Home > Leopold Josef, Count von Daun

He was intended for the church, but his natural inclination for the army, in which his father and grandfather had been distinguished generals, proved irresistible. In 1718 he served in the campaign in Sicily, in his father's regiment. He had already risen to the rank of colonel when he saw further active service in Italy and on the Rhine in the War of the Polish Succession (1734-35). He continued to add to his distinctions in the war against the Turks (1737-39), in which he attained the rank of a general officer. In the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-42), Daun, already a lieutenant field marshal in rank, distinguished himself by the careful leadership which was afterwards his greatest military quality.

He was present at Chotusitz and Prague, and led the advanced guard of Khevenhüller's army in the victorious Danube campaign of 1743. Field Marshal Traun, who succeeded Khevenhuller in 1744, thought equally highly of Daun, and'entrusted him with the rearguard of the Austrian army when it escaped from the French to attack Frederick the Great. He held important commands in the battles of Hohenfriedberg and Soor , and in the same year (1745) was promoted to the rank of Feldzeugmeister. After this he served in the Low Countries, and was present at the battle of Val . He was highly valued by Maria Theresa, who made him commandant of Vienna and a knight of the Golden Fleece, and in 1754 he was elevated to the rank of field marshal.

During the interval of peace that preceded the Seven Years' War he was engaged in carrying out an elaborate scheme for the reorganization of the Austrian army; and it was chiefly through his instrumentality that the military academy was established at Wiener-Neustadt in 1751. He was not actively employed in the first campaigns of the war, but in 1757 he was placed at the head of the army which was raised to relieve Prague. On June 18June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. Events 1178 Five Canterbury monks see what was possibly the Giordano Bruno crater being formed. It is believed that the current oscillations of, 1757Events March 14 On-board the HMS Monarch Admiral John Byng is executed by firing squad for neglecting his duty. June 23 Indian Mutiny: Battle of Plassey 3000 British troops under Robert Clive defeat a 50,000 strong Indian army under Siraj-ud-Dawlah at Pla Daun defeated Frederick for the first time in his career in the desperately fought battle of KolinBattle after: Battle of Hastenbeck Battle of Kolin Conflict Seven Years' War Date June 18, 1757 PlaceKolin, Czech Republic ResultAustrian victory Combatants Prussia Austria Commanders King Frederick the Great Leopold Josef, Count von Daun Strength 32,000. In commemoration of this brilliant exploit the queen immediately instituted a military order bearing her name, of which Daun was nominated first grand cross. The union of the relieving army with the forces of Prince Charles at Prague reduced Daun to the position of second in command, and as such he took part in the pursuit of the PrussiaThe word Prussia ( German: Preussen (Preussen Polish: Prusy Lithuanian: Prusai Latin: Borussia has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russians and the victory of BreslauThe battle of Breslau was a battle fought on November 22, 1757 during the Seven Years' War. A Prussian army of 28,000 men fought an Austrian army of 84,000! men. The Prussians held off the Austrian attack, losing 6,000 men to the Austrians 5,000 men..

Frederick now reappeared and won the most brilliant victory of the age at Leuthen. Daun was present on that field, but was not held accountable for the disaster, and when Prince Charles resigned his command, Daun was appointed in his place. With the campaign of 1758 began the war of maneuvre in which Daun, if he missed, through over-caution, many opportunities of crushing the Prussians, at least maintained a steady and cool resistance to the fiery strategy of Frederick. In 1758Events June 12 French and Indian War: Siege of Louisbourg James Wolfe's attack at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia commences. June 23 Seven Years War: Battle of Krefeld British forces defeat French troops at Krefeld in Germany. July 8 French and Indian War: French Major-General LaudonErnst Gideon Freiherr von Laudon (or Loudon ( February 2, 1717 July 14, 1790), Austrian field marshal, was born at Tootzen in Livonia. His family, of Scottish origin, had been settled in that country since before 1400. His father was a lieutenant-colonel,, acting under Daun's instructions, forced the king to raise the siege of Olmutz, and later in the same year Daun himself surprised Frederick at Hochkirch and inflicted a severe defeat upon him (October 14th). In the following year the war of manceuvre continued, and on the 20th and 21st of November he surrounded the entire corps of General FinckFriedrich August von Finck ( 1718- 1766), Prussian soldier, was born at Strelitz. He first saw active service in 1734 on the Rhine, as a member of the suite of Duke Anton Ulrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. Soon after this he transferred to the Austrian ser at Maxen, forcing the Prussians to surrender. These successes were counterbalanced in the following year by the defeat of Loudon at Liegnitz, which was attributed to the dilatoriness of Daun, and Daun's own defeat in the great battle of Torgau. In this engagement Daun was so severely wounded that he had to return to Vienna to recruit.

He continued to command until the end of the war, and afterwards worked with the greatest energy at the reorganization of the imperial forces. In 1762 he had been appointed president of the Hofkriegsrath . By the order of Maria Theresa a monument to his memory was erected in the church of the Augustinians, with an inscription styling him the "saviour of her states." In 1888 the 56th regiment of Austrian infantry was named after him. As a general Daun has been reproached for the dilatoriness of his operations, but wariness was not misplaced in opposing a general like Frederick, who was quick and unexpected in his movements beyond all precedent. Less defence perhaps may be made for him on the score of inability to profit by a victory.

See Der deutsche Fabius Cunctator, oder Leben u. Thaten S. B. des H. Leopold Reichsgrafen v. Dhaun K.K.F.M. (Frankfort and Leipzig, 1759-1760), and works dealing with the wars of the period.