Battle of Assietta
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Assietta was fought in the Italian campaign of the War of the Austrian Succession
on July 19, 1747. It resulted in a defeat for France against the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia
.
, France had decided to eliminate the Savoy-Piedmontese army, considered dangerous due to its strong strategic position. King Louis XV
had already tried to penetrate into Piedmont, besieging Cuneo
and fighting at Madonna dell'Olmo
and Bassignana.
This time he advanced with a huge army comprising 150 infantry regiments, 75 cavalry squadrons and 2 artillery brigades, under the command of Marshal Charles Louis Auguste, duke of Belle-Isle, and Marquis De La Mina. The two commanders had different views on the lead of the campaign: Belle-Isle favoured a direct menace to Turin
by crossing the Alps
, while his Spanish colleague preferred to send troops to relieve the Austro-Piedmontese siege of Genoa
.
Belle-Isle's ideas prevailed and the French troops occupied Antibes
as well as the county of Nice
. However, they were halted by the strong Piedmontese defence of the southern Alpine passes. Belle-Isle's brother, the Chevalier de Belle-Isle, led an army of 50 infantry battalions, 15 cavalry squadrons and numerous cannon advanced towards the northern passes.
The army was divided into two corps: one descended from the Moncenisio towards Exilles
while the other advanced towards Fenestrelle
from the Assietta Pass. The latter is a bare plateau at more than 2,500 meters of altitude. Having predicted that the French would move through it, Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy had fortified the area with 13 infantry battalions: 9 Piedmontese, the remaining were Austrian and Swiss taken from the troops that had unsuccessfully besieged Genoa.
French intelligence notified the marshals that the Piedmontese were fortifying the pass, and a decision to attack immediately was taken.
The forces involved amounted to 32 French battalions against 13 Piedmontese battalions. The French troops were divided into three columns. The attack began at about 16:30. Despite the desperate effort of the soldiers and the personal show of valour of the French marshals, all the attacks were repulsed by the Piedmontese with heavy losses. After five hours of battle, the French retreated. The French commander, Chevalier de Belle-Isle, was killed in the fray.
Casualties amounted to 5,000, including 7 generals, for the French; while only 77 Piedmontese were killed and 50 wounded.
The beaten French troops returned to France. Frederick II of Prussia
, after hearing of news of the Piedmontese defence at Assietta, declared that, if he had had such valorous troops, he could easily become King of Italy.
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
on July 19, 1747. It resulted in a defeat for France against the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
.
Background
In the late phase of the War of the Austrian SuccessionWar of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, France had decided to eliminate the Savoy-Piedmontese army, considered dangerous due to its strong strategic position. King Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
had already tried to penetrate into Piedmont, besieging Cuneo
Cuneo
Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area...
and fighting at Madonna dell'Olmo
Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo
The Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo or Battle of Cuneo was fought on the outskirts of Cuneo on September 30, 1744, in the War of the Austrian Succession...
and Bassignana.
This time he advanced with a huge army comprising 150 infantry regiments, 75 cavalry squadrons and 2 artillery brigades, under the command of Marshal Charles Louis Auguste, duke of Belle-Isle, and Marquis De La Mina. The two commanders had different views on the lead of the campaign: Belle-Isle favoured a direct menace to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
by crossing the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, while his Spanish colleague preferred to send troops to relieve the Austro-Piedmontese siege of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
.
Belle-Isle's ideas prevailed and the French troops occupied Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
as well as the county of Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
. However, they were halted by the strong Piedmontese defence of the southern Alpine passes. Belle-Isle's brother, the Chevalier de Belle-Isle, led an army of 50 infantry battalions, 15 cavalry squadrons and numerous cannon advanced towards the northern passes.
The army was divided into two corps: one descended from the Moncenisio towards Exilles
Exilles
Exilles is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km west of Turin, on the border with France...
while the other advanced towards Fenestrelle
Fenestrelle
Fenestrelle is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km west of Turin.It is home to the Fenestrelle Fort.-External links:*...
from the Assietta Pass. The latter is a bare plateau at more than 2,500 meters of altitude. Having predicted that the French would move through it, Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy had fortified the area with 13 infantry battalions: 9 Piedmontese, the remaining were Austrian and Swiss taken from the troops that had unsuccessfully besieged Genoa.
French intelligence notified the marshals that the Piedmontese were fortifying the pass, and a decision to attack immediately was taken.
The forces involved amounted to 32 French battalions against 13 Piedmontese battalions. The French troops were divided into three columns. The attack began at about 16:30. Despite the desperate effort of the soldiers and the personal show of valour of the French marshals, all the attacks were repulsed by the Piedmontese with heavy losses. After five hours of battle, the French retreated. The French commander, Chevalier de Belle-Isle, was killed in the fray.
Casualties amounted to 5,000, including 7 generals, for the French; while only 77 Piedmontese were killed and 50 wounded.
The beaten French troops returned to France. Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, after hearing of news of the Piedmontese defence at Assietta, declared that, if he had had such valorous troops, he could easily become King of Italy.