 maurice, count of saxony (; ) (28 october 1696&nbsp;â 20 november 1750) was a saxon soldier in french service who became a marshal and later also marshal general of france. ==childhood== maurice was born at goslar, an illegitimate son of augustus ii the strong, king of poland and elector of saxony, and the countess maria aurora of kÃ¶nigsmarck. he was the first of eight extramarital children whom august acknowledged, although as many as 354 are claimed by sources, including wilhelmine of bayreuth, to have existed. in 1698, the countess sent him to his father in warsaw. august had been elected king of poland in the previous year, but the unsettled condition of the country obliged maurice to spend the greater part of his youth outside its borders. this separation from his father made him independent and had an important effect on his future career. ==military career==    at the age of twelve, maurice served in the army of prince eugene of savoy, at the sieges of tournai and mons and at the battle of malplaquet. a proposal at the end of the campaign to send him to a jesuit college in brussels was dropped due to the protests of his mother. upon his return to the camp of the allies at the beginning of 1710, maurice displayed a courage so impetuous that prince eugene admonished him to not confuse rashness with valour. he next served under peter the great against the swedes. in 1711, august formally recognized him and maurice was granted
1696_births 1750_deaths Counts_of_Germany French_military_personnel_of_the_War_of_the_Austrian_Succession French_military_writers House_of_Wettin Illegitimate_children_of_Polish_monarchs Marshals_General_of_France Marshals_of_France People_from_Goslar Recipients_of_the_Order_of_the_White_Eagle_(Poland)