Maurice O'Donnell facts for kids

Maurice O'Donnell (1780–1843) was an important count who was part Irish and part Austrian. He was born in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

His Family Background

Maurice O'Donnell came from a famous Irish noble family called the O'Donnell of Tyrconnell. Many years ago, some members of his family had to leave Ireland. They moved to other countries like Spain, France, and Austria, where they became nobles.

Maurice's father was Joseph Count O'Donnell, and his mother was Theresa O'Donnell. His grandfather was Major-General Henry Count O'Donnell. Maurice married a woman named Christine, who was often called "Titine" (1788–1867). They lived in a city called Pressburg, which is now Bratislava in Slovakia.

Maurice and Christine had two sons:

• Maximilian Karl Lamoral O'Donnell
• Maurice Jr.

His son Maximilian became famous for saving the life of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria in 1853.

Maurice's Military Career

Maurice O'Donnell started his military training at the Austro-Hungarian Academy of Engineers. He became a sub-lieutenant when he was just sixteen years old.

In 1799, he was promoted to captain. He was part of the 54th Infantry Regiment, which guarded a border area of the Empire.

Travels and Important Meetings

In 1802, Maurice took a break from his military duties. He traveled to Italy, where he met a very famous writer and socialite named Madame de Staël in Venice. This meeting started a long friendship and they wrote many letters to each other over the years.

Rising Through the Ranks

Maurice continued to advance in his military career:

• On April 11, 1813, he became a lieutenant-colonel.
• He fought in campaigns in France and showed great bravery during the siege of Besançon.
• On June 1, 1814, he was promoted to full colonel.

He returned to Vienna at the end of 1814. However, he was soon called back to serve in the military. In 1815, he joined the campaign against Napoleon and later that year, he was in Paris with the Allied forces.

On October 1, 1816, Maurice was given command of the 45th Infantry Regiment. In 1822, he was sent on a special mission to Italy. He became a brigadier-general in Vienna on March 9, 1828, and was sent to Italy again that same year.

In 1832, he moved to Gratz. He retired from active military service on May 8, 1834, and received a pension. Even after retiring, he was given the honorary rank of lieutenant-general.

Maurice O'Donnell passed away in Dresden on November 30, 1843. His wife, Christine "Titine," lived until 1867.