Heinrich von Bellegarde was born on 29 August, 1756, the son of Saxony’s War Minister. He entered into Austria’s service in 1778 and served with distinction during the campaigns between 1793 and 1795. In 1796, following these campaigns, he was made Feldmarschallleutnant and chief of military staff to Archduke Charles. The following year, he negotiated the Treaty of Leoben, the preliminary accord to the Treaty of Campo Formio, with Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1799, he was made commander of a corps in eastern Switzerland which was to ensure communication between the armies of Souvarov and Archduke Charles. In 1806, he was named Feldmarschall and civil and military governor of Gallacia. During the 1809 campaign, he commanded the first corps of the Austrian army, under Archduke Charles. He distinguished himself at Essling (21-22 May) and Wagram (5-6 July). Following the Treaty of Schönbrunn in 1809, he once again became governor of Gallicia but was often called to preside over meetings of the Aulic Council. In 1813, he was called to lead the Austrian army in Italy and in 1814, he concluded the armistice with Eugène de Beauharnais. Between 1814 and 1815, he was governor of Lombardy and Venetia. During this time, he came up against Murat at the banks of the river Po and defeated him at Occhiobello and Casaglia in 1815. In 1816, Bellegarde spent some time in Paris, but was soon recalled to again preside over the Aulic Council, a post which he held until 1825. He died in 1845.
Source: Dictionnaire Napoléon (tr. & ed., with permission, H.D.W.)