Jan Nepomuk Karel Josef Count Krakowský of Kolowrat, Baron of Újezd

(21. 12. 1748 in Prague – 5. 6. 1816 Prague)

Chamberlain and Imperial Privy Council
Lieutenant Field Marshal (May 20, 1795), Field Marshal (September 12, 1809), Court war council and Commanding general in Bohemia (October 9, 1789)
Commander of the mercenary army and artillery (October 28, 1800)
Owner of Artillery Regiment No. 2 (1791-1800)
Owner of Infantry Regiment No. 36 (1801-1816)
Commander of the Order of Maria Theresa (52^nd order of May 15, 1797)
Holder of the Golden Cross of Civil Merit (1813-1815)
The Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold (1816) and the French Order of Honorary Legion (1814)
Commander of the Order of the Knights of Malta in Mecholupy

Jan Nepomuk Karel Josef was the eldest son of Prokop, Count Krakowský of Kolowrat, Baron of Újezd (1718–1774) and his second wife, Anna Markéta of Ogilvy (1725–1810). His parents predetermined a career for him in the military. He also became a member of the Order of Knights of Malta, at the young age of eight, which was the minimum age at which he could enter the order as a page. His dignity was also represented in his emblem, when he used the family shield centered on the silver, gold-lined eight-crowned Cross of the Knights of Malta, as well as crossed marshal batons.

In 1766, he entered the army as the standard-bearer of the "Sachsen-Coburg" No. 37 Dragoon regiment. Within just two years he was promoted to the rank of captain in Infantry Regiment No. 34, "Batthyans". From 1778 to 1779, he participated in the war for Bavarian heritage, and though he was not overly involved in the struggle, at the end of the war he attained the status of major. In 1787 he fought against the Turks, first as Lieutenant Colonel, and from June 2, 1788 as Colonel, thanks to which he became Commander of Infantry Regiment No. 19 "Alvinczy". In 1789 he was wounded at the siege of Belgrade, for which he was promoted to the rank of Major General on October 9, 1789. He was subsequently entrusted with the command of the Army Field Brigade in the army of Prince von Hohenlohe-Kirchberg, which was deployed along the border with Prussia. In 1809 he was entrusted with a special task, to act as the guardian of Archduke Ferdinand d'Este during the defense of Bohemia. Practically thanks to this he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal on September 12, 1809.

From 1791-1800 he was the owner of the Artillery Regiment No. 2. Two years later he was transferred to the artillery, he distinguished himself, and was promoted by Emperor Franz II. in 1793 to the rank of Lieutenant Field Marshal. In 1795 he was appointed commander of the artillery unit of field marshal Count Clerfayt on the Rhine. For his success during the Flanders campaign, on May 15, 1797, he was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa. On October 28, 1800, he was promoted to the rank of Field Artillery Officer, that is, Artillery General. On April 12, 1801, he was appointed Court War Council and the next day he was appointed true Imperial Privy Council. A few days later, he was named owner of Regiment No. 36, which he remained until his death.

From 1803 practically until his death, he served as commanding general in Bohemia. During the famous Battle of the Three Emperors at Austerlitz in 1805, together with the Russian General Miloradovic, he commanded the 4th Column, that is, the combat unit of the moving army. In 1806, during the period of neutrality, he also commanded the entire army. In 1809 he became commander of the 2nd Army Corps, with which he invaded Bavaria, but after peace talks he was forced to withdraw back to Austria. He joined the main Austrian army before the Battle of Wagram and became commander of the 3rd Army Corps. In the same year, he also commanded the 10th Army Corps.

In 1813 he commanded the Observation Corps in Bohemia, but in the same year he became sick and resigned his command posts. He began to devote himself to organized care for the sick and the wounded. For this service he was awarded the Golden Cross of Civil Merit. In 1814, French King Ludwig XVIII awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor. A year later, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold. On May 6, 1816, Jan Nepomuk Karel Josef, Count Kolowrat-Krakowski departed for a well-deserved rest.

Count Jan Nepomuk Karel Josef was originally buried in Chýše, however, in 1833 his remains were removed and transferred to the new ancestral tomb in Blovice.