Count Albrecht Theodor Emil von Roon (30 April 1803 - 23 February 1879) was a Prussian soldier and politician. April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1879 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia (German: Preußen or Preussen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... A Norwegian soldier (a Corporal, armed with an MP-5) A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment to defend that country or its interests. ... A politician is an individual involved in politics. ...

He was born at Pleushagen, near Colberg, in Pomerania. His family was of Flemish origin, and was settled in Pomerania. His father, an officer of the Prussian army, died in poverty during the French occupation, and young von Roon was brought up, in a country ravaged in the War of Liberation and in straitened circumstances, by his maternal grandmother. Pomerania (Polish: Pomorze, German: Pommern and Pommerellen, Pomeranian (Kashubian): Pòmòrze and Pòmòrskô, Latin: Pomerania, Pomorania) is a geographical and historical region in northern Poland and Germany on the south coasts of the Baltic Sea between and on both sides of the Vistula and Oder (Odra) rivers, reaching the Reknitz river...

Education and publications

He entered the corps of cadets at Culm in 1816, from where in 1818 he proceeded to the military school at Berlin, and in January 1821 received a commission in the 14th (3rd Pomeranian) regiment quartered at Stargard in Pomerania. In 1824 he went through the three years higher course of study at the war school in Berlin, where he also applied himself with the greatest energy to improving his general education. In 1826 he was transferred to the 15th regiment at Minden, but in the same year was appointed an instructor in the military cadet school at Berlin, where he devoted himself especially to the subject of military geography. He published in 1832 the well-known Principles of Physical, National and Political Geography, in three volumes (Grundluge der Erd-, Volker- und Staaten-Kunde), which gained him a great reputation, and of which over 40,000 copies were sold in a few years. This work was followed in 1834 by Elements of Geography (Anfangsgrunde der Erdkunde), in 1837 by Military Geography of Europe (Militärische Landerbeschreibung von Europa), and in 1839 by The Iberian Peninsula (Die Iberische Halbinsel). A culm was originally a stem of any type of plant. ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1818 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Berlin (pronounced: , German ) is the capital of Germany and its largest city, with 3,387,404 inhabitants (as of September 2004); down from 4. ... 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1826 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Minden is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Early military career

Meantime, in 1832, he rejoined his regiment, and was afterwards attached to the headquarters of General von Mufflings corps of observation at Krefeld, when he first became alive to the very inefficient state of the Prussian army. In 1833 he was appointed to the Topographical Bureau at Berlin, in 1835 he entered the General staff, and in the following year was promoted captain and became instructor and examiner in the military academy at Berlin. In 1842, after an illness of two years brought on by overwork, he was promoted to be major and attached to the staff of the VII. corps, in which post he was again impressed with the inefficiency of the organization of the army, and occupied himself with schemes for its reform. Two years later, as tutor to Prince Frederick Charles, he attended him at Bonn university and in his European travels. In 1848 he was appointed chief of the staff of the VIII. Army Corps at Koblenz. During the disturbances of that year he served under the Crown Prince William (afterwards German emperor) in the suppression of the insurrection at Baden, and distinguished himself by his energy and bravery, receiving the 3rd class of the order of the Red Eagle in recognition of his services. While attached to the Crown Prince's staff at that time he broached to him the subject of his schemes of army reform. In 1850 came the revelation of defective organization and efficiency which led to the humiliating treaty of Olmütz. In the same year Roon was made a lieutenant-colonel, and in 1851 full colonel. He now enjoyed the confidence of Prince William, and began active work as reorganizer of the army. Krefeld is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ... 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... A General Staff is a group of professional military officers who act in a staff or administrative role. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Koblenz (also Coblenz and the French Coblence) is after Mainz and Ludwigshafen am Rhein the third largest city in Rhineland-Palatinate (german Rheinland-Pfalz), Germany. ... Wilhelm I of Germany Wilhelm I, (March 22, 1797 - March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871-1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861-1888. ... For other uses, see Baden (disambiguation). ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Events January 23 - The flip of a coin determines whether a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning. ...

His army reform: the “System”

Promoted to be major-general in 1856 and lieutenant-general in 1859, Roon had held since 1850 several commands and had been employed on important missions. Prince William became regent in 1857, and in 1859 he appointed Roon a member of a commission to report on the reorganization of the army. Supported by Otto Theodor von Manteuffel and Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke, Roon was able to get his plans seriously considered and generally adopted. His aim was to create an armed nation, to extend Scharnhorst's system and to adapt it to Prussia's altered circumstances. To attain this he proposed a universal three years' service, and a reserve (Landwehr) for the defence of the country when the army was actively engaged. During the Italian War he was charged with the mobilization of a division. At the end of 1859, though the junior lieutenant-general in the army, he succeeded von Bonin as war minister, and two years later the ministry of marine was also entrusted to him. His proposals of army reorganization met with the bitterest opposition, and it was not until after long fighting against a hostile majority in the chambers that, with Otto von Bismarck's aid, he carried the day. Even the Danish campaign of 1864 did not wholly convince the country of the necessity of his measures, and it required the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 to convert obstinate opposition into enthusiastic support. 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Graf Moltke Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (October 26, 1800 - April 24, 1891), who became Helmuth Graf von Moltke in 1870, was a famous Prussian general. ... Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst (November 12, 1755 - June 28, 1813) was a general in Prussian service, Chief of the Prussian General Staff, noted for both his writings and his leadership during the Napoleonic Wars. ... The Landwehr was a type of militia found in 19th- and early 20th-century Europe. ... Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (April 1, 1815 – July 30, 1898) was one of the most prominent European aristocrats and statesmen of the nineteenth century. ... Second war of Schleswig also known as Danish war or Danish-Prussian war in 1864 was fought between Denmark and Prussia. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Austro-Prussian War (also called the Seven Weeks War or the German Civil War) was a war fought between Austria and Prussia in 1866 that resulted in Prussian dominance in Germany. ... 1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ...

National hero

After that, von Roon, from being the best-hated man in Prussia, became the most popular, and his reforms were ultimately copied throughout continental Europe. He was promoted general of infantry at the outbreak of this war, was present at the brilliant and decisive victory of Königgrätz, and received the Black Eagle at Nikolsburg on the road to Vienna. His system, adopted after 1866 by the whole North German Confederation, produced its inevitable result in the victorious war with France in 1870-71, throughout which von Roon was in attendance on the German emperor. The fiftieth anniversary of his entrance into the army was celebrated at Versailles on January 19, 1871, when the emperor expressed his gratitude for the great services he had rendered. He was created a count, and in December 1871, having resigned the ministries of war and marine, he succeeded Bismarck as president of the Prussian ministry. Ill-health compelled him to resign in the following year. He was promoted to be field marshal on January 1, 1873. He died at Berlin on the 23rd of February 1879. Battle of Königgrätz Conflict Austro-Prussian War Date 20 July 1866 Place Sadová, Bohemia Result Decisive Prussian victory In the Battle of Königgrätz or Battle of Sadowa of July 3, 1866, the Austro-Prussian War was decided in favor of Prussia. ... Mikulov (German Nikolsburg) is a town in the Czech Republic, in South Moravian Region. ... Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austrias nine federal states (Bundesland Wien). ... The North German Confederation (German Norddeutscher Bund), a transitional grouping which existed (1867 - 1871) between the dissolution of the German Confederation and the founding of the German Empire, cemented Prussian control over the 22 states of Northern Germany and emanated that same control (via the Zollverein) into southern Germany. ... The Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870 – May 10, 1871) was fought between France and Prussia (backed by the North German Confederation) allied with the south German states of Baden, Bavaria and Württemberg. ... Versailles, formerly the capital city of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important administrative and judicial center. ... January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Succession

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. The Prussian War Ministry was gradually established between 1808 and 1809 as part of a series of reforms initiated by the Military Reorganization Commission created after the disastrous Treaty of Paris. ... Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (April 1, 1815 – July 30, 1898) was one of the most prominent European aristocrats and statesmen of the nineteenth century. ... The Prime Minister (Ministerpräsident) of Prussia existed in one form or another from 1792 until the dissolution of Prussia in 1947. ... Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (April 1, 1815 – July 30, 1898) was one of the most prominent European aristocrats and statesmen of the nineteenth century. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica ( 1911) in many ways represents the sum of knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century. ...