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Leopold Anton Johann Sigismund Joseph Korsinus Ferdinand, Count von Berchtold (1863-1942), Austro-Hungarian foreign minister at the outbreak of the First World War, was born April 18, 1863.
Berchtold, reputed to be one of Austria-Hungary's richest men, owned tracts of land in Hungary and Moldavia.
Berchtold joined the diplomatic corps in 1893, and although he was never credited with any great ability, he impressed others with his courtly manners and aristocratic background. Promotion was consequently rapid. After spending time in London and Paris, Berchtold was appointed ambassador to Russia in 1907, serving in St. Petersburg until he returned to Vienna in 1912, whereupon he was appointed Emperor Franz Josef's foreign minister.
During the Balkan Wars of 1912-13 Berchtold mooted with the idea of war with Serbia; having ruled this out he nonetheless accepted what amounted to a diplomatic defeat at the conclusion of the war. His position against Serbia hardened during this period.
With the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian-backed Bosnian nationalists on June 28, 1914, Berchtold saw an opportunity to humiliate Serbia, pushing for an immediate invasion of Serbia without a prior declaration of war, but was over-ruled in this by Prime Minister Istvan Tisza, who favored retribution through diplomatic channels.
Berchtold persuaded the reluctant Emperor to issue an unacceptable ultimatum to Serbia (mainly by arguing that Russia would not come to Serbia's aid) on June 23, which was effectively the first step towards war. Berchtold disregarded Serbia's largely complaisant reply and convinced Franz-Josef to declare war on July 28.
With war underway Berchtold's performance was viewed as somewhat defeatist. Faced with Italian demands for control over certain southern Austrian territories, Berchtold recommended either a declaration of war with Italy (a course of action favoured by Army Chief of Staff Conrad von Hötzendorf and Prime Minister Tisza) or else agreement with the Italians' demands.
Forced to resign on January 13, 1915, Berchtold was replaced as foreign minister by the more pugnacious Baron Istvan Burian. Taking no further part in public life (although a prominent role at court), Count Leopold von Berchtold died on November 21, 1942 near Csepreg, Hungary.
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