Charles Marie was the eldest son of
Duke Leopold Philippe of Arenberg and Duchess Maria Francesca
Pignatelli-Bisaccia (1696–1766). His sister was
Marie Victoire d'Arenberg, wife of
Augustus George, Margrave of Baden-Baden. Charles Marie joined his father's 1743 campaign in the
War of Austrian Succession, first as
lieutenant-colonel and later as colonel of the second Walloon Infantry Regiment, which he had raised personally. He commanded this regiment in the 1744 and 1745 campaigns, until he became colonel of the Baden-Baden Regiment. One year later he became
major general. In 1748, he played an important role in
the defence of Maastricht against the French. Charles Marie also became
Grand-Bailli of
Hainaut and
Mons in 1740. In the first years of the
Seven Years' War, he was active in the Bohemian theater of war. He participated in the
Battle of Prague (1757) and the many battles that followed. In 1758, he was promoted to
Feldzeugmeister. On 14 October of that year, he played a crucial role in the victorious
Battle of Hochkirch as commander of the right wing of the Austrian Army. For this, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the
Military Order of Maria Theresa. In the 1759 campaign, he commanded several Army Corps and was defeated near Dresden on 29 October by Prussian troops under General Wunsch. He was praised for his actions in the lost
Battle of Torgau on 3 November 1760, in which he was severely wounded. These wounds meant the end of his active career, and he retired. In 1776, he was admitted to the
Geheimrat, and he was made Field Marshal in 1777. == Family ==