Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne: Difference between revisions

Turenne began the 1645 campaign with a successful forward movement,{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=79}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|p=412}} but Mercy managed to deceive him into thinking the Bavarians were scattered and far away{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=80}} and he was taken by surprise and [[Battle of Mergentheim|defeated at Mergentheim]].{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=81}}}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|p=412}} While Turenne had quickly ordered his forces to unite one of his subordinates, general [[Reinhold von Rosen|Rosen]], was not informed on the situation, defied the order, leading to defeat while Turenne's main force was winning.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=82}} Turenne's army lost all of its artillery and baggage and five sixths of its infantry.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=84}} Turenne retreated to [[Hesse]], which caused its forces to join the French, whileas well as a Swedish force and reinforcements under Condé, who took command once again.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=85}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} The Swedes soon departed, but Enghien commanded still 17,000 men.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=86}} The French marched into Bavaria with facing little opposition until they caught up with Mercy's retreating army.{{sfn|Longueville|1907|p=86}} Mercy inflicted casualties of the French in an artillery duel and outmaneuvered them in the march on Allerheim, buying time to fortify his position.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=87}} Turenne advised not to fight but this was rejected by Condé. Turenne's plan of attack was accepted by Condé.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=88}} The [[Battle of Nördlingen (1645)|following battle]] was a French victory and Mercy was killed but the French had suffered heavily. Ill-health forced Enghien to retire soon afterwards, leaving Turenne for the third time in command of the French army.{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} He was met by superior imperial forces and forced to retreat.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |pp=96–97}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} At Philippsburg, Turenne crossed the Rhine using a bridge made of boats.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=97}}

A month after his retreat Turenne marched 120 miles to [[Trier]] which he recaptured for its elector [[Philipp Christoph von Sötern]] after over a decade of imperialist occupation.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=97}} Having taken control of the Moselle for France by this move he set upon improving the defence of that river.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=98}} Turenne now returned to France where he was offered the [[Duchy of Château-Thierry]], which had also been promised to his brother, by Mazarin, who was trying to drive a wedge between Turenne and his rebellious brother, but Turenne saw what the cardinal was doing and accepted only if the transaction to his brother was completed.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=98}} In 1646 Turenne obtained more military successes.{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} He decided to unite his forces with those Swedish under Wrangel.<ref name="Wakeman" /> Mazarin however had made a deal with the Duke of Bavaria not to unite French and Swedish forces and not to cross the Rhine. In return the Bavarians would not join the Imperial army. He ordered Turenne to besiege Luxembourg but Turenne correctly suspected the Duke of Bavaria of foul play and procrastinated.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=100}} Soon the Bavarian army linked up with the imperials and Turenne tried to the same to assist Wrangel. He was successfull by using a detour via [[Wesel]] because there was no other bridge south of there he could use.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=101}} The combined army marched down the Danube and advanced as far as [[Munich]] and [[Bregenz]],<ref name="Wakeman" /> plundering their way through Bavaria.<ref name="Wakeman" />{{sfn|Longueville|1907|pp=105–106}} This convinced the Elector of Bavaria to make peace.{{sfn|Longueville|1907|p=112}} With these manoeuvres [[Napoleon]] said he displayed "great boldness, sagacity and genius; they are fertile in grand results, and ought to be studied by all military men".{{sfn|Longueville|1907|p=113}} [[File:Anselmus-van-Hulle-Hommes-illustres MG 0557.tif|thumb|Turenne at the [[Peace of Westphalia]], engraving after [[Anselm van Hulle]].]]In 1647 he proposed to attack the weakened army of the emperor, but he was ordered into [[Flanders]] instead.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=114}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} Not only did France thus lose an opportunity, but a serious mutiny broke out amongst the Weimar troops, who had not received their pay for six months.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=115}}{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} Rosen, who had been recently promoted to high office on Turenne's insistence, convinced the Weimarian cavalry to revolt, pretending to be held prisoner by them.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=115}} Turenne had already left for Flanders with his main force but rode back with a small contingent, surprising the mutineers. Instead of destroying them with a surprise attack he marched with them as if he was still in command and managed to secretly have Rosen arrested after which the mutiny died down.{{sfn|Longueville|1907|pp=116–119}} He then marched into [[Luxembourg]] but soon received orders to switch to the Rhine.{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} As Turenne predicted Bavaria again joined the Imperial cause in 1647.{{sfn|Longueville|1907|pp=114 and 121}} He compelled the imperials to lift [[Siege of Worms]] and formally declared war on Bavaria. After joining with the Swedes, once again led by Wrangel, they moved together against the imperials.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=121}} Scouts detected the imperials, during the following night Turenne secretly moved his troops close to the imperials.{{sfn|Longueville|1907|p=122}} The following day, 17 May,{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|pp=412–414}} the imperials marched off unaware of the danger resulting in their rearguard being caught isolated and defeated in a vicious [[Battle of Zusmarshausen|battle at Zusmarshausen]].{{sfn|Longueville|1907|pp=122–123}} Troops subsequently wasted Bavaria with fire and sword until a more secure pacification was obtained. This devastation, for which many modern writers have blamed Turenne, appeared no more harsh a measure than the spirit of the times and the circumstances of the case permitted.{{sfn|Atkinson|1911|p=413}} Turenne planned on moving into Austria and take Vienna, but as the [[Peace of Westphalia]] had been signed this campaign never materialized.{{sfn|Longueville|1907 |p=124}}