Ruprecht von Eggenberg

Heinrich de Veerle († 1690)

attributed

Ruprecht von Eggenberg (1546–1611)

Oil on canvas

On loan from the Eggenberg Mausoleum Ehrenhausen

The ideal of the modern military commander includes both personal bravery as well as tactical and strategic finesse. Organisational skills are crucial to keep, to lead and, above all, to pay large armies in the field: such armies are often made up of many nations. An iron will and a robust nature are indispensable to endure the rigours of life in the field.

Ruprecht von Eggenberg (1546–1611) unites these qualities in his person: a military leader of unchallenged authority, an irreplaceable and loyal aide to his crowned Lords. In the service of the Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs he acquires a wealth of experience in the field. For Spain he fights under Alessandro Farnese in Flanders, for Emperor Rudolf II in the so-called “Long Turkish War” at the military border of the empire. He obtains fame and honour for his lifelong commitment, especially for his major victory over Hasan Pasha at Sisak in 1593. While the praise is great, the pay is small: usually, there is no pay. Even his monumental mausoleum in Ehrenhausen can only be completed after decades.