Antonio Caraffa

Count of Antonio Caraffa (* 1646, † March 6, 1693 ) was an Imperial Habsburg field marshal.

Life

He came from the old Neapolitan Carafa family. With the help of his cousin, Cardinal Carlo Carafa della Spina, he came to the imperial court in Vienna. In 1655 he is mentioned as chamberlain. Later he entered the military service as a colonel in 1672 and received establishment of a new regiment of cuirassiers. With this he took part against the Turks in Hungary in the war. At the time of the second siege of Vienna Caraffa was sent by Leopold I to Warsaw to the relief of the city by the Polish King John III. Sobieski to accelerate. In 1685 he conquered by the Ottomans Eperies. After the conquest of Upper Hungary in 1686, he became commander dortiger. He stood there even before a court, that went with the utmost severity against alleged conspirators and the trailer from Emmerich Thokoly. Among other things, 13 people were executed. Other defendants were tortured and later executed. ( As it is mainly the Protestant community was affected by Eperies and Counter-Reformation Caraffa motives are suspected, executed as a martyr of Eperjes are known. ) This procedure was according to numerous requests from the Hungarian side eventually finished by Emperor Leopold. The supreme command in Upper Hungary was removed from him. However, Caraffa was not held accountable. Rather, he was appointed Field Marshal. He remained in the imperial service, and captured after three years of siege by the Zrinski Jelena, wife Thokoly, defended Munkacs. He took over in Transylvania the command. Now he acted prudent and brought Michael Teleky and the significant nobles to his side. He also conquered Lippa and Lugo. He was also instrumental in the conquest of Budapest. For this he was made ​​a Knight of the Golden Fleece. He has also received the important rule Wucsin in the county Veröcz (now Voćin, Virovitica - Podravina in Slavonia, Croatia).