KAUNITZ, kou'nits, WENZEL ANTON DOMI NIK. Prince ( 1711-94) . An Austrian statesman. He was born at Vienna, February 2, 1711. stud ied at Vienna, Leipzig. and Leyden; traveled in England, France, and Italy. and in 1735 was made an Imperial councilor. He was employed on diplomatic missions to Home. Florence, and Turin in 1741-42. was Austrian Minister at the Court of Charles of Lorraine. Governor of the Austrian Netherlands in 1744-45. and in 1746 ar ranged with the French the stipulations for the withdrawal of the Austrian troops from Brussels and Antwerp. He took an important part 'as Imperial ambassador in 1748 in the negotiations at Aix-la-Chapelle which closed the War of the Austrian Succession. and after the conclusion of peace became a member of the Privy Council. in which capacity he first conceived the plan of an alliance between Austria and France, against what Icitunitz rightfully thought to be the 'dan gerous ascendency of Prussia. lie was Ambassa dor at Paris from 1750 to 1753. In 1753 he became Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Af fairs, and in 1756 effected the Austro-French coalition against Frederick the Great. (See
SEVEN YEARS' WAn.) Throughout the lifetime of Maria Theresa, and to a lesser degree under her sons, Joseph II. and Leopold 11., he contin ued at the head of foreign affairs. Though un suceessful in his attempts to cheek the power of Prussia, he represented Austria's interests suc cessfully in the first partition of Poland (1772), and in 1775 acquired Bukowina from the Turks. Ile was narrow in his political views, regarding exclusively the supposed interests of Austria, but sincere and upright according to his notion of his duty. lle took an active part in the reform measures of Joseph 11., and was a liberal patron of the arts and sciences. Ile retired front public life when Francis II. ascended the throne (1792), and died June 27, 1794. Consult the authorities cited under dosEmt 11.. MARIA THERESA, and LEO POLD I I. See A PSTRIA•HUNGARY.