WindischgrAtz, Alfred, FUrst zu, Austria And Hungary, History, Biographies

Related Category: Austria And Hungary, History, Biographies

WindischgrAtz, Alfred, FUrst zu[Al´frAt fUrst tsOO vin´dishgrets´] Pronunciation Key, 1787–1862, Austrian field marshal. He was military governor of Bohemia when the revolutions of 1848 broke out in the Hapsburg empire. Given command in Vienna, he crushed the insurrection there, but because of the pressure of public opinion he was sent back to Bohemia. Meanwhile Prague had fallen to the revolutionists, and WindischgrAtz's wife and eldest son had been killed in the insurrection. WindischgrAtz recaptured (June, 1848) Prague after bombarding it and set up a military dictatorship over Bohemia. Vienna, where the revolutionists had again taken over, was also bombarded into submission (Oct., 1848) by WindischgrAtz. With Felix zu Schwarzenberg, he engineered the abdication (Dec. 2, 1848) of Austrian Emperor Ferdinand in favor of Francis Joseph. WindischgrAtz was removed from command in 1849 when his campaign against the Hungarian revolutionists was checked at Godollo. He later held various government posts.

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