Alexander von Spaen, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

Alexander von Spaen

German general

Date of Birth: 14-Jan-1619

Place of Birth: Kranenburg, Gelderland, Netherlands

Date of Death: 23-Oct-1692

Profession: military personnel, politician, diplomat

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn


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About Alexander von Spaen

  • Alexander Freiherr von Spaen (14 January 1619 – 23 October 1692) was a Generalfeldmarschall of Brandenburg-Prussia. Spaen was born in the Duchy of Cleves as the son of Bernhard von Spaen, the lord of Kreuzfort. By 1650, Spaen served as a Landdrost, a government councillor, and an Oberst (colonel), and he became the leader of a cavalry regiment the following year.
  • In 1654 he captured Dietrich Karl zu Wylich-Winnenthal, the leader of an uprising against Elector Frederick William, and brought him to Spandau.
  • Spaen led Prussia's Horse Guards (Leibregiment zu Pferde) during the Northern Wars, participating in the Battle of Warsaw.
  • The colonel was restationed on the Lower Rhine in 1656.
  • He became commander of Kalkar on 27 May 1657 and was promoted to Generalmajor the following year.
  • On 25 May 1661, Spaen received the title Freiherr from the Holy Roman Emperor. From 1672-79, Spaen was a leader in Brandenburg-Prussia's campaigns against Sweden and France.
  • He participated in the sieges of Wesel, Werl, Anklam, and Stettin, becoming Governor of Wesel and Generalleutnant in 1675.
  • Four years later Spaen became a member of the Privy Council and Government President of Cleves and the County of Mark.
  • He became Master of Ordinance (Generalfeldzeugmeister) on 1 December 1688.
  • The following year he was a representative of the Margraviate of Brandenburg at the English court.
  • During the War of the Grand Alliance against France, Spaen participated in the siege of Bonn and the Battle of Fleurus.
  • He received supreme command of the electoral troops in 1690 and was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall on 12 March 1691.
  • He died the following year at Kleve. Spaen was married three times: with Hendrine von Arnheim (died 4 August 1671); with Johanna Dorothea Quadt von Wyckerath-Soppenbroich (died 4 September 1676); and with Dorothea von Flemming, herself the widow of Brandenburg's first minister, Otto von Schwerin and before that of Bodo von Schlieben.

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