Giovanni Marchese di Provera
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Marchese di Provera, or Johann Provera, born c. 1736 – died 5 July 1804, served in the Austrian army in Italy
during the French Revolutionary Wars
. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonaparte during the Italian Campaign of 1796.
. On 18 June 1789 he was promoted to General-Major (Major General
) in the Austrian army. He fought in Italy during the campaigns of 1794 and 1795, and became a Feldmarschall-Leutnant (Lieutenant General
) on 4 March 1796. He was a Knight of the Order of Malta and held the noble rank of Marchese.
During the Montenotte Campaign
in the spring of 1796, Provera led a 4,000-man Austrian-Sardinian division in the 21,000-strong army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont. The Sardinians were allied to a 32,000-man Austrian army led by Johann Beaulieu
. On 12 April at the Battle of Montenotte
, Bonaparte's French army managed to drive a wedge between the two allied armies. Pushing west, the French forces encountered part of Provera's division on 13 April at the Battle of Millesimo
and pushed it back. To cover the retreat, Provera and about 900 men occupied a ruined castle from which they repelled repeated French assaults. On the morning of 14 April, Provera and his men were compelled to surrender.
After being exchanged, Provera rejoined Jozsef Alvinczi's Austrian army in the third attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua
. In bitter fighting at the Second Battle of Bassano
on 6 November 1796, Provera's division lost 1,000 casualties but helped repel Bonaparte's attack. He brought up reinforcements in the Austrian victory at the Battle of Caldiero
on 12 November. During the losing effort at the Battle of Arcole on 15 to 17 November, Provera defended the village of Belfiore di Porcile against the daily attacks of André Masséna
's French division.
In the fourth attempt to relieve Mantua
, Alvinczi led the main Austrian effort from the north, down the Adige River valley. While the French army focused its attention to the north, Provera's 9,000 men struck at Legnago
and Adam Bajalics von Bajahaza
's 6,200 Austrians attacked Verona
. On 9 November Provera drove in the French outposts near Legnago. Over the next few days he scouted the Adige to find a place to cross. The elderly general "showed very little sense of urgency" and "simply could not make up his mind what to do. On the 11th, he decided to order a bridge to be built over the Adige, then countermanded it soon afterwards." On the night of 13 November he built a pontoon bridge over the river at Angiari
, crossed the next morning, and headed for Mantua. He left a force behind to defend the bridge.
Meanwhile, Bonaparte had inflicted a crushing defeat on Alvinczi at the Battle of Rivoli
. The French general ordered large forces to converge on and destroy Provera's column. Delayed by a French cavalry brigade, the Austrians arrived in front of Mantua on 15 and 16 November. Provera tried and failed to break through the fortified suburb of San Giorgio, held by the French. At dawn on the 16th, Dagobert von Wurmser
's garrison tried to break out but was repulsed. Soon, Napoleon concentrated heavy forces behind the Austrians. Hemmed in by greatly superior numbers, Provera surrendered near La Favorita Palace with 6,000 men. Even the 2,000 men left to defend the pontoon bridge were captured.
Provera retired from military service on 29 April 1797. He died in Venice
on 5 July 1804.
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...
during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
. Provera played a significant role in three campaigns against General Napoleon Bonaparte during the Italian Campaign of 1796.
Military career
Since he was 60 years old in 1796, Provera was born around 1736. During the Seven Years War he fought at the Battle of KolinBattle of Kolin
-Results:The battle was Frederick's first defeat in this war. This disaster forced him to abandon his intended march on Vienna, raise his siege of Prague, and fall back on Litoměřice...
. On 18 June 1789 he was promoted to General-Major (Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
) in the Austrian army. He fought in Italy during the campaigns of 1794 and 1795, and became a Feldmarschall-Leutnant (Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
) on 4 March 1796. He was a Knight of the Order of Malta and held the noble rank of Marchese.
During the Montenotte Campaign
Montenotte Campaign
The Montenotte Campaign began on 10 April 1796 with an action at Voltri and ended with the Armistice of Cherasco on 28 April. In his first army command, Napoleon Bonaparte's French army separated the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont under Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi from the allied...
in the spring of 1796, Provera led a 4,000-man Austrian-Sardinian division in the 21,000-strong army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont. The Sardinians were allied to a 32,000-man Austrian army led by Johann Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu
Johann Peter Beaulieu de Marconnay, also Jean Pierre Beaulieu de Marconnay, born 26 October 1725 – died 22 December 1819, was an Austrian military officer. He joined the Austrian army and fought against the Prussians during the Seven Years War. A cultured man, he later battled Belgian rebels...
. On 12 April at the Battle of Montenotte
Battle of Montenotte
The Battle of Montenotte was fought on 12 April 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, between the French army under General Napoleon Bonaparte and an Austrian corps under Count Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau. The battle was fought near the village of Cairo Montenotte, in northwestern Italy, and...
, Bonaparte's French army managed to drive a wedge between the two allied armies. Pushing west, the French forces encountered part of Provera's division on 13 April at the Battle of Millesimo
Battle of Millesimo
The Battle of Millesimo, fought on 13 and 14 April 1796, was the name that Napoleon Bonaparte gave in his correspondence to one of a series of small battles that were fought in Piedmont, Northern Italy between the armies of France and the allied armies of Austria and of the Kingdom of...
and pushed it back. To cover the retreat, Provera and about 900 men occupied a ruined castle from which they repelled repeated French assaults. On the morning of 14 April, Provera and his men were compelled to surrender.
After being exchanged, Provera rejoined Jozsef Alvinczi's Austrian army in the third attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua
Siege of Mantua (1796-1797)
In the Siege of Mantua, which lasted from 4 July 1796 to 2 February 1797 with a short break, French forces under the overall command of Napoleon Bonaparte besieged and blockaded a large Austrian garrison for many months until it surrendered...
. In bitter fighting at the Second Battle of Bassano
Second Battle of Bassano
In the Second Battle of Bassano on 6 November 1796, an Austrian army commanded by Jozsef Alvinczi repelled the attacks of Napoleon Bonaparte's French army. The engagement, which happened two months after the more famous Battle of Bassano, marked the first tactical defeat of Bonaparte's career and...
on 6 November 1796, Provera's division lost 1,000 casualties but helped repel Bonaparte's attack. He brought up reinforcements in the Austrian victory at the Battle of Caldiero
Battle of Caldiero (1796)
In the Battle of Caldiero on 12 November 1796, a Habsburg Austrian army led by Jozsef Alvinczi fought a First French Republic army commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte. The French assaulted the Austrian positions, which were initially held by the army advance guard under Prince Friedrich Franz Xaver of...
on 12 November. During the losing effort at the Battle of Arcole on 15 to 17 November, Provera defended the village of Belfiore di Porcile against the daily attacks of André Masséna
André Masséna
André Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
's French division.
In the fourth attempt to relieve Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
, Alvinczi led the main Austrian effort from the north, down the Adige River valley. While the French army focused its attention to the north, Provera's 9,000 men struck at Legnago
Legnago
Legnago is a town and comune in the Province of Verona, Veneto, northern Italy. It is located on the Adige river, c. 43 km from Verona.Its fertile land produces crops of rice, other cereals, sugar, and tobacco.-History:...
and Adam Bajalics von Bajahaza
Adam Bajalics von Bajahaza
Adam Bajalics von Bajaháza, also Adam Bajalić von Bajaházy or Adam Bayalitsch, entered Austrian military service and fought against Prussia, Ottoman Turkey, and France...
's 6,200 Austrians attacked Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
. On 9 November Provera drove in the French outposts near Legnago. Over the next few days he scouted the Adige to find a place to cross. The elderly general "showed very little sense of urgency" and "simply could not make up his mind what to do. On the 11th, he decided to order a bridge to be built over the Adige, then countermanded it soon afterwards." On the night of 13 November he built a pontoon bridge over the river at Angiari
Angiari
Angiari is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 80 km southwest of Venice and about 35 km southeast of Verona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,892 and an area of 13.5 km².Angiari borders the following municipalities:...
, crossed the next morning, and headed for Mantua. He left a force behind to defend the bridge.
Meanwhile, Bonaparte had inflicted a crushing defeat on Alvinczi at the Battle of Rivoli
Battle of Rivoli
The Battle of Rivoli was a key victory in the French campaign in Italy against Austria. Napoleon Bonaparte's 23,000 Frenchmen defeated an attack of 28,000 Austrians under Feldzeugmeister Jozsef Alvinczi, ending Austria's fourth and final attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua...
. The French general ordered large forces to converge on and destroy Provera's column. Delayed by a French cavalry brigade, the Austrians arrived in front of Mantua on 15 and 16 November. Provera tried and failed to break through the fortified suburb of San Giorgio, held by the French. At dawn on the 16th, Dagobert von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigismund, Count Wurmser was an Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mounted several successful campaigns in the Rhineland in the initial years of the French Revolutionary Wars, he...
's garrison tried to break out but was repulsed. Soon, Napoleon concentrated heavy forces behind the Austrians. Hemmed in by greatly superior numbers, Provera surrendered near La Favorita Palace with 6,000 men. Even the 2,000 men left to defend the pontoon bridge were captured.
Provera retired from military service on 29 April 1797. He died in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
on 5 July 1804.