Trenck

Trenck, BARON FRANZ (1711-49) was the son of an Austrian general. He was obliged to leave the Imperial service on account of misconduct; but, after having been dismissed from the Russian, for similar reasons, was allowed to raise and command a regiment of Pandours for Maria Theresa, in the Austrian Succession War. In 1745 he made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the person of Frederick the Great, after which he was tried by court-martial and condemned to imprisonment. After one escape, he was incarcerated at Brunn, and there took poison. His cousin FRIEDRICH (1726-94) had a somewhat similar career, While in the Prussian army he intrigued with the Princess Amelia, and was imprisoned for corresponding with his Austrian cousin. After a short period of service in the Austrian army, he was recaptured and imprisoned at Magdeburg, where he was heavily ironed. After nearly twenty years' captivity he was released, and became a Wine merchant at Aix-la-Chapelle. He was guillotined at Paris during the Revolution. Both cousins left autobiographies, but that of the Prussian Baron is the most famous.