Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck

Count Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck (5 January 1639 – 15 September 1688 ) was a German nobleman from Minden, who served as a diplomat and general for various European states, most notably Sweden and Venice. He died of malaria on the Venetian flagship off the coast of Greece.

Early life and education Königsmarck was born in Minden, the son of Count Hans Christoff von Königsmarck and his wife, Agathe von Leesten (1608-1671). He was the brother of Count Conrad Christoff von Königsmarck and the uncle of Aurora von Königsmarck, Amalia Wilhelmina von Königsmarck, Philip Christoph von Königsmarck and Karl Johann von Königsmarck.

After his parents settled in Stade in 1645, his mother ensured that her son had a good education. Initially, Königsmarck was probably taught by the scholar Johann Heinrich Tonsor, but Esaias von Pufendorf was his preceptor (private tutor). He studied at the University of Jena for over three years, where he became Rector magnificus. He then briefly visited the universities in Tübingen, Strasbourg, Basel, Geneva, Blois and Angers.

Athens was abandoned in April 1688, as the plague was decimating the Venetian forces. The plague broke out again over the summer during the Siege of Negroponte and Königsmarck himself died of the plague on 15 September 1688, under the care of his wife. Venice put up a marble bust in honour of Königsmarck, it is now in the Arsenal. On 19 January 1691, he was buried in Stade, where he had grown up.