Moltke, Helmuth Carl Bernhard, Count von Moltke (1800–1891)

Prussian general. He became chief of the general staff in 1857, and was responsible for devising the highly effective strategy that brought Prussia swift victories in the wars with Denmark in 1863 to 1864, Austria in 1866 (the ‘Seven Weeks' War’), and France in 1870 to 1871. He was made a count in 1870 and a field marshal in 1871.

Moltke was born in Mecklenburg, the son of a Danish soldier, but entered Prussian service in 1821. The reforms he introduced as chief of staff included establishing an elite body of highly trained staff officers and putting new emphasis on military intelligence. However, the most far-reaching innovation was his use of railways for rapid mobilization, a strategy employed to great effect in the Austrian and French campaigns.

Moltke's nephew Helmuth von Moltke followed his uncle as chief of the general staff of the Prussian army (1906–14), but was dismissed after the German defeat by France at the First Battle of the Marne in World War I.