Franz Kasimir von Kleist

Franz Casimir von Kleist was a lieutenant general and statesman of Kingdom of Prussia. He stemmed from a long line of poets and generals. Born 25 January 1736 in Stettin, he died on 30 March 1808. His brother, Heinrich von Kleist, and his own son, Franz Alexander von Kleist, were poets.

Family
Kleist was the second youngest son of Joachim Ewald von Kleist and his wife, Julianne von Mannteufel.

Kleist's oldest son, Franz Alexander (1769–1799) lived until his ninth year on the estate of his grandmother, Julianne, and was enrolled as a Fahnrich in the Prussian military at the age of 15.

Military career
From 1788 until 1800, he was commander of the 12th Infantry Regiment, and it was renamed the 5th Regiment in 1801. He commanded the garrison at Magdeburg while it was besieged by the French in 1806.