Gustav von Alvensleben (30 September 1803 – 30 June 1881) was a

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

General der Infanterie General of the infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Impe ...

Biography

Early life

Alvensleben was born in

Eichenbarleben Eichenbarleben is a village and a former municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. From 1807 to 1813, Eichenbarleben (Kanton Eichenbarleben, District of Neuhaldensleben, Departement der Elbe) belonged to the Kingdom of Westph ...

in 1803, to the Low German noble family of Alvensleben. His parents were Gebhard Johann von Alvensleben (1773–1856), a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Prussian Army, and his kinswoman Caroline Friederike Eleonore von Alvensleben (1773–1826). Gustav had four brothers; two of them, Werner and Constantin, would go on to serve in the military as generals.

Military career

Alvensleben joined the Prussian Army in 1821, serving in the ''Kaiser Alexander'' Guards Grenadiers Regiment No. 1 as a Second Lieutenant. In 1849, Alvensleben became Chief of Staff of the Prussian Corps in the

insurrection Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in southern Germany. In earlier times it was considered to be on both sides of the Upper Rhine, but since the Napoleonic Wars, it has been considered only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Ba ...

and, in 1850, Chief of Staff of the VIII Army Corps. He went on to become the military governor of the Prussian

Rhine Province The Rhine Province (), also known as Rhenish Prussia () or synonymous with the Rhineland (), was the westernmost Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822 to 1946. ...

and

Westphalia Westphalia (; ; ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the region is almost identical with the h ...

in 1854, became a major-general in 1858, and the personal adjutant of King William I of Prussia in 1861. In this position he signed the Alvensleben Convention with Russia to co-ordinate Russian and Prussian politics throughout the Polish

January Uprising The January Uprising was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at putting an end to Russian occupation of part of Poland and regaining independence. It began on 22 January 1863 and continued until the last i ...

. Having served in the Royal headquarters in the

Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War (German: ''Preußisch-Österreichischer Krieg''), also known by many other names,Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Second War of Unification, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), ''Deutsc ...

of 1866, Alvensleben led the peace negotiations with

George V of Hanover George V (Georg Friedrich Alexander Karl Ernst August; 27 May 1819 – 12 June 1878) was the last King of Hanover, reigning from 18 November 1851 to 20 September 1866. The only child of King Ernest Augustus and Queen Frederica, he succeeded ...

. On 30 October 1866 he took over the command of the

IV Corps 4 Corps, 4th Corps, Fourth Corps, or IV Corps may refer to: France * 4th Army Corps (France) * IV Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * IV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperi ...

. In 1868 Alvensleben was promoted to ''General der Infanterie'' and commanded the IV Corps in the Battles of Beaumont and Sedan during the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

. Alvensleben retired on 10 October 1872, and died unmarried and childless on 30 June 1881 in

Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz (district), Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg.House of Alvensleben The House of Alvensleben is an ancient, Low German (''niederdeutsch'') noble family from the Altmark region, whose earliest known member, ''Wichard de Alvensleve'', is first mentioned in 1163 as a ministerialis of the Bishopric of Halberstadt. Th ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alvensleben, Gustav Von 1803 births 1881 deaths People from Börde (district) Military personnel from the Province of Saxony German military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War Prussian people of the Austro-Prussian War Generals of Infantry (Prussia) Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class) Recipients of the Iron Cross (1870), 1st class Knights Commander of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Commanders of the Military Order of Max Joseph Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour Grand Crosses of the Order of Aviz Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class

Gustav Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short cart ...

Military personnel from Saxony-Anhalt