Archduke Frederic

Archduke Frederic
Supreme Commander of the Tiroler Defence Forces
In office	1894 – 2 December 1901
Archduke of Trentin
Reign	1883–1893
Predecessor	Archduke Francis
Successor	Realm abolished
Born	(1856-06-04)4 June 1856 Castle Tirol, Kingdom of Tirol
Died	30 December 1936(1936-12-30) (aged 80) Provinzia Trentin, Free State of Tirol
Burial	Royal Crypt
Spouse	Francesca of Croÿ (m. 1879; died 1931)
Issue	Maria Christina Maria Anna Maria Henrietta Archduchess Natalie Archduchess Stephanie Archduchess Gabriele Isabella Maria Alice
Full name Frederic Adolfo Carle Kristian Cerneu
House	Cerneu
Father	Kristian II
Mother	Carlotta of Tirol
Religion	Creeperian Catholicism
Military career
Allegiance	Kingdom of Tirol (1872–1893) Free State of Tirol (1893–1936)
Branch/Service	Tiroler Rifles Tiroler Ground Forces
Years of service	1872–1936
Rank	Field Marshal
Commands held	IX Army
Conflicts	Tiroler Civil War The White War 1893 Red winter
Awards	Military Merit Cross Red Cross Merit Star Long Service Cross for Officers Bronze Jubilee Medal Military Jubilee Medal
Memorials	Adesc War Memorial

Frederic Adolfo Carle Kristian Cerneu, Archduke of Trentin (4 June 1856 – 30 December 1936) was a member of the House of Cerneu and the first supreme commander of the Tiroler Defence Forces, following the Tiroler Civil War.

Early life

Frederic was born at the Castle Tirol (near Cadòr in Provinzia Adesc) the son of Kristian II and his wife Carlotta of Tirol.

When Frederic's uncle, Archduke Albert died in 1889, he and his brothers each inherited large estates. Frederic owned properties in Trentin and Adescthal, respectively. His Innsbruck residence, the Palais-Albert, housed the Albertina art collection which he owned.

Marriage

On 8 October 1879 Frederic married at Cadòr, Francesca of Croÿ (1856–1931), daughter of Rudolf, Duke of Croÿ, and his wife Princess Natalie of Ziller. They had nine children together.

Military career

Royal career and civil war

Frederic's marshal's baton at the Innsbruck military museum

Like most of the princes of the ruling house, Frederic adopted a military career, and served creditably for many years as a military advisor to the central command. Subsequently, commander-in-chief of the Rifles and army inspector, he became, after the outbreak of the civil war, inspector-general of the Royalist Army.

In the civil war, his post as commander-in-chief of the rifles was dissolved; and on 11 July 1890 Frederic was appointed commander of the IX Army. He thought it his duty to accept this heavy responsibility, but, modestly underestimating his own powers, left the actual exercise of the command to his chief-of-staff. In the performance of ceremonial duties, and as mediator for the settlement of the conflicting demands of the military, civil and allied elements, his services were undeniable. He was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal on 8 December 1891. In February 1892, Kristian II himself took over the supreme command; the Archduke no longer appeared in the foreground.

Toward the latter end of 1892, Frederic grew increasingly sympathetic to the Republican cause, despite his royal roots. A series of letters between Archduke Frederic and the Republican High Command between October and December 1892 show open willingness to defect, however, the Republicans encouraged him to establish the IX Army's loyalty to him in order to inspire a mutiny. Frederic pursued this path, actively intervening in the distribution of the Royal Bulletin (a propaganda pamphlet printed from 1891 distributed to the Royalist troops) and turning a blind eye to the distribution of republican propaganda amongst the troops, which in other armies carried the death penalty. On 4 January 1893, Frederic called on his troops to put down their arms during a preorganised Republican advance, in what became known as the January Mutiny, labelled by some right-wing groups as the stab in the back. The mutiny exposed the southern flank of the Royalist Armies, allowing Republicans to advance north from Provinzia Adesc to the Royalist Headquarters in Balsan, effectively forcing the Royalist surrender in March.

Defence Forces

Following the end of the Civil War, Republicans were divided on both the fate of the former royals and on the broader path forward for Tirol. Some sought for the establishment of a workers state, following the advocacies of Qarl Marx, most of whom advocated for the execution of the royals, whilst the other main faction of the republicans, the statists, sought the establishment of a liberal and constitutional republic. The statists generally opposed the execution of former royals, though supported the confiscation of royal estates. However, due to their defection, the Fourth Army, under the command of Frederic, had maintained their arms and good order, this professional force allowed Frederic to align himself with the statists, capturing the leader of the socialist faction in Ampëz. Frederic leveraged his position as the holder of the balance of power to influence the establishment of the new constitution, saving his primary estate in the newly established Provinzia Trentin. In the first session of the National Council, a growing competition between the statists and socialists meant the nationals (composed primarily of former royalists) negotiated with the statists to grant the former Archduke, Frederic, leadership of the newly formed Tiroler Defence Forces as commander-in-chief, despite concerns among nationals and anger toward Frederic following the mutiny, he was viewed as preferable to any choice made between the socialists and statists which could seize power.

Awards and decorations

Frederic received the following decorations and awards:

National orders and decorations

• Knight of the Red Eagle, 17 April 1873
• Military Merit Cross, 30 November 1892; in Diamonds, 30 November 1880; 1st Class with War Decoration, 9 May 1892
• Red Cross Merit Star, 21 August 1892; with War Decoration, 15 February 1915
• Long Service Cross for Officers, 2nd Class
• Bronze Jubilee Medal for the Armed Forces
• Military Jubilee Medal