Adam Von Neipperg - Tumblr Posts

After all the ball resumes! 🥂

.

.

.

Ahem, my bad, the Vienna Congress will be opened next year only!

Until then we’re stuck with an incredibly important meeting of prominent people which will eventually lead to an extraordinary outcome (especially if we remember all the past wars and their results which were rather… unfavourable for all the previous Coalitions and their paticipants).

And that’s why here comes

Part 2 of the main characters in the Kraft’s painting “Battle of Leipzig”

Let’s continue our small-talk with another representative of the general-headquarters, the most important one for sure - count Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, the chief-of-staff in the Bohemian army led by Schwarzenberg himself. Amongst his colleagues in the headquarters he probably had the most influence on the decisions made by Schwarzenberg and three allied monarchs themselves.

His placement in the painting illustrates this idea quite well! Even though at first sight he seems to be somewhat “lost” among the officers surrounding him, Radetzky is actually in the heart of a crowd probably listening to Gneisenau’s thoughts on the current state of affairs. 🗣

I also want to give another illustrative example of him wearing dark-green which, in my opinion, suits him very well. :)

It’s a much later artwork (the second half of the 19th century) created by another talented Austrian painter Carl von Blaas - a series of panels in the Ruhmeshalle (the Hall of Fame) which is located in the Museum of Military History in Vienna. There, on the walls from floor to ceiling are depicted the most important military victories in the history of Austria. This one in particular shows us the aftermath of a battle: kaiser Franz decorates the commander-in-chief of allied forces - Karl zu Schwarzenberg - with the Grand Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa. Right behind him stands Radetzky with his arms crossed on his chest.

Soooo serious and solemn! ✨

(One more off top since I simply can’t help myself… Like, OMG, Schwarzenberg looks so blissful in this picture. It’s literally heartwarming! 🤲🤲🤲)

All in all, there’re many representatives from different European countries making up the crowd behind three monarchs’ backs. I’m sure there must be some military men from those German states which after all decided to join the allied forces but I’m not competent enough to identify all of them… (Yet, hopefully! 😅)

But I can say for sure that at least two more men in the crowd (who are somewhat hiding behind other’s backs) are of a particular interest.

The first one has such striking appearance that it’s almost impossible to confuse him with anyone else. Say hello to Adam Albert von Neipperg, a military men, a diplomat and… a future husband of archduchess Marie Louise as she was never allowed to reunite with Napoleon after the victory of the allies.

What a surprise to see him out there!

By the way, nice eyepatch, my man. ✨

And next to him is Maximilian von Merveldt, a general who was unfortunate enough to be captured by Napoleon’s men during the first day of a battle…

Oops, that’s quite unpleasant. :(

After that he had to deliver Napoleon’s peace offering which was immediately rejected by allied monarchs since it was only the 16th of October and much more reinforcements were on their way to the battlefield. ✊

To be continued even 🔜 er

On checking some story about Adam Neipperg, second husband of Marie Louise, I came across Ménéval’s memoirs and his first description of the man. I really felt for Ménéval on reading, because you can tell that he actually really likes Marie Louise - but this is just too much for him to take.

After continuing her journey via Bern, Payerne and Chamounix, Marie-Louise arrived in Aix on 17 July. She was received at Carrouge by General Neipperg, who came to meet her on horseback, greeted her at the carriage door and accompanied her to Aix; it was the second time she had seen him. The sight of him caused the Empress an unpleasant impression which she did not conceal. Besides, Count Neipperg was not endowed with any remarkable external advantages. A black bandage hid the deep scar of a wound which had deprived him of an eye; but this disadvantage disappeared when one looked at him with some attention. This wound even went rather well with the whole of his figure, which had a martial character: he had light blond hair, thin and frizzy. His eyes were sharp and penetrating. His features were neither vulgar nor distinguished; together they announced a man of great skill and subtlety. His complexion, which was generally coloured, lacked freshness; the alteration caused by the fatigues of war and numerous wounds could be felt there.

If you leave out all the polite 19th century euphemisms, I think Ménéval considered Neipperg anything but attractive: worn-out from war, looking older than he was (his real age was 39), with thinning hair and an eye-patch. You can just feel his thoughts: “How could she? And with THAT one?! That guy is dead-ugly!” So he desperately tries to explain to, I think, both the reader and himself how such an unworthy creature could have had any appeal to a woman who had been married to one Napoleon Bonaparte:

He was of medium height, but well built, and the elegance of his bearing was enhanced by the loose fit of the Hungarian uniform. General Neipperg was then about forty-two years old. This man played such an important role for Marie-Louise, and exercised such a great influence on her destiny, that I must try to make known by what qualities he obtained her confidence. Count Neipperg’s demeanour was that of a cautious man. His usual air was benevolent, mixed with a sense of readiness and gravity. His manner was polite, insinuating and flattering. He possessed pleasant talents; he was a good musician. He was active, skilful, unscrupulous, and knew how to hide his finesse under the guise of simplicity; he expressed himself with grace and wrote in the same way. He had a talent for listening; he paid careful attention to the words of his interlocutor. Sometimes his face took on a caressing expression, sometimes his gaze sought to detect the thought. As clever as he was at penetrating the designs of others, he was equally prudent in the conduct of his own. Combining the appearance of modesty with a great amount of vanity and ambition, he never spoke of himself. He was brave in war; his many wounds proved that he had not spared himself.

Once again leaving out all the sinister motivations that Ménéval attributes to Neipperg, we can sum up: Neipperg was restrained, unobtrusive, polite, he listened when other people talked, and even reacted to what they said (truely a fiendish strategy!), appeared simple and modest, plus he was fun to be around.

Yes, you have to wonder how Marie Louise could have fallen for that one after having been married to Napoleon 😊.