Josef Radetzky
| Joseph Radetzky von Radetz | |
|---|---|
Josef Graf Radetzky von Radetz
Portrait by Georg Decker |
|
| Born |
2 November 1766 Třebnice, Bohemia, Habsburg Empire |
| Died | 5 January 1858 (aged 91) Milan, Lombardy, Austrian Empire |
| Allegiance |
 Habsburg Monarchy Austrian Empire
|
| Years of service | 1785–1858 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Battles/wars |
Austro-Turkish War French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars First Italian War of Independence |
Johann Josef Wenzel Anton Franz Karl, Graf Radetzky von Radetz (English: John Joseph Wenceslaus Anthony Francis Charles, Count Radetzky of Radetz; Czech: Jan Josef Václav Antonín František Karel hrabě Radecký z Radče 2 November 1766 – 5 January 1858) was an Austrian nobleman and field marshal. He served as chief of the general staff during the later period of the Napoleonic Wars and afterwards began military reforms. Radetzky is best known for the victories at the Battles of Custoza (24–25 July 1848) and Novara (23 March 1849) during the First Italian War of Independence. He retired at age 90 and was immortalized by Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March.
Radetzky was born into a noble family of Czech origin at Chateau (zámek) Třebnice (German: Trebnitz) near Sedlčany in Bohemia (now part of the town). Orphaned at an early age, he was educated by his grandfather, and after the count's death, at the Theresa Academy at Vienna. The academy was dissolved during his first year's residence in 1785, and Radetzky became a cadet in the Austrian Army. The following year he became an officer, and in 1787 was promoted to first lieutenant in a cuirassier regiment. He served as an adjutant to both Count von Lacy and Field Marshal von Laudon during the Austro-Turkish War of 1787–1791, and in the Austrian Netherlands from 1792 to 1795.
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