Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie
Encyclopedia
Victor François de Broglie, 2nd duc de Broglie (19 October 1718, Paris
– 30 March 1804) was a French
aristocrat
and soldier and a marshal of France
. He served with his father, François Marie de Broglie, 1st duc de Broglie, at Parma
and Guastalla
, and in 1734 obtained a colonel
cy.
In the War of the Austrian Succession
he took part in the storming of Prague
in 1742, and was made a brigadier
. In 1744 and 1745 he saw further service on the Rhine, and he succeeded his father as 2nd duc de Broglie on the old duke's death in 1745. He was made a Maréchal de Camp, and he subsequently served with Marshal de Saxe
in the Low Countries
, and was present at Roucoux, Val and Maastricht
. At the end of the war he was made a Lieutenant-general.
During the Seven Years' War
he served successively under Louis Charles César Le Tellier, duc d'Estrées
, Charles de Rohan, prince de Soubise, and Contades
, being present at all the battles from Hastenbeck
onwards. His victory over Prince Ferdinand at Bergen
(1759) won him the rank of marshal of France
from the French King Louis XV
and the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Reichsfürst from Emperor Francis I
.
In 1759 he won the Battle of Bergen
and followed that with the capture the city of Minden, later fighting at the Battle of Minden
under the command of Contades whom he would succeed in command. In 1760 he won an action at the Korbach
, but was defeated at Villinghausen
in 1761. After the war he fell into disgrace and was not recalled to active employment until 1778, when he was given command of the troops designed to operate against England
. He played a prominent part in the French Revolution
, which he opposed with determination; he commanded troops at Versailles
in July 1789 and briefly served as Louis XVI
's minister of war before fleeing France. After his emigration
, the duc de Broglie commanded the "Army of the Princes" for a short time (1792).
Since the duke's eldest son, Charles-Louis-Victor, prince de Broglie
, died in the Terror
, the succession fell to his grandson, who became the third duc de Broglie
. He died at Münster
in 1804.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
– 30 March 1804) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aristocrat
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
and soldier and a marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
. He served with his father, François Marie de Broglie, 1st duc de Broglie, at Parma
Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro, also known as the Battle of Crocetta or the Battle of Parma was a battle fought on June 29, 1734, between troops of France and Sardinia on one side, and Habsburg Austrian troops on the other, as part of the War of Polish Succession, between the village of La Crocetta and...
and Guastalla
Battle of Guastalla
The Battle of Guastalla or Battle of Luzzara was a battle fought on September 19, 1734, between Franco-Sardinian and Austrian troops as part of the War of Polish Succession.-Background:...
, and in 1734 obtained a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
cy.
In the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
he took part in the storming of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1742, and was made a brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. In 1744 and 1745 he saw further service on the Rhine, and he succeeded his father as 2nd duc de Broglie on the old duke's death in 1745. He was made a Maréchal de Camp, and he subsequently served with Marshal de Saxe
Maurice, comte de Saxe
Maurice de Saxe was a German in French service who was Marshal and later also Marshal General of France.-Childhood:...
in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, and was present at Roucoux, Val and Maastricht
Siege of Maastricht (1748)
The Siege of Maastricht took place in April-May 1748 during the War of the Austrian Succession. A French force under the overall command of Maurice de Saxe besieged and captured the Dutch barrier fortress of Maastricht in the final few months of the campaign in the Low Countries. After a relatively...
. At the end of the war he was made a Lieutenant-general.
During the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
he served successively under Louis Charles César Le Tellier, duc d'Estrées
Louis Charles César Le Tellier, duc d'Estrées
Louis Charles César Le Tellier known as the Duke of Estrées was a French military commander and Marshal of France.-Biography:...
, Charles de Rohan, prince de Soubise, and Contades
Louis Georges Érasme de Contades
Louis Georges Érasme de Contades was the 6th Marquis de Contades and Seigneur de Montgeoffroi. He was a Marshal of France and a major battlefield commander during the Seven Years' War. He notably commanded the French forces at the 1759 Battle of Minden.He was born to Gaspard de Contades and his...
, being present at all the battles from Hastenbeck
Battle of Hastenbeck
The Battle of Hastenbeck was fought as part of the Invasion of Hanover during the Seven Year's War between the allied forces of Hanover, Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick and the French...
onwards. His victory over Prince Ferdinand at Bergen
Battle of Bergen (Seven Years' War)
The Battle of Bergen on 13 April 1759 saw the French army under de Broglie withstand an allied British, Hanoverian, Hessian, Brunswick army under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick near Frankfurt-am-Main during the Seven Years' War.-Background:...
(1759) won him the rank of marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
from the French King Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
and the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Reichsfürst from Emperor Francis I
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...
.
In 1759 he won the Battle of Bergen
Battle of Bergen (1759)
The Battle of Bergen on 13 April 1759 saw the French army under de Broglie withstand an allied British, Hanoverian, Hessian, Brunswick army under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick near Frankfurt-am-Main during the Seven Years' War.-Background:...
and followed that with the capture the city of Minden, later fighting at the Battle of Minden
Battle of Minden
The Battle of Minden—or Thonhausen—was fought on 1 August 1759, during the Seven Years' War. An army fielded by the Anglo-German alliance commanded by Field Marshal Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, defeated a French army commanded by Marshal of France Louis, Marquis de Contades...
under the command of Contades whom he would succeed in command. In 1760 he won an action at the Korbach
Battle of Corbach
The Battle of Corbach, or Korbach, a Hanseatic town of Waldeck-Frankenberg in northern Hesse, Germany, was fought on 10 July 1760 during the Seven Years' War...
, but was defeated at Villinghausen
Battle of Villinghausen
The Battle of Villinghausen was a battle in the Seven Years' War fought on 15 and 16 July 1761 between a large French army and a combined Prussian-Hanoverian-British force led by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick.-Background:...
in 1761. After the war he fell into disgrace and was not recalled to active employment until 1778, when he was given command of the troops designed to operate against England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He played a prominent part in the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, which he opposed with determination; he commanded troops at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
in July 1789 and briefly served as Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
's minister of war before fleeing France. After his emigration
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
, the duc de Broglie commanded the "Army of the Princes" for a short time (1792).
Since the duke's eldest son, Charles-Louis-Victor, prince de Broglie
Charles-Louis-Victor, prince de Broglie
Charles-Louis-Victor, prince de Broglie, called Victor de Broglie was a French soldier and politician.-Biography:...
, died in the Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
, the succession fell to his grandson, who became the third duc de Broglie
Victor, 3rd duc de Broglie
Achille-Léonce-Victor-Charles, 3rd duc de Broglie, called Victor de Broglie was a French statesman and diplomat. He was twice President of the Council during the July Monarchy, from August 1830 to November 1830 and from March 1835 to February 1836...
. He died at Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
in 1804.