Count Karl Ludwig von Grünne-Pinchard (25 August 1808,

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

- 15 June 1884,

Baden bei Wien Baden (Central Bavarian: ''Bodn''), unofficially distinguished from Baden (disambiguation), other Badens as Baden bei Wien (Baden near Vienna), is a spa town in Austria. It serves as the capital of Baden (district of Austria), Baden District in t ...

) was an Austro-Hungarian general.

Biography

Karl Ludwig von Grünne was born as the only son and second child of Count

Philipp Ferdinand von Grünne Philipp Ferdinand Graf von Grünne de Pinchard (15 May 1762 – 26 January 1854) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Born in the Electorate of Saxony, he joined the army of Austrian monarchy, Habsb ...

-Pinchart (1762-1854) and his wife, Baroness Rosalie van der Feltz (1779-1811). He had two sisters, Princess Rosalie von und zu

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

(1805-1841) and Countess Zoe von Wallmoden-Gimborn (1810-1894).

Career

Grünne joined his father's

uhlan Uhlan (; ; ; ; ) is a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. The uhlans started as Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army, Lithuanian irregular cavalry, that were later also adopted by other countries during the 18th century, including Polis ...

regiment in 1828. He rose to major in 1838 and colonel and head of Archduke Stephen's court in 1843. He was a favourite of

Archduchess Sophie Archduchess Sophie of Austria (5 March 185529 May 1857) was the first child of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. She died aged two. Life Within two months of her marriage to Franz Joseph, Elisabeth was pregnant. On 5 Mar ...

and was thus a strong influence on the young Archduke Franz Joseph. He was appointed to the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...

's privy council in 1847 and in August the following year became

Obersthofmeister Oberhofmeister of the Austrian King and Emperor (''Grand Master of the Court'') was the most important function at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor (until 1806) and the Emperor of Austria in Vienna (1804–1918). The Oberhofmeister acted as the ...

to Franz Joseph. On 19 October 1848 he was made a major general and when Franz Joseph became emperor on 2 December the same year, he made Grünne his chief adjutant and head of his military chancellery. On 12 July 1850, Grünne was promoted to Lieutenant Field Marshal. After Austria was defeated in the 1859 Sardinian War, the people and the army mainly placed the blame on Grünne. The emperor wrote him a handwritten letter on 20 October 1859 dismissing him from his post as chief adjutant but making him a colonel and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Stephen. Grünne also successfully petitioned the emperor to retain his role as captain of the

gendarmerie A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (). In France and so ...

guards. Grünne gained promotion to Cavalry General on 22 November 1864. On 23 August 1865, Grünne was put in command of No. 1 Uhlan Regiment. In 1865, Grünne was made a Knight of the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...

and he also held the post of colonel-equerry until 3 November 1875, on which date he retired from it due to poor health. He spent the summer months of his retirement in Baden bei Wien in complete seclusion. In 1883, Grünne was made a member of the Empire's Herrenhaus, but missed several meetings, again due to his health. He was still held in high esteem by the royal family and was visited at home by Franz Joseph, his son

Crown Prince Rudolf Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria (Rudolf Franz Karl Josef; 21 August 1858 – 30 January 1889) was the only son and third child of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. He was heir apparent to the imperial throne of the Austro ...

and Rudolf's wife

Stéphanie Stéphanie is a French feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: *Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (born 1984), Belgian noble; wife of Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg *Princess Stéphanie (disambig ...

Later years

In his later years, Grünne separated from his wife Caroline, Countess of Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg (1808-1886), whom he had married in 1831, by private arrangement rather than by a legal decision. They had three daughters and two sons - Philip became a

Feldmarschallleutnant Lieutenant field marshal, also frequently historically field marshal lieutenant (, formerly , historically also and, in official Imperial and Royal Austrian army documents from 1867 always , abbreviated ''FML''), was a senior army rank in certai ...

and Rudolph a colonel. Grünne's funeral was held in the Frauenkirche, Maria die Glorreiche in Baden bei Wien (then the court church) and his body was then buried in the family crypt at Dobersberg on 19 June 1884.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grunne, Karl Ludwig von 1808 births 1884 deaths Austro-Hungarian generals Military personnel from Vienna Counts of Austria Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Obersthofmeister