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Born in Potsdam, he entered the Prussian army in 1772 but nine years later changed to the Dutch service. After six years he returned to the Prussian forces. In 1794 he took part in the campaign against Poland and 12 years later in that against France. he was taken prisoner by Bernadotte's corps at Lubeck in the disaster following Jena-Auerstädt. After Tilsit he was promoted to major general and in 1812 was appointed to command the Prussian auxiliary corps in the Grande Armée; with it he invaded Russia, serving under Macdonald on the northern flank. After the check before Riga, he negotiated
the Convention of Tauroggen with the Russians. Although King Frederick William at first denounced this action, Yorck in fact had triggered the process of Prussia's defection from the French alliance, and he was soon promoted to general of infantry. He played an important part in the Campaign of 1813, fighting at Bautzen and Leipzig and in 1814 at Montmirail and Laon. He was made Count of Wartenburg in recognition of his services and was promoted to field marshal in 1821. His grandson Maximilian (1850-1900) wrote an important work on Napoleon as a General (1885).