Battle of Staffarda
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Staffarda was fought during Nine Years' War in Piedmont-Savoy, modern-day northern Italy, on 18 August 1690. The engagement was the first major encounter in the Italian theatre since Victor Amadeus, the Duke of Savoy, had joined the Grand Alliance in opposition to France earlier that year. The battle was a clear victory for the French commander, Nicolas Catinat
, who proceeded to take other Piedmont
ese strongholds. The French also overran most of the Duchy of Savoy
but due to sickness, lack of infantry, and problems with supply, Catinat was unable to besiege Amadeus's capital Turin
as King Louis XIV
had hoped.
The territories of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy, split into several distinct areas: the County of Nice
, the Duchy of Savoy
, the Duchy of Aosta
, and the Principality of Piedmont
. Nice occupied the region on the Mediterranean
where the Alps
meet the sea; Savoy occupied the region where the Alps border the French province of Dauphiné
; and Piedmont, which also contained the capital city of Turin
and was the most important and populous region, linked the mountains to the Po valley.
King Louis XIV
tended to consider the Savoyard state as subsidiary to his rule – despite Amadeus's determination to maintain his independence he was often little more than a vassal
compelled to follow the French king's wishes. Even before the outbreak of the war Louis had a military presence in Italy with the control of two imposing fortresses: Pinerolo
, to the west, annexed by France fifty years earlier in defiance of the 1631 Treaty of Cherasco
; and to the east in Duchy of Montferrat
, the fortress of Casale
, acquired in 1681 after Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua, surrendered it to Louis in exchange for an initial payment of 1,000,000 livres and an annual subsidy of 60,000 livres.
's forces for an attack on the Spanish Milanese
; he was also to hand over to Catinat the citadel of Turin and, further down the Po River
, Verrua
. If he did not do so he would, in Louvois
' words, "be punished in such a manner that he remembers it for the rest of his life."
French demands from the Duke were nothing less than an attack on Savoyard independence but the intimidation ultimately proved counter-productive. In the early summer of 1690, Amadeus realised he had to stand up to France and he began to look towards the Grand Alliance. But he had conditions. Amadeus reiterated his family claim to the Duchy of Montferrat, over which the House of Savoy
was in perennial dispute with the Duke of Mantua, stipulating the razing of Casale as the minimum he would accept in this region; he also demanded the reacquisition of Pinerolo as the sine qua non of Savoyard entry into the war on the Allied side, and sought to take over at least one French place in Dauphiné. Amadeus's hectic preparations for war and his negotiations for financial assistance from England and Spain, were followed by a declaration of war against France on 4 June.
In July Catinat took command of French forces in Piedmont, totalling some 12,000 men. Amadeus, meanwhile, received 10,000 Spanish reinforcements from the Spanish possession of Milan, and was also promised 5,000 Imperial troops under Prince Eugene of Savoy
– a cousin of Amadeus. Additionally, Amadeus's Protestant community, the Vaudois
, who had previously suffered religious persecution from Louis and Amadeus alike, had since become reconciled with their Duke, and took up arms in defence of their valleys – little quarter was asked or given when fighting the French.
Determined to punish Amadeus, Louis had ordered Catinat to use his force to burn and tax (put under contribution) large tracts of the mountainous parts of Savoy and the Plain of Piedmont – attempts by local peasants to retaliate were met by hanging anyone who was found carrying arms. The Marquis de Feuquieres
, however, sent by Catinat with 1,200 troops to Luserna, suffered a major setback and was forced to abandon the town with the loss of some 600 men.
While Catinat's army manoeuvred on the Piedmontese plain Marquis de Saint-Ruth
took most of the exposed Duchy of Savoy, routing the Savoyard forces; only the great fortress of Montmélian
, less than 60 km north of Grenoble
, remained in ducal hands. Although Savoy was far less important than Piedmont, its loss was a major setback for the Grand Alliance, making an invasion of France now much less likely. In a desperate attempt to halt the destruction and intimidation Amadeus – against the advice of Eugene – insisted on engaging the French with his own and Spanish troops. Believing that Feuquieres was lost, and anxious to catch the French whilst they were weak, Amadeus left his camp at Villafranca
with the intention of attacking and surrounding Catinat.
Catinat left his camp at Cavour and marched south with the intention of taking Saluzzo
; when Amadeus moved to stop him, the result was the engagement at the abbey of Staffarda on 18 August. Marshes and hedges impeded movement on the battlefield and sheltered the Savoyard line, but French troops eventually broke Amadeus's army. Only Eugene's command of the Savoyard cavalry and his conduct in retreat saved the Allied army from disaster. Amadeus suffered 2,800 casualties and 1,200 prisoners; he also lost 11 of his 12 cannon. Catinat's casualties amount to some 2,000 troops.
, and Fossano
. More of Amadeus's territory was put under contribution; those towns which Amadeus ordered not to pay – such as Ceresole
and Autrive – were torched. When Eugene's Imperial troops finally arrived in Piedmont little could be achieved due to Spanish hesitancy and reluctance: in Eugene's words: " … they want to do absolutely nothing." The Imperial commander had to be satisfied with small raids against the enemy. In one such operation in September Eugene was unable to prevent his men – who were used to the brutality of the Turkish wars – castrating then killing 200 French prisoners.
Catinat proceeded to Susa
, a vital fortress controlling communications with Briançon
in Dauphiné, opening trenches there on 11 November; the stronghold capitulated two days later. But hopes of taking Turin, and capturing the Asti
region and south-east Piedmont in order to link up with Casale had to be scaled back due to supply and communication problems, manning shortages, and sickness within the army. The French, therefore, unable to live off the resources of a devastated Piedmont, were forced into winter quarters in Savoy, Dauphiné, and Provence
. Eugene's imperialists found quarters in Montferrat much to the consternation its pro-French ruler, the Duke of Mantua.
Nicolas Catinat
Nicolas Catinat was a French military commander and Marshal of France under Louis XIV. The son of a magistrate, Catinat was born in Paris on 1 September 1637...
, who proceeded to take other Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese strongholds. The French also overran most of the Duchy of Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
but due to sickness, lack of infantry, and problems with supply, Catinat was unable to besiege Amadeus's capital 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...
as King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
had hoped.
Background
By 1690, the Nine Years' War was in its third year. The greater part of the forces involved on both sides was engaged in the Spanish Netherlands where the Dutch, with considerable English and a little Spanish help, concentrated their war effort. Along the Rhine – where ultimately the war would prove no more decisive than the Netherland's campaign – the German Princes provided the bulk of the troops to face France. The one area where the Allies had great hopes of forcing – " … a door … into France, big enough … for us to get in at", was Italy.The territories of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy, split into several distinct areas: the County of Nice
County of Nice
The County of Nice or Niçard Country is a historical region of France, located in the south-eastern part, around the city of Nice.-History:Its territory lies between the Mediterranean Sea , Var River and the southernmost crest of the...
, the Duchy of Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, the Duchy of Aosta
Duchy of Aosta
The Duchy of Aosta, originally the County of Aosta, was a state ruled by the House of Savoy from the early 11th century until the late 18th, when its independent institutions were aligned with those of the Principality of Piedmont. The title "Duke of Aosta" continued to be used by the second sons...
, and the Principality of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. Nice occupied the region on the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
where 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....
meet the sea; Savoy occupied the region where the Alps border the French province of Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
; and Piedmont, which also contained the capital city of 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...
and was the most important and populous region, linked the mountains to the Po valley.
King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
tended to consider the Savoyard state as subsidiary to his rule – despite Amadeus's determination to maintain his independence he was often little more than a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
compelled to follow the French king's wishes. Even before the outbreak of the war Louis had a military presence in Italy with the control of two imposing fortresses: Pinerolo
Pinerolo
Pinerolo is a town and comune in north-western Italy, 40 kilometres southwest of Turin on the river Chisone.-History:In the Middle Ages, the town of Pinerolo was one of the main crossroads in Italy, and was therefore one of the principal fortresses of the dukes of Savoy. Its military importance...
, to the west, annexed by France fifty years earlier in defiance of the 1631 Treaty of Cherasco
War of the Mantuan Succession
The War of the Mantuan Succession was a peripheral part of the Thirty Years' War. Its casus belli was the extinction of the direct male line of the House of Gonzaga in December 1627. Brothers Francesco IV , Ferdinando and Vincenzo II , the last three dukes of Gonzaga, had all died leaving no...
; and to the east in Duchy of Montferrat
Duchy of Montferrat
The Duchy of Montferrat was created out of what was left of the March of Montferrat after the last Palaeologus heir had died and the margraviate been briefly controlled by Spain . After that brief interlude, it passed to the Gonzaga Dukes of Mantua...
, the fortress of Casale
Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato, population 36,058, is a town and comune in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, part of the province of Alessandria. It is situated about 60 km east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrato hills. Beyond the river lies the...
, acquired in 1681 after Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua, surrendered it to Louis in exchange for an initial payment of 1,000,000 livres and an annual subsidy of 60,000 livres.
Prelude
At the beginning of 1690 Amadeus had yet to declare himself against Louis. Although his small army (8,000 men at the start of 1690) aroused only French contempt, Louis understood that he had to retain Savoy in the French orbit. Ignoring Amadeus's own sovereign interests, the French sought guarantees and made their demands on the Duke: Amadeus was either to send 2,000 infantry and three dragoon regiments to assist French forces in the Spanish Netherlands – nearly half his army – or, he was to unite them with Nicolas CatinatNicolas Catinat
Nicolas Catinat was a French military commander and Marshal of France under Louis XIV. The son of a magistrate, Catinat was born in Paris on 1 September 1637...
's forces for an attack on the Spanish Milanese
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
; he was also to hand over to Catinat the citadel of Turin and, further down 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...
, Verrua
Verrua Po
Verrua Po is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km south of Milan and about 11 km south of Pavia....
. If he did not do so he would, in Louvois
François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV. Louvois and his father, Michel le Tellier, would increase the French Army to 400,000 soldiers, an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713...
' words, "be punished in such a manner that he remembers it for the rest of his life."
French demands from the Duke were nothing less than an attack on Savoyard independence but the intimidation ultimately proved counter-productive. In the early summer of 1690, Amadeus realised he had to stand up to France and he began to look towards the Grand Alliance. But he had conditions. Amadeus reiterated his family claim to the Duchy of Montferrat, over which the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
was in perennial dispute with the Duke of Mantua, stipulating the razing of Casale as the minimum he would accept in this region; he also demanded the reacquisition of Pinerolo as the sine qua non of Savoyard entry into the war on the Allied side, and sought to take over at least one French place in Dauphiné. Amadeus's hectic preparations for war and his negotiations for financial assistance from England and Spain, were followed by a declaration of war against France on 4 June.
Battle
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...
– a cousin of Amadeus. Additionally, Amadeus's Protestant community, the Vaudois
Waldensians
Waldensians, Waldenses or Vaudois are names for a Christian movement of the later Middle Ages, descendants of which still exist in various regions, primarily in North-Western Italy. There is considerable uncertainty about the earlier history of the Waldenses because of a lack of extant source...
, who had previously suffered religious persecution from Louis and Amadeus alike, had since become reconciled with their Duke, and took up arms in defence of their valleys – little quarter was asked or given when fighting the French.
Determined to punish Amadeus, Louis had ordered Catinat to use his force to burn and tax (put under contribution) large tracts of the mountainous parts of Savoy and the Plain of Piedmont – attempts by local peasants to retaliate were met by hanging anyone who was found carrying arms. The Marquis de Feuquieres
Antoine de Pas de Feuquières
Antoine de Pas de Feuquières was a French soldier. He was the son of diplomat Isaac de Feuquières.He was conspicuous for his bravery in the army of Louis XIV, serving under Luxembourg, Turenne and Catinat....
, however, sent by Catinat with 1,200 troops to Luserna, suffered a major setback and was forced to abandon the town with the loss of some 600 men.
While Catinat's army manoeuvred on the Piedmontese plain Marquis de Saint-Ruth
Marquis de St Ruth
Charles Chalmont Marquis of St Ruth was a French general. Early in his military career, he fought against Protestants in France...
took most of the exposed Duchy of Savoy, routing the Savoyard forces; only the great fortress of Montmélian
Montmélian
Montmélian is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Population :-External links:*...
, less than 60 km north of Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, remained in ducal hands. Although Savoy was far less important than Piedmont, its loss was a major setback for the Grand Alliance, making an invasion of France now much less likely. In a desperate attempt to halt the destruction and intimidation Amadeus – against the advice of Eugene – insisted on engaging the French with his own and Spanish troops. Believing that Feuquieres was lost, and anxious to catch the French whilst they were weak, Amadeus left his camp at Villafranca
Villafranca Piemonte
Villafranca Piemonte is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 35 km southwest of Turin....
with the intention of attacking and surrounding Catinat.
Catinat left his camp at Cavour and marched south with the intention of taking Saluzzo
Saluzzo
Saluzzo is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont region, Italy.The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc...
; when Amadeus moved to stop him, the result was the engagement at the abbey of Staffarda on 18 August. Marshes and hedges impeded movement on the battlefield and sheltered the Savoyard line, but French troops eventually broke Amadeus's army. Only Eugene's command of the Savoyard cavalry and his conduct in retreat saved the Allied army from disaster. Amadeus suffered 2,800 casualties and 1,200 prisoners; he also lost 11 of his 12 cannon. Catinat's casualties amount to some 2,000 troops.
Aftermath
Catinat subsequently took Saluzzo, SaviglianoSavigliano
Savigliano is a comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, in the Province of Cuneo, c. 50 kilometers south of Turin by rail....
, and Fossano
Fossano
Fossano is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo, after Cuneo, Alba and Bra....
. More of Amadeus's territory was put under contribution; those towns which Amadeus ordered not to pay – such as Ceresole
Ceresole Alba
Ceresole Alba is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 30 km southeast of Turin and about 50 km northeast of Cuneo...
and Autrive – were torched. When Eugene's Imperial troops finally arrived in Piedmont little could be achieved due to Spanish hesitancy and reluctance: in Eugene's words: " … they want to do absolutely nothing." The Imperial commander had to be satisfied with small raids against the enemy. In one such operation in September Eugene was unable to prevent his men – who were used to the brutality of the Turkish wars – castrating then killing 200 French prisoners.
Catinat proceeded to Susa
Susa, Italy
Susa is a city and comune in Piedmont, Italy. It is situated on at the confluence of the Cenischia with the Dora Riparia, a tributary of the Po River, at the foot of the Cottian Alps, 51 km west of Turin.-History:...
, a vital fortress controlling communications with Briançon
Briançon
Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department....
in Dauphiné, opening trenches there on 11 November; the stronghold capitulated two days later. But hopes of taking Turin, and capturing the Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
region and south-east Piedmont in order to link up with Casale had to be scaled back due to supply and communication problems, manning shortages, and sickness within the army. The French, therefore, unable to live off the resources of a devastated Piedmont, were forced into winter quarters in Savoy, Dauphiné, and Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. Eugene's imperialists found quarters in Montferrat much to the consternation its pro-French ruler, the Duke of Mantua.