Alexander von Monts

Alexander Graf von Monts

Alexander Graf von Monts (born 9 August 1832 in Berlin; died 19 January 1889) was an officer in the German Imperial navy, the Kaiserliche Marine. He was the son of later prussian Lieutenant general Karl von Monts (1793–1870) and his wife Karoline Luise Wilhelmine Antoinette, née von Byern (1802–1860).

Monts joined the Prussian Navy in 1849 becoming Leutnant zur See (second lieutenant) in 1856. In 1864 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and then served three years attached to the supreme naval command Oberkommando der Marine. In 1868 Monts was promoted to Korvettenkapitän (lieutenant commander) as part of the section for naval and coastal affairs. During the Franco-German war of 1870-1871 he was responsible for port embargoes. Afterwards he became Inspector of Torpedoes and commanded the artillery school ship Renown. In 1874, he was promoted to the rank of Kapitän zur See. The following year, he captained the newly commissioned ironclad SMS Grosser Kurfürst during the ship's accidental sinking on 31 May 1875. Between 1875 and 1877 Monts undertook a journey around the world as commander of Vineta. In 1881 Monts became Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) and became the chief of naval station for the North Sea in August 1883. In September 1884 he was promoted to the rank of Vizeadmiral (Vice Admiral). In 1888 Kaiser William II appointed him head of the admiralty.

He died on 19 January 1889 in Berlin.

References

• Sondhaus, Lawrence (1997). Preparing for Weltpolitik: German Sea Power Before the Tirpitz Era. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-745-7.