Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg

Who was Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg?

Count Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg was an Austrian general.

Born in Schwaigern, the residence of the Lordship, from 1766 County of Neipperg, he descended from an ancient comital family from Swabia, his father Count Eberhard Friedrich von Neipperg having been an Imperial field marshal. He spent his boyhood in Vienna and in 1702 joined the Imperial service. He was a Obristlieutnant in his father's regiment in 1709, and by 1715 was a colonel. He distinguished himself at Temesvar in 1716 and at Belgrade in 1717.

After fighting against the Turks, he renounced his military career in order to attend to the education of Prince Francis of Lorraine, the future Holy Roman Emperor. He was elevated to the rank of count in 1726. Neipperg was with Fieldmarshal Wallis, at the Battle of Grocka and negotiated the Peace of Belgrade. Two years later, during the War of Austrian Succession, he commanded the Austrian Army which was defeated at the Battle of Mollwitz by Frederick II of Prussia. Nonetheless he became an Imperial field marshal later that year.

His daughter, Maria Wilhelmina von Neipperg, became mistress of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. His grandson Adam Albert von Neipperg married Napoleon's widow Marie Louise.