Daun, Leopold Josef Graf, Fürst von Thiano#

b. Vienna, Sept. 24, 1705, d. ienna, Feb. 5, 1766, field marshal, president of the Court Council of War, outstanding Austrian commander; defeated Prussian King Friedrich II in the Seven Years' War. D.'s father, Count Wirich Philipp Daun, first groomed him to enter the clergy, then the military. In 1742 D. drove the French out of Bohemia in the Austrian War of Succession, in 1748 began the reorganisation of the Austro-Hungarian Army, in 1752 founded and directed the Theresianian Military Academy , and became a field marshal. In 1757 D. defeated King Friedrich II of Prussia in the Battle of Kolin, for which he received the newly-established Order of Maria Theresia; in 1758 he defeated Friedrich II in the battle of Hochkirch and in 1759 a Prussian corps near Maxen. In 1760, D. was defeated in battle near Torgau. Because of his methodical ways and his devotion to strategic manoeuvres, D. was called "irresolute" although his behaviour was possibly the very reason for his success. His remains are entombed in St. George's Chapel of the Augustinerkirche church in Vienna.

Literature#