Page "Prince Eugene of Savoy" Paragraph 28

Eugene crossed the Alps with some 30, 000 men in May / June 1701.

After a series of brilliant manoeuvres the Imperial commander defeated Catinat at the Battle of Carpi on 9 July.

" I have warned you that you are dealing with an enterprising young prince ," wrote Louis XIV to his commander, " he does not tie himself down to the rules of war.

" On 1 September Eugene defeated Catinat's successor, Marshal Villeroi, at the Battle of Chiari, in a clash as destructive as any in the Italian theatre.

But as so often throughout his career the Prince faced war on two fronts – the enemy in the field and the government in Vienna.

Starved of supplies, money and men, Eugene was forced into unconventional means against the vastly superior enemy.

During a daring raid on Cremona on the night of 31 January / 1 February 1702 Eugene captured the French commander-in-chief.

Yet the coup was less successful than hoped: Cremona remained in French hands, and the Duke of Vendôme, whose talents far exceeded Villeroi's, became the theatre's new commander.

Villeroi's capture caused a sensation in Europe, and had a galvanising effect on English public opinion.

" The surprise at Cremona ," wrote the diarist John Evelyn, "… was the greate discourse of this weeke "; but appeals for succour from Vienna remained unheeded, forcing Eugene to seek battle and gain a ' lucky hitt '.

The resulting Battle of Luzzara on 15 August proved inconclusive.

Although Eugene's forces inflicted double the number of casualties on the French the battle settled little except to deter Vendôme trying an all-out assault on Imperial forces that year, enabling Eugene to hold on south of the Alps.

With his army rotting away, and personally grieving for his long standing friend Prince Commercy who had died at Luzzara, Eugene returned to Vienna in January 1703.