General Enea Silvio Piccolomini
Encyclopedia
Enea Silvio Piccolomini was an Italian nobleman coming from a well known family from Siena
in Italy
, who served in the Habsburg
army. He is known for leading a campaign against the Ottomans in Kosovo
, Bosnia and Macedonia
in 1689, and for setting on fire
Skopje
, the present day capital of the Republic of Macedonia
.
in Siena, Italy. His ancestors included two popes: Pius II (born Enea Silvio Piccolomini) and Pius III (born Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini), as well as the Generalfeldmarschall
Ottavio Piccolomini.
. Enea Silvio's father established him in an apartment in the imperial capital, with a page, two valets and a groom for his horses, while the youngster sought audiences with the emperor Leopold I
, empress, the archduke and important ministers on the credentials of his famous ancestors.
A breakthrough came when he managed to obtain a position in the regiment of the minister Count Rabatta. Enea Silvio's situation, like that of other young German and Italian officers, was precarious. When the emperor dissolved some of his regiments in October 1660, he narrowly escaped complete unemployment and was happy to be a simple comet in his patron's cavalry regiment.
In 1675 Enea Silvio was a lieutenant-colonel on campaign. He describes some desperate and bloody engagements he fought against the French in the Rhineland
under Montecuccolli.
Although his court patron, the empress Claudia Felicitas of Austria
died in 1676, he gained sudden popularity with the court, and in January 1677 he describes himself as being feted by the emperor and all the ministers in Vienna - appearing to have as many friends at court as if he had never left it. The last letter from November 1681 shows him negotiating through the Dowager Empress Leonora for the positions of pages for his nephews; for him, they represented two more Piccolomini and Sienese in Germany.
), to capture territories of the Balkans. One of these campaigns was led by then lieutenant-general Enea Silvio Piccolomini. In his last campaign in 1689 he led an autonomous army, with the express support of Count Djordje Brankovic, Arsenije III (Carnojevic) and the Serbian population, to conquer Kosovo
, Bosnia and Macedonia
from the clutches of the Turks. He burned the city of Skopje
, according to some sources to prevent the spread of plague, according to others in retaliation for the siege of Vienna
. He contracted the plague himself in Skopje and died at the moment of his apotheosis.
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
in 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...
, who served in the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
army. He is known for leading a campaign against the Ottomans in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Bosnia and Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
in 1689, and for setting on fire
Fire of Skopje 1689
In 1689 the Austrian General Enea Silvio Piccolomini led an army to capture Kosovo, Bosnia and Macedonia from the Ottoman Empire. During the offensive, the city of Skopje, present-day capital of the Republic of Macedonia, was plagued by epidemics of cholera...
Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, the present day capital of the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
Origins
Enea Silvio Piccolomini came from the long-established noble family PiccolominiPiccolomini
Piccolomini is the name of an Italian noble family, which was prominent in Siena from the beginning of the 13th century onwards. In 1220, Engelberto d'Ugo Piccolomini received the fief of Montertari in Val d'Orcia from the emperor Frederick II as a reward for services rendered...
in Siena, Italy. His ancestors included two popes: Pius II (born Enea Silvio Piccolomini) and Pius III (born Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini), as well as the Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
Ottavio Piccolomini.
Early career
Young nobles left Siena individually and contacted the important Italian lobby in Vienna, hoping to obtain junior positions in some German regiment. In February 1660 Enea Silvio also left Siena to look for career in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Enea Silvio's father established him in an apartment in the imperial capital, with a page, two valets and a groom for his horses, while the youngster sought audiences with the emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
, empress, the archduke and important ministers on the credentials of his famous ancestors.
A breakthrough came when he managed to obtain a position in the regiment of the minister Count Rabatta. Enea Silvio's situation, like that of other young German and Italian officers, was precarious. When the emperor dissolved some of his regiments in October 1660, he narrowly escaped complete unemployment and was happy to be a simple comet in his patron's cavalry regiment.
In 1675 Enea Silvio was a lieutenant-colonel on campaign. He describes some desperate and bloody engagements he fought against the French in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
under Montecuccolli.
Although his court patron, the empress Claudia Felicitas of Austria
Claudia Felicitas of Austria
Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria was the eldest daughter of Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria, and his wife Anna de' Medici...
died in 1676, he gained sudden popularity with the court, and in January 1677 he describes himself as being feted by the emperor and all the ministers in Vienna - appearing to have as many friends at court as if he had never left it. The last letter from November 1681 shows him negotiating through the Dowager Empress Leonora for the positions of pages for his nephews; for him, they represented two more Piccolomini and Sienese in Germany.
Campaign in the Balkans
After the siege of Vienna (1683), emperor Leopold I mounted a series of campaigns against the Ottomans (see: Great Turkish WarGreat Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
), to capture territories of the Balkans. One of these campaigns was led by then lieutenant-general Enea Silvio Piccolomini. In his last campaign in 1689 he led an autonomous army, with the express support of Count Djordje Brankovic, Arsenije III (Carnojevic) and the Serbian population, to conquer Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Bosnia and Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
from the clutches of the Turks. He burned the city of Skopje
Fire of Skopje 1689
In 1689 the Austrian General Enea Silvio Piccolomini led an army to capture Kosovo, Bosnia and Macedonia from the Ottoman Empire. During the offensive, the city of Skopje, present-day capital of the Republic of Macedonia, was plagued by epidemics of cholera...
, according to some sources to prevent the spread of plague, according to others in retaliation for the siege of Vienna
Siege of Vienna
The Siege of Vienna in 1529 was the first attempt by the Ottoman Empire, led by Suleiman the Magnificent, to capture the city of Vienna, Austria. The siege signalled the pinnacle of the Ottoman Empire's power, the maximum extent of Ottoman expansion in central Europe, and was the result of a...
. He contracted the plague himself in Skopje and died at the moment of his apotheosis.
Sources
- The decline of a provincial military aristocracy: Siena, 1560-1740 by Gregory Hanlon.
- Richter, Die Piccolomini (Berlin, 1874)
- A. Lisini and A. Liberati, Albero della famiglia Piccolomini (Siena, 1899)
- Articles by A. Lisini in the Miscellanea storica senese, 3rd series 12, and 4th series, 17 and 189.
See also
- PiccolominiPiccolominiPiccolomini is the name of an Italian noble family, which was prominent in Siena from the beginning of the 13th century onwards. In 1220, Engelberto d'Ugo Piccolomini received the fief of Montertari in Val d'Orcia from the emperor Frederick II as a reward for services rendered...
- Great Turkish WarGreat Turkish WarThe Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
- Holy League (1684)Holy League (1684)Holy League of 1684 was initiated in by Pope Innocent XI, and composed of the Holy Roman Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Venetian Republic. Tsardom of Russia joined the League in 1686. This alliance opposed the Ottoman Empire in the Great Turkish War and lasted until the Treaty...