Wenceslaus von Alzen
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
Wenceslaus von Alzen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Posthumous portrait of von Alzen, painted in 1851 | |
| 1st Prime Minister of Narozalica | |
| In office June 17, 1771 – September 4, 1790 | |
| Monarch | Karl I (1771–88) Frederick II (1788–90) |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ota Drozda |
| Member of the Royal Privy Council of Narozalica | |
| In office August 9, 1769 – September 4, 1790 | |
| Monarch | Karl I Frederick II |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 11, 1720 Mindelheim, Principality of Wittislich |
| Died | January 22, 1804 (aged 83) Velike Vishnavaya, Kriklivets Governorate, Narozalic Empire |
| Resting place | Velike Vishnavaya, Narozalica |
| Nationality | Weranian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Katerina of Miersa |
| Children | 2 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Narozalic Empire |
| Years of service | 1749–1771 |
| Rank | General |
Baron Wenceslaus von Alzen (11 December 1720 – 22 January 1804; aged 83), also known in western Euclea by his Narodyn name Vyatcheslav Altsen was a Weranian-born general and later politician who served almost twenty years as the first Prime Minister of Narozalica from 1771 to 1790. He also served as a member of Narozalica's first Royal Privy Council from 1769 to 1790, serving as Chief-General of the Armed Forces from 1769 to 1771. Alzen played a pivotal role in the establishment of the role of Prime Minister as the chief advisor to the monarch in the late 18th century, and was promoted to a baron in 1786 by Karl I before losing favour with his successor Frederick II and being removed from office in 1790.
Early life
Wenceslaus Heinz von Alzen was born in Mindelheim, a small village in the Principality of Wittislich on December 11, 1720, during the Ten Years' War. His father was a soldier born and raised in Wittislich who had been periodically fighting in the army of Wittislich on the side of the Triple Alliance - specifically Narozalica - throughout the entire war. His father was killed in 1721 and Alzen spent all of his childhood being nurtured and brought up by his mother, who worked in the textiles industry. He had a subpar education and was taught mainly by his mother and a single private tutor, named Florian Schönborn, whom his mother initially paid for but eventually ceased after the two began an affair when Alzen was around 13. At 15, Alzen began work in his mother's textile business, mainly assisting her from day-to-day. He described the job as tedious and eventually left his mother's business in 1737 and worked in a blacksmiths in Bürchaft, where he would often sleep at nights and work for over 15 hours during the day. When Alzen was 23, he gained ownership of the smithing business, where he would stay for the remainder of his non-military career, another six years. In 1749, Alzen eventually closed his smithing shop and joined the Army of Wittislich, eventually moving to the Narozalic Army in 1751.