The following is the first part of an article centred around the career of one of the greatest generals ever, Prince Eugene. Although this fames rests largely on his early C18th career, the bulk of this series will concentrate on the late C17th.

The text is taken from THE MEMOIRS OF EUGENE AND MARLBOROUGH, published in London, 1742. These memoirs are mainly taken from the writings of Messieurs Dumont and Rousset, although it contains contributions from the Duke of Argyle, lord Cobham, the earl of Stair, the earl of Cardogan and other unnamed authorities

I have edited out as much turgid prose and superfluous anticlerical rantings as I could but regret that the text is still fairly heavy reading, though it's certainly full of mid C18th flavour.

MEMOIRS OF PRINCE EUGENE

The first of the three great captains, whose battles we undertake to describe is the most serene Prince EUGENE of Savoy, the greatest general and most artful politican that the age has seen; his name reveals his royal origin. Charles Emanuel I, Duke of Savoy, King of Cyprus, etc. Great-grandfather to the present King of Sardinia who now reigns so gloriously, had ten children by Katherine of Austria, daughter to Philip II. King of Spain. The fifth of the prince's sons was Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignan, so celebrated in the history of his time, that France and Spain disputed for the advantage of fixing him in their party.

This Prince, the stem of the princes of Carignan, married Mary of Bourbon, daughter and Heiress to the count de Soissons, Prince of the blood, Peer and great master of France, by whom he had, among other children, Eugene Maurice of Savoy, Count de Soissons, Colonel of the Swiss Guards, Governor of Champagne and Brie, etc who married Olymphia de Mancini, Niece to Cardinal Mazarine. He had by her eight children, among others the hero, descended as may be seen, of three of the most August houses in Europe, those of Bourbon, Austria, and Savoy.

The countess of Soissons, Prince Eugene's mother, having drawn upon her the displeasure of Louis XIV by whom she had been adored, for having been concerned in a court intrigue, designed to remove Mademoiselle de la Valiere; the resentment of that prince, or rather those who governed him, extended to the whole family. Other intrigues arising from thence, the countess was banished after the death of her husband. The Count de Soissons, her eldest son, being involved in his mothers misfortune was deprived of a pension of Ten Thousand Crowns per annum, upon a frivolous pretence. This was the origin of the displeasure Prince Eugene conceived against France, in whose bosom he was born.

Nevertheless, Louis XIV took care of his education, and it was such as was suitable to a Prince of his rank. But the young Eugene found not in himself inclination for the idle and slothful life of an Abbot or Cardinal; he was born for a more active and laborious kind of life: in a word, all his inclinations prompted him to the Art of War.

He never dissembled this, but took advantage of the first opportunity to declare it to the king, and begged him earnestly to confer on him some post in the Army. But that Prince, though he was fond of war, and warriors, refused him this favour, on divers pretences, the one more frivolous than the other; sometimes because he was of too tender a constitution, and sometimes because there being no war, it was difficult to find him a post that was suitable to his dignity. But the young Eugene, full of fire and wit, saw but too plainly it was only refused him because it was resolved to ruin his family, wherefore he sought an opportunity of leaving a country, which was so ungrateful to him.

Such a one was soon presented. The Turks, having declared war against the Emperor, made a progress in Hungary, and even threatened to beseige Vienna itself, as they afterwards actually did. The horror christians have for the name of the Turk, inspired all christendom with compassion for the state to which the house of Austria was reduced; and as much an enemy of France was to the Imperial family, a sort of decency would not permit her to detain such of her subjects as had a mind to go to its assistance.

Several Lords of the court took this resolution; among others, the Prince of Conti, with his brother the Duke of Roche- sur-yon, who afterwards aspired to the crown of Poland; the Prince of Turrenne, son to the Duke of Crequi, and nephew to the great Turenne; with divers and other volunteers of quality, which made them a sort of court. Among which was Prince Eugene, their cousin, then between sixteen and seventeen. His eldest brother ' the count de Soissons, with Prince Philip, had already withdrawn out of the kingdom; and had found employment at the court of Vienna. These aforementioned Princes had fought in the campaign in Hungary in 1685, and had been at the taking of Neuhasel and the battle of Gran. It was on their return to the next years campaign that Prince Eugene had followed them.

Santrailles was sent after them, who was to persuade them to prefer obedience to the Kings orders to all the glory they might have squired in this second campaign. The Prince of Savoy alone could not bear the thoughts of turning back; but told the other Princes that for their parts they could not well avoid obeying and returning to the court, where they would always shine in an exalted rank and enjoy a splendid estate; but that for his part he was condemned to seek his fortune.

Wherefore he pursued his journey, and repaired to his brother, who commanded a Regiment of Horse in the Imperial army. There it was that finding himself as is were, in his proper sphere, he let slip no opportunity of signalizing that courage and valour that was innate in his blood. Thus it was that France lost, or rather delivered to her enemies, the greatest captain Europe had admired in his age; and one whom she had the honour of having born in her bosom. Thus it was that this Prince entered into the service of the House of Austria, to which he has been ever since continued constantly devoted.

Were we to follow this Prince in all the actions wherein he signalized himself before he attained to be the Commander in Chief, it would be writing a continued history of Prince Eugene's life, and not a relation of his victories; we will content ourselves therefore with giving an account of the origin of the three wars in which that Prince has acquired so much glory. The Emperor Leopold, who reigned at the same time when Prince Eugene devoted himself to the House of Austria, had rendered himself highly praiseworthy by his piety and clemency; he was esteemed the best Prince in Europe, and one who would not be the author of any injury to another.

Nevertheless, his long reign was, in a manner, but one continual war, the first and principal cause of which was the policy and ambition of the court of France; formented by an incomprehensible jealousy they had conceived of the House of Austria, in both its German and Spanish branches. This is a fact known by all Europe, and which Louis XIV confessed with sorrow at the point of death. From thence proceeded all the intrigues wherein he engaged to humble, and even to destroy that house, if it had been in his power. The war, during which Prince Eugene retired to the court of Vienna, was one of these masterpieces of Louis XIV's politics.

Hungary is a vast kingdom, near 150 leagues both in length and breadth. Besides this, it is a country that abounds in all things; oxen, sheep, horses, corn, fish, fruit, metals, etc. It was peopled in proportion, and had great numbers Nobility as well as tradesmen and peasants. This kingdom had been elective 526 years, that is, from St Stephen, under 36 Kings or Queens until the time of Ferdinand I. Brother to Charles V, who succeeded in 1526 to King Louis II. This crown had before then been in the possession of the House of Austria, upon the heads of Sigismundland Albert the Magnanimous, from the year 1385 to 1440 1 but they had not an opportunity to render it hereditary in their families, which Ferdinand did.

From that time Hungary has been a dreadful scene of trouble, divisions, conspiracies, and Civil Wars; that courageous people not being able to inure themselves tamely to seeing the clergy and the Germans, deprive them of their substance, their religion, their liberties, and their privileges. I will not pretend to decide the matter in favour of the Hungarians, nor against the ministry of the court of Vienna.

However that may be, this kingdom was hardly under the Dominion of the august House of Austria, before it was torn in pieces by revolts, conspiracies and civil wars. We will not enter into the particulars of all the commotions from the beginning of the sixteenth century; it is sufficient to remark that Prince Tekeli having succeeded to Serini, Nadasti, Frangipani, Tattenbach, Ragotski, ete and not being able to either compel the court of Vienna to re-instate the Hungarians in their privileges and the enjoyment of their religion, or to defend those whose leader he had declared himself, retired under the protection of the Porte, to which he was powerfully recommended by the court of France.

Tekeli was not unserviceable to them; he kept alive the flames of division amongst the Hungarians; and the Porte, which had engaged to protect them, after having crowned Tekeli, took from thence an occasion to send an Army upon the Danube, whose whole progress we shall not describe.

It was so great that the Ottoman came and beseiged Vienna. The capital of the Austrian Dominions would have been obliged to surrender to three hundred thousand Turks who invested it, had it not been for the speedy relief it received from the valiant Sobieski King of Poland, and from the Electors of Saxony and Bavaria. These were the heroes under whom Prince Eugene of Savoy first drew his sword, against the enemies of the christianname.

The defeat that attended the raising of that famous siege, was followed by many advantages,which the Imperialists gained over the Ottomans, in the several campaigns from the year 1684 to 1688.

Prince Eugene never left Hungary during this whole war, but constantly served at the head of the regiment of Savoy, which the Emperor had given him, under the Dukes of Lorrain and Bavaria, and under the Prince of Baden. He was present at the time of the seige of Gran, and at the battle before Buda, where, at the head of his regiment, he carried off the artillery of the Turks in their retreat; and however unfortunate the siege of Buda proved to the Imperialists, the Prince acquired great reputation there, and even was wounded in the arm.

In 1685 he was under the Duke of Lorrain at the battle of Gran, where his general was so much charmed with his intrepidity and the proofs he gave of an experience not to be found in an officer of twenty two years of age, that on his return from the campaign, he told the Emperor, as he presented the Prince to him, "I take the liberty to assure your Majesty, this young Savoyard will be one day the greatest captain of his age".

The Campaign of 1686 was famous for the seige of Buda, which the Imperialists began again with better fortune than in 1684. His serene Highness served there, with Prince Louis of Baden in the Elector of Bavaria's attack. It is well known that they were the troops who, animated by those three Princes, entered first into that Fortress, where all were put to the sword, whatever efforts Prince Eugene made to save the life of the brave Seraskier, who had so well defended that city.

How worthy of admiration was it to see an officer but twenty three years old, that is at an age when men are all fire and impetuosity, cry out like Caesar, in the midst of a victory, "parce civibus" and carry his esteem for valour so far as even to respect it in his enemies. For he saved the life of the Aga of the Janizaries, and gave a charge to his grenadiers to spare the Seraskier, but the latter would not survive the loss of his city.

The Campaign of 1687 was famous for the battle of Mohatz, where the Grand Vizier in person commanded the Turkish Army, which he had encamped advantageously, and covered with a strong intrenchment. It was forced, however, by the Dukes of Lorrain and Bavaria. Prince Eugene having been one of the first into the Enemies camp, carried off the crescent and set up the Imperial Eagle; a glorious action which procured him the honour of being chosen to bear the news, and give a relation of the victory to the Emperor, with which that monarch was so pleased, that he made the Prince a present of his picture set with diamonds.

Our young hero distinguished himself no less during the campaign of 1688, which was but one continued series of conquest, till the Army arrived at the gates of Belgrade, the Bulwark of the Ottoman Empire. It was resolved to besiege it; the Duke of Bavaria had the charge of this enterprise, on account of the Duke of Lorrain's being then sick; and he would always have Prince Eugene with him to assist him with his counsel.

Accordingly it may be said that the taking of this Fortress was due to this young general, by the discovery he made of a place, which opened a free passage towards the castle.

More Prince Eugene of Savoy

Part I (#7)
Part II (#8)
Part III (#9)
Part V (#11)
Part VI (#12)