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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 269

(x) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion's Chapel Stall Plate, gilded brass with engraved and painted image of a C.B. Badge, inscribed 'Baron Mareschal, Major in the Service of His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Austria Honorary Companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath Nominated 17th April 1817', 191mm x 115mm, corners pierced for attachment, minor loss of paint, otherwise very fine

Wenzel Philipp Leopold Baron von Mareschal was born in 1785 into a noble Luxembourg family. He entered the Imperial-Royal Engineering Academy in 1798 and commissioned in 1803. In 1809, he transferred to the quartermaster general staff and the following year he was appointed to diplomatic service in St. Petersburg. He remained at that post during the French invasion of Russia in 1812, of which Austria was an ally of France. In 1813, he was promoted to major. Between 1815-18, Mareschal served as Austrian town major and liaison office in Paris to Lord Wellington, who at the time was Commander-in-Chief of the allied occupational forces.

This was the last of Mareschal's military excursions and from hereon in he served in a number of diplomatic positions. In 1819, he served as secretary of legation to Rio de Janeiro and remained there until 1830. While stationed out there he rose to the rank of ambassador. He was then appointed as ambassador to the courts of Modena and Parma, where he served between 1831-33. His next ambassadorship was to the United States of America, based in Washington, serving three years between 1838-41. His final posting was to Lisbon in Portugal between 1841-46. Afterwards, Mareschal retired in 1847.

An unusual quirk of Austrian diplomatic service was that diplomatic rising was complimented by advancement in military rank. Therefore, in 1820 Mareschal was promoted to lieutenant colonel, in 1825 to colonel, to major general in 1832 and to lieutenant field marshal in 1840. He was made an honorary companion of the Order of the Bath on 17 April 1819, likely for his services to the Duke of Wellington.

Please note Mareschal has also been recorded to have been called Wenceslas Philipp von Mareschall.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£500 to £700

Starting price
£400