Johann Philipp Stadion, Count von Warthausen

Johann Philipp von Stadion

Johann Philipp Carl Joseph Stadion, Count von Warthausen(18 June 1763 inMainz– 15 May 1824,Baden) was a statesman, foreign minister, and diplomat who served theHabsburgempire during theNapoleonic Wars.He was also founder of Austria's central bankOesterreichische Nationalbank.He wassovereign CountofStadion-Warthausenfrom 1787 until 1806, when his lands weremediatisedto theKingdom of Bavaria.

Early life

Johann was born as the younger surviving son of Count Franz Konrad vonStadion-Warthausen(1736–1787) and his wife, Baroness Maria Johanna Ludowika Esther Zobel von Giebelstadt (1740–1803).

Life and career

Johann Philipp von Stadion receives fromFrancis I,the first Emperor of Austria, the charter for the foundation of Austria's central bankOesterreichische NationalbankinVienna.Bronze medal for the 100th anniversary on 1 June 1916; obverse. Medallist: Stefan Schwartz.

In 1787–1790, he was ambassador inStockholm,then inLondonfrom 1790 to 1793. After some years of retirement, he was entrusted with a mission to thePrussian court(1800–1803), where he endeavoured in vain to effect an alliance with Austria. He had greater success as envoy atSaint Petersburg(1803–1805), where he played a large part in the formation of the third coalition againstNapoleon(1805). Notwithstanding the failure of this alliance, he was madeforeign ministerand, in conjunction withArchduke Charles of Austria,pursued a policy of quiet preparation for a fresh trial of strength with France.

In 1808, he abandoned the policy of procrastination and hastened the outbreak of a new war.Stadion was encouraged by news from Spain regarding the rising of the Spanish population against French occupation and the defeat of a French army by Spanish general Francisco Castanos at Bailen. He was instrumental in persuading Emperor Francis of Austria to attempt to arouse popular resistance to Napoleon in Austria and Germany.

The war that began in 1809 pitted Austria alone on the continent against Napoleonic France. The campaign saw the first major defeat of Napoleon at Aspern by the Archduke Charles, brother of the Emperor. Nonetheless, the French recovered and inflicted a decisive defeat on the Austrians at Wagram, one of the largest battles of the Napoleonic Wars. The unfortunate results of the campaign of 1809 compelled his resignation. He was succeeded as Foreign Minister by Klemens von Metternich, whom the Emperor had recalled from Paris. Nonetheless, in 1813, he was commissioned to negotiate the convention which finally overthrew Napoleon.

The last ten years of his life were spent in a strenuous and partly successful attempt to reorganize the disordered finances of his country.Asminister of finance(1815–1824), he founded Austria's central bankOesterreichische Nationalbankin 1816.

Personal life

On 4 November 1773 inMainz,he married his cousin, Countess Maria Anna Philippine Walpurgis vonStadion-Thannhausen(1771–1841), daughter of Count Joseph Georg Johann vonStadion zu Thannhausen(1652-1742) and his wife, Baroness Maria Anna Wambolt vonUmstadt(1687-1764). Together, they had eight children.Among them wasFranz Stadion, Count von Warthausen,a prominent liberal statesman of the 1840s.

Death

He died on 15 May 1824 inBaden bei Wien,Austria.

Acknowledgements

• In 1874, analleyin Vienna's1st districtwas renamed "Stadiongasse" in honour of Johann Philipp von Stadion.
• Since 1897, theHotel Graf Stadionon Buchfeldgasse Nr. 5 in Vienna's 8th districtJosefstadtbears the statesman's name.

Notes

• Regarding personal names: Until 1919,Grafwas a title, translated asCount,not a first or middle name. The female form isGräfin.In Germany, it has formed part of family names since 1919.
• See A Beer,Zehn Jahre österreichischer Politik, 1801-1810(Leipzig, 1877); Die Finanzen Oesterreichs im 19. Jahrhundert (Prague, 1877); Krones,Zur Geschichte Österreichs, 1792-1876(Gotha, 1886).