Maximilian Karl Lamoral O'Donnell
Maximilian Karl Lamoral Graf O’Donnell von Tyrconnell (29 October 1812 — 14 July 1895) was an Austrian officer and civil servant who became famous when he helped save the life of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria. O'Donnell was a descendant of the Irish noble dynasty of O'Donnell of Tyrconnell. Family background. He was born in Goldegg, son of Count Maurice O'Donnell (Moritz Graf O'Donnell) (1780–1843), the 7th generation descendant of Conn Oge O'Donnell, and Christine (4 January 1788 – 19 May 1867), the legitimate daughter of Charles Joseph, Prince de Ligne. He married Franziska Wagner, who was  not of noble birth, and the marriage was frowned upon. He died in his home in Salzburg and is buried in the Salzburg Cemetery. Military career. He was educated in Dresden, then joined the military and served in several engagements in Europe, including in Italy in 1848, and Hungary in 1849, resulting in many awards and promotion. He became aide-de-camp to the Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria. He later served as Governor of Lombardy briefly from 18–22 March 1848. Fame as life-saver. On 18 February 1853 Maximilian helped save the life of the young Emperor, foiling  an assassination attempt by a tailor and former Hussar, János Libényi, a Hungarian nationalist. The Emperor was taking a stroll with Count Maximilian O’Donnell on a city-bastion, inside Vienna, and at about 1 pm. At the moment he looked over the parapet to review an exercise of troops, Libényi approached and struck the Emperor in the neck from behind with a knife. Even though the Emperor was wounded and bleeding, his collar may have helped save his life. Maximilian "Graf" O'Donnell struck Libényi down with his sabre. Another witness who happened to be nearby, the butcher Joseph Ettenreich, quickly  overwhelmed Libényi. For this deed, he was later elevated to nobility by the Emperor and became Joseph von Ettenreich. Libényi was subsequently put on trial and condemned to death for attempted regicide. He was executed near the Spinnerin am Kreuz in the Favoriten-district. After the unsuccessful attack the Emperor's brother Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, the later Emperor of Mexico, called upon the royal families of Europe for donations to construct a new church on the site of the attack. The church was to be a votive offering for the rescue of the Emperor. It is located on Ringstraße  in the district of Alsergrund close to the University of Vienna, and is known as the Votivkirche. Titles, honours and awards. Titles. Maximilian O’Donnell already held a German Habsburg title of Count, granted to his great-grandfather. However, after successfully rescuing the Emperor, he was additionally honoured and made a Count of the Habsburg Austrian Empire ("Reichsgraf"), but an error occurred in the Letters Patent, omitting one “n” from the family name, and the Austrian O’Donnells have since then usually used “O’Donell” as the standard version. Arms. His customary O'Donnell arms were augmented by the initials and shield of the  ducal House of Austria, with additionally the double-headed eagle of the Empire. These arms can still be seen emblazoned on the portico of no. 2 Mirabellplatz in Salzburg, where O'Donnell built his residence thereafter in the former gardens of Schloss Mirabell.