- Born:
- Oct. 28, 1696, Goslar, Saxony [Germany]
- Died:
- Nov. 30, 1750, Chambord, Fr. (aged 54)
- Subjects Of Study:
- conduct of war
Maurice, count de Saxe
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Who was Maurice, count de Saxe?
Maurice, count de Saxe (1696-1750), was a military theorist and general who led French armies during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48).
The illegitimate son of Frederick Augustus I of Saxony, Maurice served under Prince Eugene of Savoy before his father bought him a German regiment in the French service in 1719. There, he gained recognition for his military training innovations.
In 1732, Maurice wrote Mes Rêveries, a highly original treatise on warfare. Serving in the French army, he captured Prague in 1741. Later, King Louis XV appointed him commander of a force to invade Great Britain, but the project was dropped after a storm shattered his fleet.
Appointed marshal general of France in 1747, Maurice invaded Holland, defeated an allied army at Lauffeld, and captured Bergen-Op-Zoom. He then retired to his chateau at Chambord, where he died.
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Where did Maurice, count de Saxe serve as a general?
Maurice, Count de Saxe, served as a general in various locations throughout his military career. He served under Prince Eugene of Savoy against the French in Flanders. In 1741, Maurice invaded Bohemia and captured Prague. King Louis XV made Saxe commander of a force to invade Great Britain, but the project was dropped after a storm. Later, Saxe and the King invaded the Austrian Netherlands. He captured Brussels and Antwerp and seized Mons and Namur. In 1747, Louis appointed Saxe marshal general of France, and Saxe invaded Holland.
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What major wars or battles was Maurice, count de Saxe involved in?
Maurice, Count de Saxe, a renowned French general and military theorist, led French armies during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48).
Saxe's notable military involvements include:
- War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738): He served with distinction in the French army against King August III of Poland, his half-brother.
- War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748):
- Invasion of Bohemia (1741): Saxe invaded Bohemia and captured Prague.
- Invasion of Great Britain (aborted 1744): Appointed to command a force to invade Great Britain on behalf of Charles Edward, the Young Pretender, but the invasion was dropped after a storm.
- Invasion of the Austrian Netherlands: He invaded the Austrian Netherlands with King Louis XV.
- Battle of Fontenoy (1745): Saxe decisively defeated allied troops.
- Conquest of the Austrian Netherlands (1746): Captured Brussels and Antwerp and defeated the allies at Raucoux, completing the conquest.
- Invasion of Holland (1747): He invaded Holland, defeated an allied army at Lauffeld, and captured Bergen-Op-Zoom.
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What made Maurice, count de Saxe a successful military leader?
Maurice, count de Saxe, successfully led French armies during the War of the Austrian Succession due to his innovations in military training, particularly in musketry. In 1732, he wrote Mes Rêveries, a remarkably original treatise on the science of warfare. King Louis XV wisely allowed Saxe to command, leading to a decisive victory at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745 and the subsequent capture of Brussels and Antwerp. In 1747, Louis appointed Saxe marshal general of France.
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How did Maurice, count de Saxe influence military tactics in his time?
Maurice, Count de Saxe, was a military theorist and general who led French armies during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48). He gained recognition for his military training innovations, especially in musketry, and wrote Mes Rêveries, a treatise on warfare science.
In 1744, King Louis XV appointed Saxe commander, and he was later promoted to marshal. Saxe's tactical prowess led to victories in battles such as Fontenoy, Raucoux, and Lauffeld, capturing key territories like Brussels and Antwerp. His focus on methodical planning and siege warfare contributed to his success in pushing back enemy lines.
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What is Maurice, count de Saxe remembered for in history today?
Maurice, count de Saxe, is remembered today as a celebrated general and military theorist who led French armies during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48).
Saxe gained recognition for his innovative military training, especially in musketry. In 1732, he wrote Mes Rêveries, a remarkably original treatise on the science of warfare. King Louis XV made Saxe commander of a force to invade Great Britain on behalf of Charles Edward. Later, Louis formally declared war on Great Britain and promoted Saxe to the rank of marshal. He is also remembered for his victories in the Battle of Fontenoy, where he decisively defeated allied troops, and for capturing Brussels and Antwerp.
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Maurice, count de Saxe (count of) (born Oct. 28, 1696, Goslar, Saxony [Germany]—died Nov. 30, 1750, Chambord, Fr.) was a general and military theorist who successfully led French armies during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48).
The illegitimate son of the elector Frederick Augustus I of Saxony (later also King Augustus II of Poland), young Maurice was sent by his father to serve under Prince Eugene of Savoy against the French in Flanders in 1709–10. In 1711 he was made Graf von Sachsen (count of Saxony; in French, comte de Saxe). His father bought him a German regiment in the French service in 1719, and Saxe quickly won recognition for his innovations in military training, especially in musketry.
Anna Ivanovna, duchess of Courland (later empress of Russia), secured Saxe’s election as duke of Courland (a Baltic duchy between Prussia and Latvia) in 1726, but the Russians expelled him from the region in 1727 in order to prevent him from marrying the duchess. Returning to France, Saxe in 1732 wrote Mes Rêveries (published in 1756–57), a remarkably original treatise on the science of warfare. He served with distinction in the French army against his own half brother, King August III of Poland, in the War of the Polish Succession (1733–38) and in 1734 was made a lieutenant general.
In November 1741, six months after France joined Prussia against Austria in the War of the Austrian Succession, Saxe invaded Bohemia and captured Prague. Although the British had not yet become involved in the conflict, the French king Louis XV in January 1744 made Saxe commander of a force that was to invade Great Britain on behalf of Charles Edward, the Young Pretender, the Stuart claimant to the British throne. The project was dropped after a storm shattered Saxe’s invasion fleet at Dunkirk in March. Shortly thereafter, Louis formally declared war on Great Britain and promoted Saxe to the rank of marshal. Saxe and the king then invaded the Austrian Netherlands.
The king wisely allowed Saxe to give the orders in the ensuing campaign. Their forces surrounded Tournai, and, when allied troops advanced from the east to relieve the siege, Saxe decisively defeated them in the Battle of Fontenoy (May 11, 1745). It was France’s last great victory before the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789. Saxe then captured Brussels and Antwerp (February 1746). Turning south, he seized Mons and Namur, and on Oct. 11, 1746, he defeated the allies at Raucoux, near Liège, thereby completing the conquest of the Austrian Netherlands.
In January 1747 Louis appointed Saxe marshal general of France. In 1747 he invaded Holland, defeated an allied army in the Battle of Lauffeld near Maastricht (July 2), and captured the fortress of Bergen-Op-Zoom. Saxe retired to his château at Chambord, where he died. His grandson was the father of the novelist George Sand.