Wilhelm von Radhen facts for kids
Baron Wilhelm von Rahden (born August 10, 1793, in Breslau; died November 2, 1860, in Gotha) was a German officer and a writer. He is best known for his military career and the books he wrote about his experiences.
Contents
Wilhelm von Rahden's Life Story
Early Military Days: Napoleonic Wars
Wilhelm von Rahden went to a military school to learn how to be a soldier. In 1809, when he was 16, he joined the Prussian Army. He fought in big wars between 1813 and 1815, known as the Napoleonic Wars. These battles took place in places like Saxony, France, and Belgium.
He was hurt in several important battles, including the Battle of Lützen, the Battle of Leipzig, and the famous Battle of Waterloo.
In 1829, he left the Prussian Army as a captain. For about a year, he worked as a staff officer in the Russian army. Later, in 1832, he was an artillery officer and was badly wounded while defending the city of Antwerp.
Adventures in Spain: The Carlist Wars
In early 1837, while in England, Wilhelm von Rahden got an offer to join the Carlist army in Spain. The Carlist Wars were a series of civil wars in Spain. They were fought between two sides who wanted different people to be king.
In April 1837, he traveled to Navarre and crossed the Pyrenees mountains into Spain. He joined the Carlist army, which was trying to capture the city of San Sebastián. This siege had been going on since 1835.
Just before he arrived, the Carlists had won a battle at Oriamendi. They had stopped an enemy force that was trying to help San Sebastián. A few days later, von Rahden met Infante Sebastian, who was the commander of the Carlist forces in the north.
Von Rahden later wrote that he had heard great things about this general. However, he was surprised to find that Infante Sebastian looked older than he was, was almost bald, and didn't seem very military-like. The general also avoided talking about the war. Instead, he only spoke about famous leaders like Napoleon I and Frederick the Great. Von Rahden thought that Prince Sebastian was comparing himself to these great leaders. He also noticed that the prince was leaning dramatically on a large sword, which made him even more suspicious.
Von Rahden was then ordered to go to Estella. There, he met Infante Carlos, who was the Carlist claimant to the Spanish throne. Carlos had set up his court in Estella and was getting ready for a big plan called the 'Expedición Real' (Royal Expedition). The goal was to capture Madrid and take the throne.
On May 10, von Rahden met Carlos. He was wearing a fancy Dutch Army uniform and his four medals. Carlos immediately promoted him to lieutenant colonel. This was a huge surprise for von Rahden because he had skipped the rank of major! He noted that things moved much faster in the Carlist army than in the Prussian one. Other Germans fighting for the Carlists had similar experiences. For example, Prince Felix Lichnowsky joined three months earlier and became a brigadier general at only 23 years old.
On May 15, 1837, the Carlist expedition began. They crossed the Arga river and headed east. Their plan was to go through northern Aragon, join up with other Carlist forces in Catalonia, and take control there. Then, they would cross the river Ebro and, with the help of Ramón Cabrera's forces, attack Madrid.
Wilhelm von Rahden's Books
Wilhelm von Rahden was also a writer. He wrote several books, mostly about his military experiences. Here are some of his works:
- Cabrera. Erinnerungen aus dem Spanischen Bürgerkrieg (Memories from the Spanish Civil War), published in 1840.
- Wanderungen eines alten Soldaten. Erster Teil. (Journeys of an Old Soldier. Part One.), published in 1846.
- Wanderungen eines alten Soldaten. Zweiter Teil. (Journeys of an Old Soldier. Part Two.), published in 1847.
- Wanderungen eines alten Soldaten. Dritter Teil. (Journeys of an Old Soldier. Part Three.), published in 1851.
- Miguel Gomez. Ein Lebenslichtbild. (Miguel Gomez. A Life Portrait.), published in 1859.
Images for kids
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Title page of the third part of his memoirs (Wanderungen eines alten Soldaten).
See also
In Spanish: Wilhelm von Rahden para niños
