Count Palatine William of Gelnhausen
Count Palatine William of Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen was a titular Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and an Imperial Field Marshal.Life
William was the youngest son of the Count Palatine John Charles of Gelnhausen from his second marriage, Esther Maria, a daughter of George Frederick, Baron Witzleben of Elgersburg.
William served from 1729 in the Austrian army and was wounded during the Battle of Mollwitz. In 1742, he won a victory against the French general Bouffleur and drove the French from Tein. In 1743, he became General of the Cavalry in the Dutch army. In 1754, he accompanied Emperor Francis I to his coronation in Frankfurt. In the same year, he became imperial field marshal. In 1757 he was appointed governor of Namur.
