Johann Philipp Stadion, Count von Warthausen

Who was Johann Philipp Stadion, Count von Warthausen?

Johann Philipp Carl Joseph, Graf von Stadion-Warthausen. Born in Mainz, he was a statesman, foreign minister, and diplomat who served the Habsburg empire during the Napoleonic Wars. He was also founder of the Austrian National Bank. Johann Philip was Count of Stadion-Warthausen 1787–1806.

In 1787–1790, he was ambassador in Stockholm, then in London from 1790–1793. After some years of retirement he was entrusted with a mission to the Prussian court, where he endeavoured in vain to effect an alliance with Austria. He had greater success as envoy at St Petersburg, where he played a large part in the formation of the third coalition against Napoleon. Notwithstanding the failure of this alliance, he was made foreign minister, and in conjunction with Archduke Charles of Austria pursued a policy of quiet preparation for a fresh trial of strength with France.

In 1808 he abandoned the policy of procrastination, and with the help of Metternich hastened the outbreak of a new war. The unfortunate results of the campaign of 1809 compelled his resignation; but in 1813 he was commissioned to negotiate the convention which finally overthrew Napoleon. The historian Robert A. Kann called him "a man of outstanding gifts, perhaps the foremost diplomat in imperial Austrian history".