Alexander von Mensdorff-Pouilly, Prince Dietrichstein von Nicolsburg
Encyclopedia
Count Alexander Mensdorff-Pouilly (August 4, 1813, Coburg
– February 14, 1871), was an Austria
n general, diplomat and politician, including two years as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1864-1866) and one month's service as Minister-President of Austria.
and Count Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly
, a member of the House of Mensdorff-Pouilly
. He entered the Austrian army in 1829 and was promoted to captain in 1836 and major in 1844. In 1848-49 he fought in the First Italian War of Independence
and against the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
. In 1849 he was promoted to colonel and the following year to major general. In 1851 he was appointed as tge Austrian commissioner to Schleswig-Holstein
. In 1852 he became the Austrian ambassador to Russia. Mensdorff-Pouilly was promoted to Feldmarschallleutnant in 1858. During the Polish Uprising of 1863
, Mensdorff-Pouilly served as the governor of Austrian Galicia.
were often largely a continuation of the conservative traditionalism of Rechberg
, his predecessor. Mensdorff, like Rechberg, sought to maintain conservative dominance of the German Confederation
through an alliance between Austria and Prussia
(in which Prussia was the junior partner), and he steadfastly refused to consider British
suggestions that Austria surrender Venetia to Italy
. He was also a first cousin of Queen Victoria
through the marriage of her aunt, his mother. After Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War
of 1866, Mensdorff-Pouilly resigned his functions in November of that year. After his resignation he was appointed commanding general in Zagreb
and Prague
.
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
– February 14, 1871), was an Austria
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
n general, diplomat and politician, including two years as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1864-1866) and one month's service as Minister-President of Austria.
Early life
He was born as a son of Princess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-SaalfeldPrincess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Princess Sophie Fredericka Caroline Louise of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was a princess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and the sister of Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and King Leopold I of Belgium, and aunt of Queen Victoria...
and Count Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly
Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly
Emmanuel, count of Mensdorff-Pouilly was an army officer in the Imperial and Royal Army of the Austrian Empire, and vice-governor of Mainz....
, a member of the House of Mensdorff-Pouilly
Mensdorff-Pouilly
Mensdorff-Pouilly is a noble family originally from Lorraine. It derives its name from the barony of Pouilly at Stenay in Meuse.In 1790, during the French Revolution, Albert Louis de Pouilly emigrated with his family...
. He entered the Austrian army in 1829 and was promoted to captain in 1836 and major in 1844. In 1848-49 he fought in the First Italian War of Independence
First Italian War of Independence
The First Italian War of Independence was fought in 1848 between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire. The war saw main battles at Custoza and Novara in which the Austrians under Radetzky managed to defeat the Piedmontese....
and against the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
. In 1849 he was promoted to colonel and the following year to major general. In 1851 he was appointed as tge Austrian commissioner to Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
. In 1852 he became the Austrian ambassador to Russia. Mensdorff-Pouilly was promoted to Feldmarschallleutnant in 1858. During the Polish Uprising of 1863
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
, Mensdorff-Pouilly served as the governor of Austrian Galicia.
Foreign Minister
Mensdorff-Pouilly was appointed as the Austrian Foreign Minister on 23 October 1864. Mensdorff-Pouilly's policies during his tenure as Foreign Minister for Emperor Franz JosephFranz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
were often largely a continuation of the conservative traditionalism of Rechberg
Johann Bernhard von Rechberg und Rothenlöwen
Count Johann Bernhard von Rechberg und Rothenlöwen was an Austrian statesman.Born at Regensburg the second son of the Bavarian statesman Count Aloys von Rechberg und Rothenlöwen , Johann Bernhard was destined for the Bavarian public service, his elder brother being a hereditary member of the...
, his predecessor. Mensdorff, like Rechberg, sought to maintain conservative dominance of the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
through an alliance between Austria and 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...
(in which Prussia was the junior partner), and he steadfastly refused to consider British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
suggestions that Austria surrender Venetia to Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
. He was also a first cousin of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
through the marriage of her aunt, his mother. After Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
of 1866, Mensdorff-Pouilly resigned his functions in November of that year. After his resignation he was appointed commanding general in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
Family
He married Alexandrine "Aline" von Dietrichstein, heiress of Prince Joseph von Dietrichstein, with whom he had two sons:- Prince Hugo Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg
- Count Albert von Mensdorff-Pouilly-DietrichsteinCount Albert von Mensdorff-Pouilly-DietrichsteinAlbert Count von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein , was an Austro-Hungarian diplomat serving as Ambassador to London at the outbreak of the World War I.- Life :...