Alexander von Mensdorff-Pouilly, Prince von Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg

Count Alexander Konstantin Albrecht von Mensdorff-Pouilly, 1st Prince von Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg (German: Alexander Konstantin Albrecht Graf von Mensdorff-Pouilly, 1. Fürst von Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg; 4 August 1813 in Coburg – 14 February 1871) was an Austrian general, diplomat and politician, including two years as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1864–66) and one month's service as Minister-President of Austria. He was a first cousin of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as their mothers were sisters.

Hochgeboren Alexander Graf von Mensdorff-Pouilly Fürst von Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg
Lithograph by Josef Kriehuber, 1854
4th Chairman of the Austrian Ministers' Conference
In office 26 June 1865 – 27 July 1865
Monarch	Francis Joseph I
Preceded by	Erzherzog Rainer Ferdinand von Österreich
Succeeded by	Richard Graf von Belcredi
8th Foreign Minister of the Austrian Empire
In office 27 October 1864 – 30 October 1866
Preceded by	Johann Bernhard Graf von Rechberg und Rothenlöwen
Succeeded by	Friedrich Ferdinand Graf von Beust
Personal details
Born	4 August 1813 Coburg
Died	14 February 1871 (aged 57)
Spouse(s)	Alexandrine von Dietrichstein
Children	Hugo, 2nd Prince von Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg Count Albert von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein
Parents	Count Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly Princess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Life and career

He was born as a son of Princess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Count Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly, a member of the House of Mensdorff-Pouilly. He entered the Austrian army in 1829, and he was promoted to captain in 1836 and major in 1844. In 1848–49, he fought in the First Italian War of Independence and against the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. In 1849, he was promoted to colonel and the following year to major general.

In 1851, Mensdorff-Pouilly was appointed as the Austrian commissioner to Schleswig-Holstein. In 1852, he became the Austrian ambassador to Russia. He was promoted to Feldmarschallleutnant in 1858. During the Polish Uprising of 1863, he served as the governor of Austrian Galicia.

Foreign Minister

Mensdorff-Pouilly was appointed as Foreign Minister of the Austrian Empire on 27 October 1864. Mensdorff-Pouilly's policies during his tenure as Foreign Minister for Emperor Franz Joseph were often largely a continuation of the conservative traditionalism of Rechberg, his predecessor.

Mensdorff-Pouilly, like Rechberg, sought to maintain conservative dominance of the German Confederation through an alliance between Austria and Prussia (in which Prussia was the junior partner), and he steadfastly refused to consider British suggestions that Austria surrender Venetia to Italy.[1] He was also a first cousin of Queen Victoria, their mothers being sisters.

After Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Mensdorff-Pouilly resigned his functions in November of that year. After his resignation, he was appointed commanding general in Zagreb and Prague.

Family

He married Alexandrine "Aline" von Dietrichstein (1824–1906), daughter of Joseph, 9th Prince von Dietrichstein (1798–1858), with whom he had children:

• Marie Gabriele von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein (1858–1889)
• Hugo, 2nd Prince von Dietrichstein zu Nikolsburg (1858–1920), married Princess Olga Alexandrovna Dolgoruky in 1892
• Count Albert von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein
• Clotilde von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein, married Count Albert Apponyi in 1897

References

1. F. R. Bridge, The Habsburg Monarchy Among the Great Powers, 1815-1918.