarian Navy
.
Although Joseph II
generally shared such ideas, his reforms moved too fast and too thoroughly for Kaunitz whose influence grew less during Joseph's reign (1765–90), and even less when Joseph's brother Leopold II
reigned; he resigned his office upon the accession of Francis II
. Kaunitz died in Vienna and was buried in his family vault beneath the Church of St. John the Baptist in Slavkov u Brna
cemetery.
Kaunitz was a liberal patron of education and art. He married Maria Ernestine von Starhemberg on 6 May 1736. She died on the 6 September 1754. Four sons were born of the marriage.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and statesman of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. In 1764 he was made a prince of the Holy Roman Empire as Reichfürst von Kaunitz-Rietberg and in 1776 prince of the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Early life
Kaunitz was 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...
, one of 19 children of Maxmilian Ulrich, third count of Kaunitz, and Marie Ernestine née von Ostfriesland-Rietberg
Rietberg
Rietberg is a town in the district of Gütersloh in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approx. 10 km south of Gütersloh and 25 km north-west of Paderborn in the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe. The town is located at the river Ems. There are 28,878 people living in...
, an heiress. The Kounic family was an old Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n noble family descending from the Duchy of Troppau
Duchy of Troppau
The Principality or Duchy of Troppau or Opava was based for centuries around the Upper Silesian city of Troppau . In the final four centuries of its existence, the Duchy belonged to the Austrian Habsburg dynasty, and it was dissolved with the Habsburg Empire in 1918...
, settled in Slavkov
Slavkov Castle
Baroque Slavkov Castle has 115 rooms and an impressive garden in the French style. The Palace was designed by Italian architect Domenico Martinelli. In its historic salon, an armistice was signed between Austria and France after the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805. There is a small historic...
(Austerlitz) Castle, Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
. As the second son, it was at first intended that he should become a clergyman, and at thirteen he held a canonry at Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
. With the death of his elder brother, he decided on a secular career, and studied law and diplomacy in Vienna, Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Leyden. He became a chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
of the emperor Charles VI, and continued his education by traveling for some years in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In 1735, he was appointed aulic councillor of the empire . At the German Diet of Ratisbon in 1739 he was one of the imperial commissaries. In March 1741, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Florence, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, and in August 1742 was appointed Austrian ambassador at Turin. In October 1744, he became minister in the Austrian Netherlands. Its ruler, Prince Charles 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...
, was commanding the Austrian army in Bohemia against the King of Prussia, and after the December 1744 death of the governor, Archduchess Maria-Anna, who was Charles of Lorraine's wife and sister of Maria Theresa, Kaunitz was virtually the head of government.
In 1746 he was forced to leave Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
after it was besieged by French forces
Siege of Brussels
The Siege of Brussels took place between January and February 1746 during the War of the Austrian Succession. A French army under the overall command of Maurice de Saxe besieged and captured the city of Brussels, which was then the capital of the Austrian Netherlands, from its Austrian garrison.The...
and move with the government of the Austrian Netherlands, first to Antwerp, then to Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
. His request to be recalled from his difficult situation was heeded in June 1846. In 1848, he represented Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
at the Congress of Aachen at the close of the War of the Austrian Succession
War 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...
. Extremely displeased with the provisions that deprived Austria of the provinces of Silesia and Glatz
County of Kladsko
The County of Kladsko was a historical administrative unit in the Kingdom of Bohemia and later in the Kingdom of Prussia with its capital at Kłodzko on the Nysa river...
and guaranteed them to Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, he reluctantly signed the resulting Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession following a congress assembled at the Imperial Free City of Aachen—Aix-la-Chapelle in French—in the west of the Holy Roman Empire, on 24 April 1748...
on 23 October 1748.
In 1749 Maria Theresa appealed to all her counsellors for advice as to the policy Austria ought to pursue in view of the changed conditions produced by the rise of 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...
. The great majority of them, including her husband Francis I
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...
, were of opinion that the old alliance with the sea powers, England and Holland, should be maintained. Kaunitz had long been a strong opponent of the Anglo-Austrian Alliance
Anglo-Austrian Alliance
The Anglo-Austrian Alliance connected the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Habsburg monarchy during the first half of the 18th century. It was largely the work of the British statesman Duke of Newcastle, who considered an alliance with Austria crucial to prevent the further expansion of French...
, which had existed since 1731, and gave it as his opinion that Frederick was now the “most wicked and dangerous enemy of Austria,” that it was hopeless to expect the support of Protestant nations against him, and that the only way of recovering Silesia was by an alliance with Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and France. The empress eagerly accepted views which were already her own, and entrusted the adviser with the execution of his own plans. Thus Kaunitz was ambassador at Versailles 1750-53, where he cooperated in laying the groundwork for the future Bourbon-Habsburg alliance.
Foreign Minister
Treaty of Versailles (1756)
The Treaty of Versailles was a diplomatic agreement between Austria and France signed on 1 May 1756 at the Palace of Versailles in which the two countries offered each other mutual assistance if attacked by other powers, which was broadly interpreted as meaning Britain or Prussia...
with her old enemy France
Ancien Régime in France
The Ancien Régime refers primarily to the aristocratic, social and political system established in France from the 15th century to the 18th century under the late Valois and Bourbon dynasties...
(in 1757
Treaty of Versailles (1757)
The Treaty of Versailles was a diplomatic agreement signed between Austria and France at Versailles Palace on 1 May 1757 during the Seven Years' War. The agreement expanded on the First Treaty of Versailles from the previous year which had established the Franco-Austrian Alliance...
expanded to include Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and Sweden
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
) against the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
to win back Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. This alliance was considered a great feat of diplomacy, and established Kaunitz as the recognized master of the art.
Thus began 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...
, which ultimately failed to bring the lost provinces back to Austria. Kaunitz founded the Austrian Council of State , 1761, overseeing the reorganization of the army under Daun and worked towards the goal of subjecting the church to the state. He followed the thoughts of the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
and among his aims was also the better education of the commoners. Following the end of the Seven Years' War, Kaunitz gained the title of Reichsfürst (prince of the Holy Roman Empire). The lack of a navy during the war had demonstrated Austria's vulnerability at sea, and he was instrumental in the creation of a small Austrian navy to boost the state's presence in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, laying the foundations for the future Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
.
Although Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
generally shared such ideas, his reforms moved too fast and too thoroughly for Kaunitz whose influence grew less during Joseph's reign (1765–90), and even less when Joseph's brother Leopold II
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
reigned; he resigned his office upon the accession of Francis II
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
. Kaunitz died in Vienna and was buried in his family vault beneath the Church of St. John the Baptist in Slavkov u Brna
Slavkov u Brna
Slavkov u Brna is a country town east of Brno in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Population: 5,900. The town is widely known for giving its name to the Battle of Austerlitz which actually took place several kilometres to the west of the town....
cemetery.
Kaunitz was a liberal patron of education and art. He married Maria Ernestine von Starhemberg on 6 May 1736. She died on the 6 September 1754. Four sons were born of the marriage.