Franz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan
Encyclopedia
Franz Joseph, Marquis de Lusignan (23 June 1753 – 23 December 1832), a Spaniard, joined the Austrian
army and fought against Prussian
soldiers and Belgian
rebels. During the French Revolutionary Wars
, he played a significant role at the Battle of Rivoli
in 1797 and became a general officer. He led brigade- and division-sized forces during the Italian campaign of 1799. In the Napoleonic Wars
, he twice commanded a division and was so badly wounded in 1809 that he was forced to retire from the army. From 1806 until his death he was proprietor of the Lusignan Infantry Regiment.
in modern-day Spain
. In 1771, he entered the Habsburg service as a Fahnrich
(ensign) in the Ferraris Infantry Regiment # 14. He fought with a Freikorps
during the War of the Bavarian Succession. He became a Major
in 1789, when he was stationed in the Austrian Netherlands. The following year he distinguished himself in action near Liège
, overthrowing a large body of Belgian rebels with a small force. He received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
for his efforts.
While an Oberstleutnant
, Lusignan commanded 800 infantry and 100 cavalry during two days fighting near Virton
, a town in modern-day Belgium
near the border of France. Under his leadership were four companies of the Bender Infantry Regiment # 41, four companies of the Le Loup Jägers, and one squadron of the Esterhazy Hussar Regiment # 32. On 22 October, his force was attacked at Latour village by Jean-Baptiste Cyrus de Timbrune, Comte de Valence's Advance Guard of the Army of the Ardennes
, altogether 3,500 French infantry, 1,500 cavalry, and six field pieces. His troops suffered a minor defeat, and the battle continued at Virton the next day. On 23 October, his outnumbered troops were defeated again with the loss of 43 men and 11 horses. He fought at the Battle of Jemappes
in November 1792. A month later, the French captured him and held him until he was exchanged. In 1794, he became Oberst
(colonel
) and assumed command of the Klebek Infantry Regiment # 14. In 1795, he fought on the Upper Rhine River under the command of Dagobert von Wurmser
and captured a redoubt during the Battle of Mainz
in 1795. He commanded one of two advance guards in the corps of Peter Quasdanovich
during the actions leading up to the Battle of Lonato
in August 1796.
. His commander ordered him to take four battalions and 12 companies of light infantry, totalling 4,556 men, on the army's extreme right flank. "Lusignan was faced with the almost Herculean task of leading his men along the top of the chain of mountain peaks (collectively known as Monte Baldo) that separates the Adige from the northern arm of Lake Garda
, and runs parallel with them. In the winter, it was a featureless wasteland of snow and ice, the highest point of which lay ten miles north of Rivoli, and rose to the not inconsiderable height of 7,279 feet."
Not surprisingly, Lusignan's march fell behind schedule in the next few days. However, he persevered under the extraordinary conditions and reached his assigned position. During the Battle of Rivoli
, Alvinczi instructed him to make another flank march, this time to a position in rear of Napoleon Bonaparte's French army. He carried out his orders, but found himself isolated on a hill far from the action. By the afternoon of 14 January, Bonaparte defeated the other Austrian columns. Attacked from the north by André Masséna
's troops and blocked from the south by a division under Gabriel Venance Rey
, Lusignan tried to break out to the west. His soldiers were captured by the hundreds as they collapsed from their recent exertions. Historian David G. Chandler
states that 3,000 men from the 1st Column were taken prisoner. However, Lusignan escaped capture.
On 28 February 1797, Lusignan became a General-Major
. While commanding the rearguard two weeks later, he was captured during Archduke Charles
's retreat from northeast Italy.
He served in Italy during the War of the Second Coalition
. On 5 April 1799, he led a brigade in Michael Frölich's division at the Battle of Magnano
, where he was wounded three times. At times during 1799, he served as acting commander of the division. He led a division in action at Marengo on 16 May 1799, He commanded a brigade under Michael von Melas
at the Battle of Novi
on 15 August. Emperor Francis II promoted him Feldmarschallleutnant on 30 January 1801.
. In 1806 he became Proprietor (Inhaber)
of Lusignan Infantry Regiment # 16, a position which he held until his death. The War of the Fifth Coalition
found him in command of a division in the III Armeekorps under the command of Prince Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
. While leading his troops at the Battle of Teugen-Hausen
on 19 April 1809, he was wounded in the head. Though forced into retirement by his injury, a grateful emperor elevated him to the rank of Feldzeugmeister
on 29 May. He died on 23 December 1832 at Ivanovice na Hané
in the modern-day Czech Republic
.
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
army and fought against Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
soldiers and Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
rebels. 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...
, he played a significant role 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...
in 1797 and became a general officer. He led brigade- and division-sized forces during the Italian campaign of 1799. In the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, he twice commanded a division and was so badly wounded in 1809 that he was forced to retire from the army. From 1806 until his death he was proprietor of the Lusignan Infantry Regiment.
Early career
Lusignan was born into an old Spanish family on 23 June 1753 at JacaJaca
Jaca is a city of northeastern Spain near the border with France, in the midst of the Pyrenees in the province of Huesca...
in modern-day Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. In 1771, he entered the Habsburg service as a Fahnrich
Fähnrich
Fähnrich is a German and Austrian military rank in armed forces which translates as "Ensign" in English. The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are Sweden, Norway and Finland . The French Army has a similar...
(ensign) in the Ferraris Infantry Regiment # 14. He fought with a Freikorps
Freikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
during the War of the Bavarian Succession. He became a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1789, when he was stationed in the Austrian Netherlands. The following year he distinguished himself in action near Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, overthrowing a large body of Belgian rebels with a small force. He received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa was an Order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin, by the Empress...
for his efforts.
While an Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
, Lusignan commanded 800 infantry and 100 cavalry during two days fighting near Virton
Virton
Virton is the most southerly town in Belgium and the administrative centre of a Walloon municipality and district of the same name, located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg...
, a town in modern-day Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
near the border of France. Under his leadership were four companies of the Bender Infantry Regiment # 41, four companies of the Le Loup Jägers, and one squadron of the Esterhazy Hussar Regiment # 32. On 22 October, his force was attacked at Latour village by Jean-Baptiste Cyrus de Timbrune, Comte de Valence's Advance Guard of the Army of the Ardennes
Army of the Ardennes
The Army of the Ardennes was a French Revolutionary Army formed in 1792 by splitting off the right wing of the Army of the North, commanded from July to August that year by La Fayette...
, altogether 3,500 French infantry, 1,500 cavalry, and six field pieces. His troops suffered a minor defeat, and the battle continued at Virton the next day. On 23 October, his outnumbered troops were defeated again with the loss of 43 men and 11 horses. He fought at the Battle of Jemappes
Battle of Jemappes
The Battle of Jemappes took place near the town of Jemappes in Hainaut, Belgium, near Mons. General Charles François Dumouriez, in command of the French Revolutionary Army, defeated the greatly outnumbered Austrian army of Field Marshal Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen and his second-in-command...
in November 1792. A month later, the French captured him and held him until he was exchanged. In 1794, he became Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
(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...
) and assumed command of the Klebek Infantry Regiment # 14. In 1795, he fought on the Upper Rhine River under the command of 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...
and captured a redoubt during the Battle of Mainz
Battle of Mainz
The Battle of Mainz was fought on 29 October 1795 during the French Revolutionary Wars, between France and Austria. The battle was fought near the city of Mainz now in western Germany and ended in an Austrian victory.-People involved:...
in 1795. He commanded one of two advance guards in the corps of Peter Quasdanovich
Peter Quasdanovich
Peter Vitus Freiherr von Quosdanovich was a general of the Austrian Empire. Feldmarschall-Lieutenant and Commander of the Order of Maria Theresa...
during the actions leading up to the Battle of Lonato
Battle of Lonato
The Battle of Lonato was fought on 3 and 4 August 1796 between the French Army of Italy under General Napoleon Bonaparte and a corps-sized Austrian column led by Feldmarschallleutnant Peter Quasdanovich. A week of hard-fought actions that began on 29 July and ended on 4 August resulted in the...
in August 1796.
Rivoli
In January 1797, Jozsef Alvinczi assigned Lusignan command of the 1st Column during the fourth attempt to relieve the Siege of MantuaSiege 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...
. His commander ordered him to take four battalions and 12 companies of light infantry, totalling 4,556 men, on the army's extreme right flank. "Lusignan was faced with the almost Herculean task of leading his men along the top of the chain of mountain peaks (collectively known as Monte Baldo) that separates the Adige from the northern arm of Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
, and runs parallel with them. In the winter, it was a featureless wasteland of snow and ice, the highest point of which lay ten miles north of Rivoli, and rose to the not inconsiderable height of 7,279 feet."
Not surprisingly, Lusignan's march fell behind schedule in the next few days. However, he persevered under the extraordinary conditions and reached his assigned position. During 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...
, Alvinczi instructed him to make another flank march, this time to a position in rear of Napoleon Bonaparte's French army. He carried out his orders, but found himself isolated on a hill far from the action. By the afternoon of 14 January, Bonaparte defeated the other Austrian columns. Attacked from the north by 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 troops and blocked from the south by a division under Gabriel Venance Rey
Gabriel Venance Rey
Gabriel Venance Rey or Antoine Gabriel Rey, born 24 July 1763 – died 20 April 1836, became a general officer in the army of France during the French Revolutionary Wars and led a division under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Italian campaign of 1796-1797. He ran afoul of Napoleon and was not...
, Lusignan tried to break out to the west. His soldiers were captured by the hundreds as they collapsed from their recent exertions. Historian David G. Chandler
David G. Chandler
David G. Chandler was a British historian whose study focused on the Napoleonic era.As a young man he served briefly in the army, reaching the rank of captain, and in later life he taught at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Oxford University awarded him the D. Litt. in 1991...
states that 3,000 men from the 1st Column were taken prisoner. However, Lusignan escaped capture.
On 28 February 1797, Lusignan became a General-Major
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. While commanding the rearguard two weeks later, he was captured during Archduke Charles
Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of emperor Leopold II and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain...
's retreat from northeast Italy.
He served in Italy during the War of the Second Coalition
War of the Second Coalition
The "Second Coalition" was the second attempt by European monarchs, led by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Russian Empire, to contain or eliminate Revolutionary France. They formed a new alliance and attempted to roll back France's previous military conquests...
. On 5 April 1799, he led a brigade in Michael Frölich's division at the Battle of Magnano
Battle of Magnano
In the Battle of Magnano on 5 April 1799, an Austrian army commanded by Pál Kray defeated a French army led by Barthélemy Schérer. In subsequent battles, the Austrians and their Russian allies drove the French out of nearly all of Italy...
, where he was wounded three times. At times during 1799, he served as acting commander of the division. He led a division in action at Marengo on 16 May 1799, He commanded a brigade under Michael von Melas
Michael von Melas
Michael Friedrich Benedikt Baron von Melas was a Transylvanian-born field marshal of Greek descent for the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars....
at the Battle of Novi
Battle of Novi (1799)
The Battle of Novi was a battle near Novi Ligure, Italy. It was fought on August 15, 1799 in the French Revolutionary Wars. The Austrians and Russians under Fieldmarshal Alexander Suvorov defeated the French under General Barthelemy Catherine Joubert....
on 15 August. Emperor Francis II promoted him Feldmarschallleutnant on 30 January 1801.
Napoleonic Wars
In 1805, Lusignan took command of a division in the TyrolCounty of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
. In 1806 he became Proprietor (Inhaber)
Proprietor (Inhaber)
A Proprietor, or Inhaber, was a term used in the Habsburg military to denote special honors extended to a noble or aristocrat. The Habsburg army was organized on principles developed for the feudal armies in which regiments were raised by a wealthy noble, called the Inhaber who also acted as...
of Lusignan Infantry Regiment # 16, a position which he held until his death. The War of the Fifth Coalition
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition, fought in the year 1809, pitted a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and Bavaria. Major engagements between France and Austria, the main participants, unfolded over much of Central Europe from April to July, with...
found him in command of a division in the III Armeekorps under the command of Prince Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Friedrich Franz Xaver Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Friedrich Franz Xaver Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen was an Austrian general. He joined the Austrian military and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia, Ottoman Turkey, and the First French Republic. He was promoted to the rank of general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars...
. While leading his troops at the Battle of Teugen-Hausen
Battle of Teugen-Hausen
The Battle of Teugen-Hausen or the Battle of Thann was fought on 19 April 1809 between the French III Corps led by Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout and the Austrian III Armeekorps commanded by Prince Friedrich Franz Xaver of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. The French won a hard-fought victory over their...
on 19 April 1809, he was wounded in the head. Though forced into retirement by his injury, a grateful emperor elevated him to the rank of Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister was a military rank in various European armies , especially in the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found in the beginning of the 20th century in some European countries...
on 29 May. He died on 23 December 1832 at Ivanovice na Hané
Ivanovice na Hané
Ivanovice na Hané is a town in the Czech Republic.- People :* Gustav Karpeles , Jewish writer* Andreas Nemetz , Moravian composer * Bedřich Antonín Wiedermann , organist, composer- External links :*...
in the modern-day Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.