HATZFELDT, MELCHIOR COUNT OF GLEICHEN and Imperialist general, was born on Oct. 1o, 1593 at Krottorf, Hesse. He served with the Imperialist army in the Thirty Years' War, was defeated by the Swedes, led by Bauer, at Wittstock (1636), and in the following year assisted at the relief of Leipzig. From 1639 to 1643 he led the campaigns in Westphalia and the Rhine lands. In 1644 he raised a new army in Bohemia; but in 1645, owing to his defeat at the battle of Jan kau, in which he was made prisoner by Torstensson, he was suc ceeded in his command by Gallas. He retired in 1646. The war in Poland in 1657 brought him from his retirement. He led an army of 16,00o men to the help of the king of Poland against the Swedes, and captured Cracow. He then advanced against Thorn, but his health failed, and he surrendered the command to Monte cucculi. He died on Jan. 9, 1658 at Powitzka, near Traehenberg.
See J. Krebs, Aus dem Leben des kaiserl. Feldmarschalls Grafen Melchior von Hatzfeldt (191o).