Alexander zu Dohna-Schlobitten (1661–1728)

Alexander Burggraf und Graf^[1] zu Dohna-Schlobitten (25 January 1661 – 25 February 1728) was a Prussian field marshal and diplomat.

Alexander zu Dohna-Schlobitten
Alexander zu Dohna-Schlobitten
Born	(1661-01-25)25 January 1661 Coppet, Vaud
Died	25 February 1728(1728-02-25) (aged 67) Königsberg, East Prussia
Allegiance	Prussia
Years of service	1679-1728
Rank	Field Marshal
Awards	Order of the Black Eagle

Alexander zu Dohna was born at the Palace of Coppet in Coppet near Geneva to Frederick, Burgrave of Dohna (1621–1688), Governor of the Principality of Orange, and Espérance née du Puy de Montbrun. He and his brother Christoper were educated by Pierre Bayle.^[2]

Dohna joined the Prussian Army in 1679 and became an Amtshauptmann of Mohrungen and Liebstadt in East Prussia. He was promoted to an Oberst and Geheimer Rat on 31 December 1686 and served as an envoy of Friedrich III, elector of Brandenburg at the Polish Royal Court. In 1689/90 he fought against France in the Nine Years' War and was wounded in a battle at Bonn on 10 October 1689. Dohna became a major general on 9 October 1690 and Commander of an Infantry Regiment, which was named after him.^[2]

He served again as a Prussian diplomat at the Royal Swedish court and became the governor of Pillau on 11 April 1692. In 1693 Dohna fought again against France and became responsible for the education of the Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm in 1695 until 1704. In 1704 he came in conflict with Johann Kasimir Kolbe von Wartenberg and lost much of his influence at the Prussian Royal Court, but returned after Kolbe's dismissal. Dohna became the Chairman of the Royal Commission of Chamber- and Domain Affairs (Königliches Kammer- und Domänewesen) and the head of the District administration of Königsberg in 1712. Dohna was promoted to a General of the Infantry on 25 March 1713 and Generalfeldmarschall on 5 September 1713.^[2] He accompanied Frederick William I in the Siege of Stralsund (1711–1715).^[3]

Dohna married Emilie Luise née Gräfin zu Dohna-Carwinden (28 July 1661 – 2 April 1724) on 10 September 1684 and Johanna Sophie née Gräfin zu Dohna-Reichertswalde (27 August 1682 – 2 April 1735) on 26 December 1725. He had 15 children with his first wife.

Dohna was the first to add the name of his family estate Schlobitten to his name. He was the principal of the construction of Schlobitten Palace.^[4] He died in Königsberg.

References

1. Regarding personal names: Graf was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as Count. Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The feminine form is Gräfin.
2. Biography^{[permanent dead link]} Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German)
3. Kunisch, Johannes (2004). Friedrich der Grosse. Der König und seine Zeit (in German) (5 ed.). CH Beck. p. 13. ISBN 3-406-52209-2.
4. ostpreussen.net (in German)