Ludwig Kudriaffsky

Ludwig Freiherr von Kudriaffsky (21 March, 1805 in Vienna – 7 January, 1894 in Merano) was an Austrian general, naval officer and diplomat of Russian descent.

Early life Ludwig was the son of Emilian Kydriaffsky, a Russian general and director of the chancellery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire and Louise Rainer, daughter of a merchant based in Venice. After being brought up in his father's home, he studied chemistry and physics in Vienna. In 1822 he joined the pontoon corps, where he was employed as a mathematics teacher. A trip to England sparked his interest in seafaring. In 1824 he joined the Imperial and Royal Navy. After his recovery he was appointed adjutant to Vice-Admiral Count :it: Silvestro Dandolo, with whom he remained in service until 1831.

In 1833 he accompanied Anton von Prokesch-Osten on a diplomatic mission to Egypt and Greece. In 1835, Kudriaffsky brought the news of the death of Emperor Francis II to the courts of Dresden, Berlin, and St. Petersburg, where he remained for half a year attached to the embassy headed by Count Ficquelmont.

Later career In April 1848 he returned to the navy as a frigate captain and went to Trieste on behalf of the Imperial and Royal War Ministry to take command of the Imperial and Royal Fleet, which had been disbanded following the defection of most of its Italian officers and crew. In a very short time, he re-established order and was able to leave Pula with several ships at the end of April to blockade Venice. With only nine ships, he faced the combined Sardinian-Neapolitan-Venetian squadron of 21 sail. As the enemy fleet hesitated to attack, Kudriaffsky took advantage of darkness and successfully carried out a dangerous retreat to Trieste, thus saving the Imperial fleet, and securing Trieste from bombardment.

Later the same year he went to Frankfurt with Archduke Johann to organize a German fleet. After the failure of this project, he served as major general and brigadier in Zadar and Vienna in 1849. In 1851 he taught naval science to Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian. In 1856 he was appointed lieutenant field marshal. During the Second Italian War of Independence he was assigned to the Third Army in Italy, after the war he served as divisional commander in Zagreb and finally from 1860 to 1865 as president of the military appeals court in Vienna.

Family life Kudriaffsky married Johanna Baroness von Wiesenthau, with whom he had a daughter, Sidonia.

Honours Kudriaffsky received a number of honours during his career. He was made a privy councillor, and on 7 October 1859, he was elevated to the rank of baron.