Imperial Prussian General der Infanterie who served as War Minister and Chancellor (Ministerpräsident). Young Ernst was brought up in the household of Generalmajor Ludwig von Pfuel and his spouse Sophie Kranz. Ludwig had served as Friedrich Wilhelm von Preußen's court marshal. Ernst von Pfuel was married to Karoline von Byern for 22 years before a marital indescretion on his part forced her to dissolve the marriage. The Pfuel's had one daughter and five sons. He later married his mistress Emilie Wahlert von Alvensleben.

     Von Pfuel's military career began when his parent's sent him to the Kadettenanstalt in Berlin at the age of 13.  As an officer he helped do battle against Napoleon I. at Jena-Auerstedt and was part of the military force which pushed Napoleon out of Russia. In 1815, he acted as commandant of the Prussian Sector of Paris and was largely responsible for having the Quadriga returned to Berlin. Pfuel was dispatched to Neuchâtel, Switzerland in 1831 to help suppress an attempted revolt. He remained there as Governor until March 1848, when he was named Governor of Berlin.  It was during this time-frame that von Pfuel simultaneously replaced Roth von Schreckenstein as Prussian Chancellor and Rudolf Auerswald as War Minister. He held these posts for only five weeks. Von Pfuel is also renowned for having introduced swimming instruction as part of the Prussian soldier's training regime. He died in Berlin on 3 December 1866.