Battle of Luzzara
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Luzzara was a battle of the War of the Spanish Succession
, which was fought on 15 August 1702 near Luzzara
, Italy.
, the French under Louis Joseph, duc de Vendôme
turned north, with the intention to besiege Borgoforte
. On this road he set up camp near Luzzara
on the right bank of the Po River
.
When Prince Eugene of Savoy
heard of this, he was besieging Mantua
.
He decided to give up the siege and assemble all available forces to intercept Vendôme.
Arriving near Luzzara, Prince Eugene set up his headquarter a few kilometers north near the village of Riva.
on his left side and the right side of the Austrians. The rest of the terrain was an open field, full of ditches, channels, fences and high bushes.
The Austrians had more experienced troops and commanders like Daun
, Vaudemont
, Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt
and Guido Starhemberg
.
On the morning of 15 August, Prince Eugene waited until the rest of his units, called for urgently, had reached the battle line.
Then around 5 pm. he attacked. His plan was to part the enemies from the riverside and try to surround them. He attacked several times but with no practical result, because of the strong French resistance.
The battle raged until darkness.
After this battle, the two armies lay facing each other until the French decamped first on 4 November, ending the 1702 campaign.
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, which was fought on 15 August 1702 near Luzzara
Luzzara
Luzzara is a comune in the province of Reggio Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located at the northern end of the province and is bounded by the river named Po to the north as well as the provinces of Mantua and the region of Lombardy....
, Italy.
Prelude
In the summer of 1702, after taking GuastallaGuastalla
Guastalla is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.-Geography:Guastalla is situated in the Po Valley, and lies on the banks of the Po River...
, the French under Louis Joseph, duc de Vendôme
Louis Joseph, duc de Vendôme
Louis Joseph de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme was a French military commander during the War of the Grand Alliance and War of the Spanish Succession, Marshal of France.-Biography:...
turned north, with the intention to besiege Borgoforte
Borgoforte
Borgoforte is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 130 km southeast of Milan and about 14 km southwest of Mantua....
. On this road he set up camp near Luzzara
Luzzara
Luzzara is a comune in the province of Reggio Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located at the northern end of the province and is bounded by the river named Po to the north as well as the provinces of Mantua and the region of Lombardy....
on the right bank of the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
.
When Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
heard of this, he was besieging Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
.
He decided to give up the siege and assemble all available forces to intercept Vendôme.
Arriving near Luzzara, Prince Eugene set up his headquarter a few kilometers north near the village of Riva.
The Battle
Vendôme was in a favourable position, having prepared his defenses and with the Po RiverPo River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
on his left side and the right side of the Austrians. The rest of the terrain was an open field, full of ditches, channels, fences and high bushes.
The Austrians had more experienced troops and commanders like Daun
Count Wirich Philipp von Daun
Count Wirich Philipp von Daun was an Austrian Field Marshal in the War of Spanish Succession, and father of the better known Leopold Josef Graf Daun....
, Vaudemont
Charles Thomas de Lorraine-Vaudemont
Charles Thomas de Lorraine , prince of Vaudémont, was a fieldmarshal in the Austrian army.-Biography:Charles Thomas was the only son of Charles Henry of Lorraine and Anne Élisabeth de Lorraine, and a grandson of Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine...
, Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt
Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt
Prince George Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt was a Field Marshal in the Austrian army. He is known for his career in Habsburg Spain, as Viceroy of Catalonia , head of the Austrian army in the War of Spanish Succession and governor of Gibraltar in 1704...
and Guido Starhemberg
Guido Starhemberg
Guido Wald Rüdiger, count of Starhemberg; was an Austrian military officer.He was a cousin of Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg , the famous commander of Vienna during the Turkish siege of 1683, and acted as his ADC during the siege...
.
On the morning of 15 August, Prince Eugene waited until the rest of his units, called for urgently, had reached the battle line.
Then around 5 pm. he attacked. His plan was to part the enemies from the riverside and try to surround them. He attacked several times but with no practical result, because of the strong French resistance.
The battle raged until darkness.
After this battle, the two armies lay facing each other until the French decamped first on 4 November, ending the 1702 campaign.