CountOtto Wilhelm von Königsmarck (5 January 1639 – 15 September 1688[1]) was aGerman nobleman fromMinden, who served as a diplomat and general for various European states, most notably Sweden and Venice. He died of malaria on the Venetian flagship off the coast of Greece.[2]
Königsmarck was born in Minden, the son of CountHans Christoff von Königsmarck and his wife, Agathe von Leesten (1608-1671). He was the brother of CountConrad Christoff von Königsmarck and the uncle ofAurora von Königsmarck,Amalia Wilhelmina von Königsmarck,Philip Christoph von Königsmarck andKarl Johann von Königsmarck.[3]
After his parents settled inStade in 1645, his mother ensured that her son had a good education. Initially, Königsmarck was probably taught by the scholarJohann Heinrich Tonsor, butEsaias von Pufendorf was hispreceptor (private tutor). He studied at theUniversity of Jena for over three years, where he becameRector magnificus. He then briefly visited the universities in Tübingen, Strasbourg, Basel, Geneva, Blois and Angers.[2]
During his career, Königsmarck served as a diplomat and a general for various European states, includingFrance,Sweden,Electoral Palatinate, theHoly Roman Empire, andVenice. In 1672, he became a Swedish major general; in 1674, a French major general and a Swedish lieutenant field marshal, and in 1675 a full Swedish field marshal. He commanded the Swedish forces at theBattle of Stralsund (1678) and wasgovernor general forSwedish Pomerania from 1679 to 1687.[2]
Königsmarck lost much of his land and wealth following theGreat Reduction of 1680. He then turned his attention towards theOttoman Empire, joining the forces of the Holy Roman Empire fighting inHungary during theGreat Turkish War. He then became the commander-in-chief of all the Venetian land forces, whilstFrancesco Morosini commanded the naval forces, in what became known as theMorean War. In 1687, his forces had great success, including taking Patras, Corinth, and Athens. In Athens, the Ottomans retreated to theAcropolis, which Königsmarck besieged. On 26 September, a shot by the Venetian forces hit the Ottoman gunpowder storage in theParthenon, causing tremendous damage.[4]
Athens was abandoned in April 1688, as the plague was decimating the Venetian forces. The plague broke out again over the summer during theSiege of Negroponte and Königsmarck himself died of the plague on 15 September 1688, under the care of his wife. Venice put up a marble bust in honour of Königsmarck, it is now in the Arsenal. On 19 January 1691, he was buried in Stade, where he had grown up.[2]
He was married to Countess Catharina CharlottaDe la Gardie (1655-1697), the cousin ofCharles XI and the daughter of CountMagnus Gabriel De la Gardie and his wife, PrincessMaria Euphrosyne of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg. They had no children.[5]
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