Daun

Daun, Leopold Joseph, Graf von (1705-1766), an Austrian genera], whose father and grandfather were both soldiers. After serving in the Turkish war in 1718, he became major-general in Italy in 1734, where he served with distinction. In 1748 he served against the French in the Netherlands, and was made a Knight of the Golden Fleece. After making a brilliant passage of the Rhine and marrying a favourite of Maria Theresa, he was made master-general of Ordnance, and in 1757 field-marshal. He was also the first head of the Order of Maria Theresa, and commanded the Austrian army in the Seven Years' war, when he proved an awkward enemy of Frederick the Great whom he twice defeated. His policy was one of delay, which, however, did not prevail against Frederick, when once he understood it and laid his plans accordingly.