Theobald Graf von Geldern-Egmont zu Arcen
Theobald Graf Geldern was born at Thürnstein on the 28th of November 1838 as part of the Bavarian branch of this widely ranged noble family. He entered military service as a common soldier in the Austrian dragoon regiment number 7 on the 12th of November 1854 shortly followed by his promotion to cadet in the same regiment on the 10th of January 1855. On the 30th of April 1857 Graf Geldern was transferred to ulan regiment number 6. In 1851 this regiment had reformed from a Chevauxlegers regiment recruiting from Upper- and Lower-Austria into an ulan regiment with it's recruiting area in Lombardy In this regiment Theobald Graf Geldern received his promotion to Unterlieutenant 2nd class on the 13th of April 1859 and to Unterlieutenant 1st class on the 15th of May 1859 and took part in the Franco-Austrian war in northern Italy of the same year. During this year the regiment saw relatively little action and Graf Geldern was not able to distinguish himself during battle. After the war the regiment was dramatically reduced from 4 to only 2 divisions and garrisoned in Galicia following the loss of Lombardy to Italy. At this time Graf Geldern transferred to ulan regiment number 1 where he received his promotion to Oberleutnant on the 1st of March 1862.
On the 5th of July 1864 he entered Mexican military services with the ulan regiment shortly followed by his promotion to Rittmeister 2nd class on the 5th of September 1864. During the following years Graf Geldern saw several battles and actions. For the battle at Zantla on the 31st of July 1865 he was honored with the award of the knight's cross of the Order of our beloved Madonna of Guadalupe, for the assault at Yxcacoaco on the 17th of December 1865 he received the bronze Military Merit Medal and for his performance during the battle of Tecolutta on the 11th of January 1866 he was honored with the award of the officer's cross of the Order of our beloved Madonna of Guadalupe and the Austrian Military Merit Cross with war decoration. Finally he received his promotion to Rittmeister 1st class on the 27th of March 1866 with seniority from the 16th of July 1866.
Theobald Graf Geldern returned to Austria and again entered ulan regiment number 1 as an Oberleutnant on the 7th of April 1867. After passing with "excellent success" through the brigade officer's school during 1869/70 he received his promotion to Rittmeister 2nd class on the 1st of November 1871. In 1873/74 he passed through the Central cavalry courses with "very good success" which was the basis of further promotion to Majors rank but it seems that some problems occured because he was still waiting for his promotion to Rittmeister 1st class while others of his age class passed by. Finally he received permission to leave Austro-Hungarian army service on the 30th of April 1875 and entered Prussian military service as a Rittmeister with the Leib-Husaren-Regiment the famous "Black Hussars". On the 17th of April 1888, meanwhile in the rank of Oberst, he took over command of the 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment. On the 17th of June 1893 he received the appointment as commander of the 34th (Prussian) cavalry brigade shortly followed by his promotion to Generalmajor. On the 18th of August 1897 Theobald Graf Geldern was retired with the rank of a Prussian Generalleutnant. He died on the 21st of June 1910 at Munich.