11 May 1859 Archduke John of Habsburg-Lorraine died

He was one of the most popular members of the Habsburg family, the youngest brother of Emperor Francis I. He also intervened in the Napoleonic Wars. The Austrian archduke and military leader John of Habsburg-Lorraine died on 11 May 1859 at the age of 77.

He played an important role in the public sphere for over forty years. He was known as a liberal who, together with Archduke Charles, had a promising military career and influence in affairs of state. Brother Ferdinand listened to him in many ways. Thanks to his teachers, he fell in love with Switzerland and the Alps. He studied military history. He was born the thirteenth child of Emperor Leopold II.

He intervened in several Napoleonic battles. He also traveled around the empire and conducted inspections. During the Napoleonic Wars, he presented Ferdinand with a plan for the creation of a Landwehr, which was called Landwehr in German. They were formed in Vienna and extended to the Czech lands. The official date of formation is 9 June 1808. Basically, it was a permanent and general facility for replenishing the regular units of the Austrian army.

However, even this did not help to avert, for example, the defeat at the Battle of Wangram, which took place on 5 and 6 July 1809. It was decisive for the Austro-French War, which was part of the Napoleonic Wars. "In 1809 Austria boldly attempted to renew the war with France, and on 9 April Austrian forces, led by the Archduke, invaded Bavaria. When the French counter-offensive took Vienna, Charles's army was at the other end of the Danube. Napoleon began to send his men across the river, but the Austrians drove them back in May," R. G. Grant describes the event in his book Battles: 5000 Years of Warfare.

But the French eventually managed to suppress the Austrian offensive, albeit at the cost of heavy casualties. The defeated Austria had to ignominiously accept unfavourable terms of peace, which meant a decline in the influence of that empire.

Meanwhile, a revolt was being planned in the Tyrol, which was to culminate in Austria's declaration of war against France and the entry of troops into the Tyrol. Archduke John became the commander of the whole enterprise, but he was not successful. The insurgents were driven out of the country and John settled in Styria, as a further continuation of his military career was unthinkable.

But John continued to be publicly active, just in different areas. He founded various associations, fought famine by growing potatoes and initiated the first smallpox vaccination. During the revolution of 1848, he was elected imperial administrator. He died in Graz.

Sources: www.ohio.edu, R. G. Grant: Battles - 5000 Years of Warfare, www.napoleon.org, www.wikipedia.org