Berndt Otto Stackelberg Sr.

Friherre Berndt Otto von Stackelberg (14 May 1662 – 29 August 1734), also known as Berndt Otto Stackelberg the Elder, was a Swedish Field marshal (Fältmarskalk) and nobleman. Stackelberg fought in the Great Northern War as a subordinate to Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt and King Charles XII, seeing action in a number of major battles until his capture at the battle of Poltava. After the war, and his subsequent release, he would be given overall command of all Swedish troops in Finland. Biography Berndt Otto Stackelberg was born on 14 May 1662 in the Livonian city of Reval to Colonel Wolter von Stackelberg and Helene Lieven. In addition to being a soldier in the Carolean army, his father was the Governor-general of Ösel and was also hereditary lord of Hallinap. Stackelberg began his military career in 1685 and later participated in the Nine Years' War on both sides, first in service with the Dutch from 1688 to 1690 and then with the French until 1696. By the end of his service he had attained the rank of Captain. At the start of the Great Northern War in 1700, he was made an Adjutant general and served under Otto Vellingk. The following year he was then placed under the command of Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach and would see action at the battle of Rauge, where he commanded the artillery. In 1702, Stackelberg was promoted to Colonel and given command of the Björneborg County infantry Regiment. In February 1703, Stackelberg defeated a contingent of Poles under Grzegorz Antoni Oginski in an engagement near Janitzsky. In 1704, Stackelberg was transferred to the army of Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt and was present at the battle of Jakobstadt and the capture of Biržai Castle. The Following year he fought at Gemauerthof, where he commanded the Swedish vanguard, and was promoted to Major-general in 1706. Stackelberg garnered a reputation for being bold and courageous in battle, but this also led him to become reckless in certain situations. This caused some tension between him and Lewenhaupt, who accused him of jeopardising the Swedes' chances of victory at Jakobstadt and Gemauerthof.