Lieutenant-Colonel into the Service of John-George IV. Elector of Saxony; upon whose Death, and the Succession of Frederic-Augustus, Flemming obtain'd a Regiment, and accompany'd the new Elector into Hungary, where he commanded the Emperor's Army against the Infidels during the Campaigns of 1695, and 1696. There it was that Flemming kill'd in a Duel the Baron de Lovel, who was Lieutenant-Colonel in the Service of Saxony. In 1697, he was sent into Poland, where, by the Interest of his Cousin-german, the Daughter of Velt-Marshal Span of Berlin, Wife of M. Brebentau Palatine of Marienbourg, who died Great Treasurer of Poland, and by the Credit of Benedict Sapieha he had the Happiness of getting his Master chose King of Poland. This Negotiation obtain'd him the Post of Major-General, and laid the Foundation of his Fortune. In 1700, he was made a Lieutenant-General, and in that Quality laid siege to Riga, which the King of Sweden oblig'd him to raise. In 1702, he marry'd Sapieha, a Daughter of one of the chief Noblemen of Lithuania. He was wounded the same Year at the Battle of Clischhoff, at which time the King of Sweden being every where victorious, demanded that the King of Poland shou'd deliver up Flemming to him. But upon this he retir'd to Brandenbourg, till King Stanislaus had made Charles XII. easy. Flemming being return'd to Saxony, fought a Duel with M. de Schulembourg, who giving him a Fall, insisted that he should beg his Life; but Flemming got out of this ugly Scrape by a scurvy Joke, and Schulembourg gave him his Life. The latter was a younger Lieutenant-General than Flemming, but in every respect his Rival, and wou'd have been a Marshal if his Fortune had been as good as his Valour. At the Battle of Frauenstad in 1705, where he was defeated by the Swedes, Schulembourg quitted
the Service of Saxony and went into that of Venice. By this means Flemming, who had now no Rival left, was made a Marshal, and happen'd to be at Dresden when the King of Sweden made that strange Visit to the King of Poland; at which time, if Augustus had been as ungenerous as Flemming, Charles wou'd have been detain'd. Many People accuse Flemming of having persuaded the King his Master to deliver up Patkul: This I can't pretend to affirm, but that there was a mortal Antipathy betwixt him and the Minister of Russia is certain; for the latter having presented a Memorial to the King of Poland, setting forth the wretched condition of the Muscovite Troops in the Pay of Saxony, concluded it with these Latin Words,
Dixi, et Salvavi Animam.
Which Memorial, when Flemming had read, and found himself not very well used in it, he took a Pen and underwrote these Words,
Maledixisti, et Damnaberis.
After the Disaster which Charles XII. met with near Pultowa, Flemming contributed very much to the Re-establishment of King Augustus in Poland. He confirm'd the Alliance betwixt his Master and the Czar, made Peace with the Confederates, and concluded another Alliance with Denmark. The Czar and the King of Denmark honour'd him with their Orders of Knighthood, and he had that of Poland before. He went Ambassador to the unsuccessful Congress at Brunswic, and was afterwards at Hanover to attend George I. King of Great Britain. When the King of Sweden return'd to Pomerania, Flemming left no Stone unturn'd to draw the King of Prussia into his Master's Alliance. He had some Years before procur'd him the Sequestration of the Town of Stetin, and 'twas lucky enough
for him that the Pride and Obstinacy of the King of Sweden obliged the King of Prussia to declare himself his Enemy. At that time Flemming was rather a Courier between Dresden, Berlin, and Warsaw, than an Ambassador and Prime Minister, which Dignity he enjoy'd after the Death of the Prince de Furstemberg his Predecessor. When the Peace of the North was settled, Flemming went Ambassador to Vienna, where he concluded the Marriage of the Electoral Prince of Saxony with the Archduchess, eldest Daughter to the Emperor Joseph, tho' the Contract had been settled before by the Count de Wackerbarth, who it may be said had the Pains to negotiate it, and Flemming the Glory of finishing it.
At this time Count Flemming had resign'd all the Salaries of his Employments in Saxony, and only reserv'd to himself the private Perquisites and the Franchise of the Post-Offices; and his Journeys, which were very frequent, were all at the Expence of the King. It was about this time that he caus'd his Marriage with Sapieha to be dissolv'd, and marry'd one Radzevil, by whom he had a Son, who was but a Year and a half old when the Count died at Vienna, to which place he was return'd with the Character of Ambassador. He left all his Estate to this Child, without making any Intail on his Family; so that when this Son died, who did not long survive him, his Estate went to Madame de Flemming, who by marrying again carry'd the Bulk of it into another Family. They say that his Inheritance was worth sixteen Millions of Crowns, exclusive of what he had expended during the Splendor of his Fortune, which lasted thirty Years, or thereabouts. Whether Richelieu and Mazarine got greater Estates, I cannot say; but in Germany there is not an Instance of one sooner acquir'd, more resplendent, and better supported than his was. He was Prime Minister, Velt-Marshal of
Saxony, and Master of the Horse of Lithuania; by which Offices he gain'd immense Sums. He made considerable Purchases in Silesia and Poland, but very little in Saxony. Whether he left any thing to the King is not said; tho' he ought really to have made him some Restitution, and he might naturally have given up with a good Grace what he cou'd not but foresee wou'd be taken by force from his Heir. As it was just that his Succession shou'd pass thro' the Purgatory of a Chambre Ardente, the King establish'd one, which 'tis said has adjudg'd eight Millions to his Majesty, and the same to his Widow; which is a very fair Dividend.
Count Flemming was taller than ordinary, but a handsome Man; he had very regular Features, a lively Eye, a disdainful Sneer, a haughty Air, and he was really proud, and beyond measure ambitious. He was generous to a degree of Ostentation, and always aim'd to do something to be talk'd of. He was vigilant, laborious, indefatigable, allow'd himself little Sleep; and whenever he took a Debauch, a Nap of two Hours set him to rights again. It was no more for him to go from a Debauch to Business, than from Business to a Debauch; and he never fatigu'd himself, but dispatch'd the greatest Affairs with so much Ease as if they were only a Diversion. He lov'd to banter, but did not always make use of the Terms suitable to his Character; and Persons who did not dare to answer him again, were commonly the Butts of his Raillery. He was polite when he had a mind to it, but in the general Course of his Behaviour he carry'd an Air fitter for a Captain of Dragoons than for a Marshal and a Prime Minister. He never did a thing for any body without some View; he scrupl'd neither Cunning nor even Perjury, and provided he could gain his Ends, all ways were alike fair to him. All his Life-time he took care to do his own Business