Václav Jan Frierenberger

Frierenberger was born on 2 September 1759 in Český Krumlov.^[1] As an officer's son, he decided in his youth to serve in the army. He took part in the Austro-Turkish wars and in 1790 is already listed as a captain.^[2] His father Major Josef Frierenberger (1709–1773) was awarded the Military Order of Maria Theresa. After the Battle of Austerlitz he was, like his father, decorated on 28 May 1806 with the highest Austrian military decoration – Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa (this represented a claim to a lifetime peerage Knight (Ritter) and eventually the holder could claim the hereditary title of free lord). He was promoted to lieutenant colonel the following year and in 1809 to colonel. Subsequently, on 27 April 1813, he was promoted to major general. He was severely wounded on 26 August 1813, during the Battle of Dresden. Afterwards, the command of the artillery was taken over by General Friedrich Karl von Langenau. Subsequently, the Russian Tsar Alexander I awarded him the Russian Order of St. Anna. In January 1820, he was retired^[3] and spent the last years of his life in Kroměříž (now in the Czech Republic). He died in Kroměříž on 11 February 1823.^[4] He is buried in the old Kroměříž cemetery.