Maximilien-Auguste Bleickard d'Helmstatt

Maximilien-Auguste Bleickard d'Helmstatt, Count of Helmstatt (28 August 1728 – 10 July 1802) was a German-born nobleman who served as a military officer in the army of the Kingdom of France. He was a representative of the Second Estate in the Estates General of 1789. Early life and military career Helmstatt was born in Nancy, the son of Maximilien Bleickard and Eléonore Henriette de Poitiers. His parents purchased the county of Morhange in 1742. Helmstatt was recognised as a Freiherr of the Holy Roman Empire as Baron of Helmstatt, Count of Morhange, Lord of Hingsange and sovereign of Neckarbischofsheim. He was granted citizenship of the Duchy of Lorraine by Stanisław Leszczyński on 17 September 1765 by letters of naturalisation; however, this nationality ceased to exist when the duchy was annexed to France by Louis XV in 1766. He was a captain in the Barbançon cavalry regiment. In 1748, Helmstatt became a colonel of the Brittany cavalry regiment. In 1783 he became mestre de camp in the 3rd regiment of hussars.