Louis d'Aubusson de la Feuillade
Encyclopedia
Louis d'Aubusson de la Feuillade, duc de Roannais (1673 – January 28, 1725) was a Marshal of France
1724 -1725.
, also a Marshal of France
, and Charlotte de Gouffier. He married first the daughter of the marquis de Chateauneuf, a French undersecretary of state and naval secretary, and, after the end of this marriage, wed the daughter of Michel Chamillart
, the secretary of state for war under Louis XIV of France
. At age fifteen, La Feuillade joined the French army, which soon found itself fighting in the Nine Years' War. La Feuillade raised a regiment of horse, serving with it during the Battle of Fleurus
.
La Feuillade fought during several other battles of the Nine Years' War, including Neerwinden and Charleroi. According to one source, in the mid-1690s, La Feuillade deprived his relation, the bishop of Metz
, of 30,000-crown hoard of gold and jewels. This placed his career in jeopardy, but he retained his officer's commission in the army and continued to serve throughout the war, which ended in 1697. La Feuillade's cavalry regiment was disbanded at this time.
, La Feuillade obtained a brigadier's commission and, a year later, that of a marechal de camp. When the French government planned a campaign aimed at conquering the country's smaller neighbor, Savoy
, he was given command of a large division of the troops involved. He achieved several successes against the Savoyards, and, with orders to capture Nice
and Oneglia
, La Feuillade marched on the former, capturing several outlying forts and towns.
Although the citadel of Nice continued to resist, the city itself surrendered to the French on April 13, 1705. Six days later, he left the city without having obtained the surrender of the citadel, as a ceasefire was arranged.
When the duc de Vendôme
was sent to Flanders in 1706 after the Battle of Ramillies
, La Feuillade became his successor as supreme commander of the French troops in Italy. In late 1705, La Feuillade was ordered to take Turin
from Austrian and allied
forces, who occupied much of Italy
.
Turin withstood the long siege, and, in late August and early September of 1706, the defenders beat back several major French assaults. As a result of his failure, La Feuillade was removed from command.
in 1724, a year before his death.
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
1724 -1725.
Early life
La Feuillade, born on 30 March 1673, was the son of François d'Aubusson de La FeuilladeFrançois d'Aubusson de La Feuillade
François d'Aubusson de La Feuillade, Duc de Roannis was a French officer and noble who eventually rose to become a Marshal of France. La Feuillade was the colonel-general of the Gardes Francaises from 1672 until his death....
, also a Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
, and Charlotte de Gouffier. He married first the daughter of the marquis de Chateauneuf, a French undersecretary of state and naval secretary, and, after the end of this marriage, wed the daughter of Michel Chamillart
Michel Chamillart
Michel Chamillart or Chamillard was a French statesman, a minister of King Louis XIV of France.He was born in Paris of a family recently raised to the nobility...
, the secretary of state for war under Louis XIV of France
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...
. At age fifteen, La Feuillade joined the French army, which soon found itself fighting in the Nine Years' War. La Feuillade raised a regiment of horse, serving with it during the Battle of Fleurus
Battle of Fleurus
There have been three battles fought near the town of Fleurus in Belgium:*The Battle of Fleurus in the Thirty Years' War.*The Battle of Fleurus in the Nine Years' War.*The Battle of Fleurus in the French Revolutionary Wars....
.
La Feuillade fought during several other battles of the Nine Years' War, including Neerwinden and Charleroi. According to one source, in the mid-1690s, La Feuillade deprived his relation, the bishop of Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, of 30,000-crown hoard of gold and jewels. This placed his career in jeopardy, but he retained his officer's commission in the army and continued to serve throughout the war, which ended in 1697. La Feuillade's cavalry regiment was disbanded at this time.
War of the Spanish Succession
After the outbreak of the War of the Spanish SuccessionWar 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...
, La Feuillade obtained a brigadier's commission and, a year later, that of a marechal de camp. When the French government planned a campaign aimed at conquering the country's smaller neighbor, 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....
, he was given command of a large division of the troops involved. He achieved several successes against the Savoyards, and, with orders to capture 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...
and Oneglia
Oneglia
Oneglia was a town in northern Italy on the Ligurian coast that was joined to Porto Maurizio to form the Comune of Imperia in 1923....
, La Feuillade marched on the former, capturing several outlying forts and towns.
Although the citadel of Nice continued to resist, the city itself surrendered to the French on April 13, 1705. Six days later, he left the city without having obtained the surrender of the citadel, as a ceasefire was arranged.
When the 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:...
was sent to Flanders in 1706 after the Battle of Ramillies
Battle of Ramillies
The Battle of Ramillies , fought on 23 May 1706, was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession. For the Grand Alliance – Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic – the battle had followed an indecisive campaign against the Bourbon armies of King Louis XIV of France in 1705...
, La Feuillade became his successor as supreme commander of the French troops in Italy. In late 1705, La Feuillade was ordered to take 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...
from Austrian and allied
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
forces, who occupied much of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Turin withstood the long siege, and, in late August and early September of 1706, the defenders beat back several major French assaults. As a result of his failure, La Feuillade was removed from command.
Later service
Despite his failures during the war, La Feuillade was made a Marshal of FranceMarshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
in 1724, a year before his death.