Prince Eugene is of a middling Stature, and well made. His Air is extremely serious, and his Deportment grave and reserv'd; but notwithstanding that Reservedness he is a hearty Friend to his Adherents. He is a thorough Judge of Merit, and loves to distinguish it. He is perfectly genteel and civil, very polite to the Ladies, respectful and submissive to his Lord and Master, but without Flattery or Servility. He is generous and noble in every thing excepting his Apparel. He is an Enemy to Ostentation, Ceremonies, and Constraint. In his youthful Days he lov'd Pleasures, but he abandon'd them as soon as he was animated with a Thirst for Glory. He was born in France, but left that Kingdom in 1683, out of disgust that he was no more taken notice of, and came to Vienna just before the Turks laid siege to it. He made the Campaign as a Volunteer, and distinguish'd himself in such a manner that the Emperor Leopold gave him in December following that Regiment of Dragoons which still goes by his Name. When the Siege of Vienna was rais'd, he serv'd in Hungary under Duke Charles of Lorrain, and Maximilian-Emanuel Elector of Bavaria. The first time that he obtain'd the Command of the Imperial Army was in 1697, when he began with the Victory at Zenta whereby 22,000 Turks lost their Lives; a Loss which they could not recover,
and which put them upon suing for the Peace that was granted to them at Carlowitz in 1699. The Prince afterwards commanded in Italy, Germany, Flanders, and lastly in Hungary; and wherever he went Conquest attended him. To give you a Detail of his Achievements would be to anticipate the History which is to immortalize them, and to which you will not take it ill if I refer you. As to the Dignities and great Employments of this Prince, he is Chief Counsellor of the Council of Conferences; President of the Aulic Council of War; Commander in Chief or Lieutenant-General of the Armies of the Emperor and Empire; his Imperial Majesty's Vicar-General in Italy; Colonel of a Regiment of Dragoons; and Knight of the Golden Fleece. All his Employments may be worth about 300,000 Florins a year to him. Besides this, he has a considerable Estate in Hungary and in the Neighbourhood of Vienna, which brings him in about 100,000 Florins per Ann. more. He holds those Lands by the Emperor's Bounty who gave them to him as a Reward for his important Services.[102]
The Marshal Count Guido Staremberg is one of those Gentlemen also who deserve particular respect for their Virtue. He is descended of a Family which has given great Generals and wise Ministers to the Emperors of the Austrian Family, and has supported the Glory of his Ancestors in a signal manner; Hungary, Italy, and Spain, have been Witnesses of Bravery and consummate Wisdom in the Art of commanding Armies, and have admir'd him the more because they saw him always gaining Victories with Armies ill paid, destitute of all Necessaries, and very much inferior to his Enemies. This General enter'd very young into the Service in quality of an Ensign, and advanc'd himself by degrees. He was made Lieutenant-Colonel a little before the Turks Undertaking against Vienna, and while it was besieg'd, serv'd as Adjutant to his Cousin Ernest-Rudiger Count de Staremberg, the Defender of Vienna. This Count Guido, after having been a few years in the Service, was preferr'd to the Regiment of Foot of which he is still Colonel.
When he was very young he was made Great Commander of the Teutonic Order. I do not mention his Exploits to you, because they are so much celebrated by Fame that you cannot but know them. This General, tho' very much advanc'd in years, retains all his juvenile Ardor, and wou'd still be very capable of commanding.
Having mention'd two of the Emperor's greatest Generals you will not be sorry, I fancy, if I shou'd give you some Account also of his chief Ministers. They are five in Number, and are call'd Counsellors of the Conferences. Prince Eugene of Savoy is the first Counsellor, but without the Title of Prime Minister, that being a Dignity not known at the Imperial Court.
The Count Lewis de Zinzendorf, Chancellor of the Court, and Knight of the Golden Fleece, is the second Counsellor of the Conference. He is a Nobleman descended of a Family which has been for a long time eminent in Austria. His Mother was a Princess of Holstein, who married to her second Husband the Marshal Count de Rabutin Governor of Transylvania, but died a few years ago in a very advanc'd Age. I had the honour to know her the last time I was here; her House being the Rendezvous of all People of Rank. Count Zinzendorf was in the Ministry in the Reign of Leopold. He was that Emperor's Minister Plenipotentiary in France, while the Marshal de Villars was at Vienna with the same Character from Lewis XIV. At the Death of the Emperor Joseph, the Count de Zinzendorf was that Prince's Ambassador to the States-General, in which Character he was confirmed by the Empress Eleonora who was Regent during the Absence of King Charles. He repaired from the Hague to Frankfort to assist at the Coronation of Charles VI. and officiated at the Ceremony as Vicar to the Great Treasurer of the Empire, a Dignity which is Hereditary in his Family.
At the Congress of Utrecht which was open'd not long after, the Count de Zinzendorf assisted as the Emperor's first Ambassador. He afterwards went to the unsuccessful Congress of Soissons, and from thence to Versailles, where he succeeded so well with the Cardinal de Fleury, that he kept him tight in those pacific Sentiments which the Enemies of his Tranquillity, if not of his Glory, aim'd to make him give up. The Count is now return'd hither, and almost the only Man that acts in the Province of foreign Affairs. His Interest is very great, for besides the Esteem which the Emperor has for his Person and Services, he is related to all the most distinguished Persons at Court, and strictly attached to the Interest of Prince Eugene of Savoy, of whose Integrity and disinterested Zeal for the Emperor he is very sensible. The Count de Zinzendorf is pretty tall and has a happy engaging Aspect. His Deportment is noble. He is pretty reserv'd, but civil. He is very polite to Strangers, and his House is open to them. He keeps the noblest and most elegant Table at Vienna. He is magnificent in every thing he does, and all his Actions favour of the Man of Quality. He is Father of a numerous Family. The second of his Sons is a Cardinal and Bishop in Hungary[103]. Another is Knight of Malta, and Lieutenant-Colonel. As these are the two with whom I am best acquainted, so they are the only ones I shall mention. I know not whether 'tis possible for a Man to be more sprightly than they both are. The Chevalier has more Mettle and Life than a Gascon: He is very blunt in his witty Sallies, but the variety of them pleases, and their novelty and justness are surprizing.
The Count Gundacker de Staremberg, President of the Chamber of Finances, and Knight of the
Golden Fleece, is the third Counsellor of the Conferences. His Integrity is very much cry'd up, and he has manag'd the Finances in such a manner as to guard against the Public Hatred.