Karl von Vincent

Karl Freiherr von Vincent (11 August 1757 – 7 October 1834) fought in the army of Habsburg Austria during the French Revolutionary Wars. He first served as a staff officer then later as a combat commander. During the Napoleonic Wars, he was given important commands in two campaigns. He was Proprietor (Inhaber) of a famous light cavalry regiment from 1806 until his death.

The Congress of Erfurt by Nicolas Gosse. Vincent represented Austria at the 1808 Congress of Erfurt and is shown being received by Napoleon

Karl von Vincent
Born	11 August 1757 (1757-08-11) Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Died	7 October 1834 (1834-10-08) (aged 77) Bioncourt, France
Allegiance	Austrian Empire
Service / branch	Cavalry
Rank	General of Cavalry
Battles / wars	Brabant Revolution French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars
Awards	Military Order of Maria Theresa, KC 1790, CC 1806 Order of Leopold, CC 1809, GC 1815 Order of Saint Stephen, GC 1825
Other work	Inhaber Chevau-léger Regiment # 4 Privy Councillor, 1810

For his actions in putting down the Brabant Revolution of 1789 and 1790, he earned an important award. In the War of the First Coalition he was Aide-de-camp to two distinguished generals. During the War of the Second Coalition, he commanded a regiment, then a brigade. He led the rear guard during the 1805 campaign. He commanded a division through all the major battles of 1809. He was governor-general of Belgium in 1814, and was present at the Battle of Waterloo as an Austrian observer.

Between 1814 and 1826, von Vincent was the Austrian ambassador to France at the Tuileries during the shift in the European political equilibrium of 1820.^[1] He was also cited in an account describing Klemens von Metternich's proposals concerning the fate of Belgium. He was identified as a candidate in charge of its occupation but it was noted that his office was under the authority of Baron Stein's administrative department when it came to political matters and that he must also defer to the Dutch, English, and Prussians in the area of military affairs.^[2]

In 1825, he returned to Vienna after being retired from his post at his own request.^[3] He died at Biancourt Lorraine on 7 October 1834.^[3]

Notes

1. Nichols, Irby C. Jr. (2012). The European Pentarchy and the Congress of Verona, 1822. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff. p. 15. ISBN 9789401027250.
2. Kraehe, Enno E. (2014). Metternich's German Policy, Volume II: The Congress of Vienna, 1814-1815. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-0691051864.
3. Biographie, Deutsche. "Vincent, Karl Freiherr von - Deutsche Biographie". www.deutsche-biographie.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-08-23.

References

• Arnold, James R. Crisis on the Danube. New York: Paragon House, 1990. ISBN 1-55778-137-0
• Arnold, James R. Marengo & Hohenlinden. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword, 2005. ISBN 1-84415-279-0
• Arnold, James R. Napoleon Conquers Austria. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers, 1995. ISBN 0-275-94694-0
• Bowden, Scotty & Tarbox, Charlie. Armies on the Danube 1809. Arlington, Texas: Empire Games Press, 1980.
• Epstein, Robert M. Napoleon's Last Victory and the Emergence of Modern War. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1994.
• Petre, F. Loraine. Napoleon and the Archduke Charles. New York: Hippocrene Books, (1909) 1976.
• Rothenberg, Gunther E. Napoleon's Great Adversaries, The Archduke Charles and the Austrian Army, 1792-1814. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 1982 ISBN 0-253-33969-3
• Schneid, Frederick C. Napoleon's Italian Campaigns: 1805-1815. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers, 2002. ISBN 0-275-96875-8
• Karl von Vincent by Digby Smith, compiled by Leopold Kudrna