Joseph Cornelius O'Rourke
Encyclopedia
Count
Joseph Cornelius O'Rourke (1772-1849) was a Russian nobleman
and military leader who fought in the Napoleonic Wars
. He is also particularly well remembered in Serbia
where he led a combined Russian and Serb army to defeat the Turks
at Varvarin
in 1810. A monument in his honor was erected in Serbia
in 1910.
The O'Rourke family were originally members of the Jacobite
Irish Nobility
who fled Ireland
following defeat by the Williamites
in 1691. The majority of the family moved to France, but a branch also moved to Livonia, which was then a province of the Russian Empire
.
O'Rourke was born at Dorpat
in 1772. By this time the family had been completely absorbed into Russian high society, and, according to custom, he was immediately enrolled in the Russian Imperial Guard
. He first saw action as a young man in Zürich
against the French Revolutionary Army
and went on to be awarded the Order of Saint George and the Order of St. Anna
, serving under General Kutuzov in 1805. Later, O'Rourke raised and equipped his own private regiment and marched to Serbia to fight the Turks. They fought at Prahovo
, Bela Palanka
, Soko Bania (Sokobanja
) and Jasika
before the decisive victory at Varvarin
. O'Rourke concluded his military career as a Lieutenant General fighting French forces in Germany. He retired to his estate at Vselyub
near Minsk
and died in 1849.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Joseph Cornelius O'Rourke (1772-1849) was a Russian nobleman
Russian nobility
The Russian nobility arose in the 14th century and essentially governed Russia until the October Revolution of 1917.The Russian word for nobility, Dvoryanstvo , derives from the Russian word dvor , meaning the Court of a prince or duke and later, of the tsar. A nobleman is called dvoryanin...
and military leader who fought in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. He is also particularly well remembered in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
where he led a combined Russian and Serb army to defeat the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
at Varvarin
Varvarin
Varvarin is a small town and municipality in the Šumadija region of central Serbia. Population of the town is 2,133, and population of the municipality is 17,772. It is part of the Rasina District of Serbia.-Features:...
in 1810. A monument in his honor was erected in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
in 1910.
The O'Rourke family were originally members of the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
Irish Nobility
Irish nobility
This article concerns the Gaelic nobility of Ireland from ancient to modern times. It only partly overlaps with Chiefs of the Name because it excludes Scotland and other discussion...
who fled Ireland
Flight of the Wild Geese
The Flight of the Wild Geese refers to the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland...
following defeat by the Williamites
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
in 1691. The majority of the family moved to France, but a branch also moved to Livonia, which was then a province of the Russian Empire
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...
.
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
in 1772. By this time the family had been completely absorbed into Russian high society, and, according to custom, he was immediately enrolled in the Russian Imperial Guard
Russian Imperial Guard
The Russian Imperial Guard, officially known as the Leib Guard were military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great founded the first such units following the Prussian practice in the 1690s, to replace the politically-motivated Streltsy.- Organization :The final...
. He first saw action as a young man in Zürich
Second Battle of Zürich
The Second Battle of Zurich was a French victory over an Austrian and Russian force near Zurich. It broke the stalemate that had resulted from the First Battle of Zurich three months earlier and led to the withdrawal of Russia from the Second Coalition.After he had been forced out of the city in...
against the French Revolutionary Army
French Revolutionary Army
The French Revolutionary Army is the term used to refer to the military of France during the period between the fall of the ancien regime under Louis XVI in 1792 and the formation of the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. These armies were characterised by their revolutionary...
and went on to be awarded the Order of Saint George and the Order of St. Anna
Order of St. Anna
The Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
, serving under General Kutuzov in 1805. Later, O'Rourke raised and equipped his own private regiment and marched to Serbia to fight the Turks. They fought at Prahovo
Prahovo
Prahovo is a village in the municipality of Negotin, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 1506 people.The village is located on the Danube. Nearby sections of the river are crowded with German shipwrecks sunk in late 1944 to block passage to the Soviets....
, Bela Palanka
Bela Palanka
Bela Palanka is a town and municipality located in the Pirot District of south-east Serbia. According to 2011 census, the population of the town is 8,112, while population of the municipality is 12,051. In ancient times, the town was known as Remesiana...
, Soko Bania (Sokobanja
Sokobanja
Sokobanja is a well-known spa town and municipality situated in eastern Serbia.-Population:In 2011 the population of the Sokobanja town is 7,972, while population of the whole municipality is 15,981...
) and Jasika
Jasika
Jasika is a village in the municipality of Kruševac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 2040 people.-References:...
before the decisive victory at Varvarin
Varvarin
Varvarin is a small town and municipality in the Šumadija region of central Serbia. Population of the town is 2,133, and population of the municipality is 17,772. It is part of the Rasina District of Serbia.-Features:...
. O'Rourke concluded his military career as a Lieutenant General fighting French forces in Germany. He retired to his estate at Vselyub
Vselyub
Vselyub is a village in Navahrudak Raion, Hrodna Voblast, Belarus. Vseyub is a centre of selsoviet within the administrative division of Belarus. Between the world wars, the village was part of Nowogródek Voivodeship of the Second Polish Republic...
near Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
and died in 1849.
See also
- Russian history, 1796-1855Russian history, 1796-1855In Russian history, period from year 1796 to 1855 was time of Napoleonic wars, Government reform, political reorganization and economic growth.-War and peace in Russia, 1796-1825:...
- Flight of the Wild GeeseFlight of the Wild GeeseThe Flight of the Wild Geese refers to the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland...
- Irish nobilityIrish nobilityThis article concerns the Gaelic nobility of Ireland from ancient to modern times. It only partly overlaps with Chiefs of the Name because it excludes Scotland and other discussion...
- Irish diasporaIrish diasporathumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...