SIEGE OF TURIN 1706. SPAIN THE DRAGONES AMARILLOS (aka CALYUS)

 LOS DRAGONES AMARILLOS (aka CALYUS)

The Dragones Amarillos originated in the Spanish Duchy of Milan. The unit was raised on 1 May 1684 in the territories of Pavia from five companies of Croatian horsemen. On 9 April 1685, it was expanded to twelve companies and organised as a Tercio de dragones arcabuceros under the command of the Count of Sheldon. Owing to the distinctive colour of its uniform, it became widely known as Los Dragones Amarillos, or the “Yellow Dragoons”.

In 1687, on the eve of the Nine Years’ War, the tercio was sent to Milan. In 1692, a detachment of 200 men joined the army of the Duke of Savoy and participated in operations at Pinerolo, Susa, Casale and Embrun, before advancing to Gap. In 1693, the unit took part in the attack on the Fort of Santa Brigida outside Pinerolo and fought at the Battle of Marsaglia. Two years later, in 1695, it participated in the siege and capture of Casale. In 1696, the tercio returned to Lombardy and took up quarters at Pavia.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, dragoons acquired increasing importance within the Spanish Army, reflecting their tactical versatility as troops capable of operating both mounted and dismounted. This development was accompanied by a progressive strengthening of dragoon regimental establishments. In 1703, it was decided that each dragoon regiment should consist of ten companies, each with an establishment of approximately 50 men. In 1705, the establishment was further increased to twelve companies per regiment, including one company of horse grenadiers.

In principle, a dragoon regiment of 12 companies was tactically organised into three squadrons of four companies each.

Each dragoon company comprised:

• 1 capitán (captain)
• 1 teniente (lieutenant)
• 1 alférez (standard-bearer)
• 1 mariscal de logis (quartermaster)
• 2 brigadieres (brigadiers), acting as NCOs
• 1 tambor (drummer)
• 1 pífano (fifer)
• 28 dragoons

This gave a nominal company strength of 36 men, including officers, NCOs and musicians.

However, the deployment shown on the Turin map appears to indicate a different field arrangement. There, the regiment seems to be represented as four squadrons, each apparently formed from three companies, with a strength of roughly 100 men per squadron.

This may reflect the difference between the official administrative establishment and the tactical organisation actually adopted in the field. Early eighteenth-century regiments did not always deploy according to their paper establishment, particularly after campaign losses, detachments, or the temporary redistribution of companies.

These organisational reforms are particularly relevant to the Dragones Amarillos, which had already possessed a substantial establishment since the late seventeenth century. During the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment formed part of the increasingly important dragoon arm of the Spanish Bourbon forces.

Like other dragoon units of the period, the Dragones Amarillos were tactically flexible. They could be employed as conventional mounted troops when circumstances required, but they could also dismount and fight as infantry. This versatility was especially valuable during siege operations, in the defence of fortified lines, and in actions where cavalry could not operate effectively on horseback.In 1701, the unit was reorganised as a regiment and thereafter served as a regular dragoon regiment in the Bourbon armies operating in Northern Italy.

The successive commanders of the unit included:

• from 9 April 1685: Count of Sheldon;
• from 1700: Don Diego de Monroy;
• from at least 1703: Claude Tubières de Grimoard, Marquis de Caylus;
• later: Count de Itre;
• Marquis de Crèvecœur;
• Count Demetrio Mahony.

The association with the Marquis de Caylus explains why contemporary records may refer to the regiment simply as Caylus. This designation must not be confused with the later French regiment bearing the same name. In the Italian campaigns of the War of the Spanish Succession, Caylus refers to the Spanish-Milanese Dragones Amarillos.

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Service during the War of the Spanish Succession

In 1701, the tercio left its quarters to join the Franco-Spanish army assembling in the Duchy of Milan under the Prince de Vaudémont. It was initially deployed on the left of the second line along the Adige. On 14 June it was cantoned at Segua, near Rivoli.

On 9 July 1701, the unit fought at the Combat of Carpi, where it suffered considerable losses. Some contemporary accounts, however, identify the French Mauroy cavalry rather than the Spanish Monroy dragoons, so the attribution should be treated with some caution. During the night of 31 August to 1 September, the regiment crossed the Oglio near Rudiano and subsequently took part in the Battle of Chiari; here too, some sources alternatively identify the French Mauroy cavalry.

After the battle, on 3 September, the army withdrew to the camp of Urago near Pavia, with the regiment serving in the rearguard. On 31 October, together with two tercios of Lombard infantry, it was entrusted with guarding a bridge at Urago and was surprised by an Imperial detachment of approximately 1,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry under the Prince de Commercy. On 13 November, the regiment entered winter quarters.

For the campaign of 1702, the regiment was assigned to the left wing of the first line. On 13 July, it was reviewed by King Philip V at Cremona. Three days later it crossed the Po, and on 22 July it crossed the Taro as part of the effort to compel the Imperial army to abandon the siege of Mantua. On 13 August it served in the corps of the Prince de Vaudémont during the relief of Borgoforte, and on 15 August fought in the Battle of Luzzara. On the following evening it helped repel a sortie from Guastalla, before marching towards the Oglio at the end of the month.

In 1704, the regiment took part in the campaign in Piedmont, including the operations connected with the blockade of Turin and the fighting along the Adda. On 16 August it successfully repelled an enemy attack.

The following year was particularly active. On 2 February 1705, the regiment attacked Imperial outposts along Lake Garda and the Adige, reportedly capturing around 1,000 men, six colours and the enemy baggage. On 9 April it participated in the capture of Nice, on 11 May it was present at the siege of Mirandola, and on 16 August it fought in the Battle of Cassano.

By this stage the organisational reforms affecting the Spanish dragoon arm had reached their fullest wartime form. The 1705 establishment of twelve companies included a horse grenadier company, providing each regiment with an élite mounted element. These horse grenadiers could perform the same flexible functions as the rest of the dragoon regiment, fighting on horseback or dismounting when required. 

In 1706, the Dragones Amarillos remained part of the Bourbon army operating in northern Italy. On 19 April, they participated in the Battle of Calcinato, one of the principal Franco-Spanish victories of the campaign.

The regiment subsequently joined the forces defending the Lines of Turin during the siege of the city. It was therefore still present with the Bourbon army in Piedmont when the decisive Battle of Turin was fought on 7 September 1706. The defeat forced the Franco-Spanish forces to abandon the siege and begin their withdrawal from Piedmont.

As dragoons, the men were trained to operate both mounted and dismounted. Their employment (dismounted) in the fortified lines around Turin was entirely consistent with the tactical flexibility expected of dragoon units in the early eighteenth century, particularly during siege operations where mounted troops could be used on foot to reinforce defensive positions.

In 1707, following Spain’s agreement to evacuate Lombardy, the regiment marched through France towards Pamplona, arriving there in May 1707. It was then brought back up to strength and supplied with new arms and horses. While moving towards Tudela, it received orders to remain in Aragon.

In 1708, the regiment joined the Army of Extremadura.

At the beginning of the campaign of 1709, it was deployed on the extreme right of the first line. On 7 May, it fought in the Battle of La Gudiña, where it executed a successful flanking manoeuvre that cut the retreat of three British regiments and forced them to surrender. The regiment also captured eight artillery pieces during the action.

In 1710, the Dragones Amarillos again served with the Army of Extremadura. At the end of May, 200 dragoons were attached to General Montenegro’s column. On 2 June, this force stormed Miranda de Douro, capturing approximately 400 Portuguese soldiers and twenty guns. On 14 June, the same column seized Carvajales, taking a further 200 men together with artillery, ammunition and provisions. It then crossed the Leria and advanced towards Bragança, attacking the bridgehead at Puebla and forcing its defenders to seek refuge in the Convent of San Francisco.

After Philip V’s defeat at Saragossa in August, the Marquis de Bay was ordered to reinforce the Army of Catalonia, which was retreating towards Castile under pressure from the forces of Archduke Charles. By the end of November, Philip V had reorganised his forces near the bridge of Almaraz on the Tagus.

The regiment subsequently participated in the fighting around Brihuega on 9 December 1710 and, on the following day, in the decisive Battle of Villaviciosa, where it joined the pursuit of the Allied cavalry towards the Ebro and Cinca.

In 1711, the regiment initially continued to serve with the Army of Extremadura before being transferred to the Army of Catalonia. During the siege of Gerona, it was positioned on the left of the second line.

In 1712, it moved from Catalonia to Castile.

By an order dated 17 August 1713, the regiment was directed to march to the District of Aragon to operate against the Catalan insurgents.

In 1714, it continued these operations, fighting and defeating several insurgent bands led by commanders such as Nebot, Moragas and Poal.

Throughout the War of the Spanish Succession, the Dragones Amarillos therefore served in both the Italian and Iberian theatres, taking part in major battles, sieges, raids and counter-insurgency operations. Their service at Turin in 1706, under the Marquis de Caylus, represents the final major episode of their long employment in northern Italy before their transfer to Spain in 1707.

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

One of the most distinctive questions concerning this regiment’s participation in the Siege of Turin is whether it served there mounted or dismounted. During the Battle of Turin itself, given its position, the regiment appears to have been employed mainly in screening and covering the retreating Bourbon troops.

Its presence during the siege is certain and is also confirmed by contemporary maps showing its position on the plain west of Turin. The regiment took part with four companies, one of which was almost certainly a grenadier company, given the siege role assigned to the unit.

The sources indicate that the regiment served dismounted. This was by no means unusual for dragoon formations, including French units; indeed, at the Battle of Turin itself, some thirty squadrons of French dragoons fought on foot.

This interpretation is supported by two further elements. First, the official Spanish accounts state that the regiment also fought dismounted at the Battle of Cassano on 16 August 1705. Second, when the regiment finally reached Spain in 1707, the sources specifically record that it was then supplied with mounts—that is, horses—rather than merely receiving replacements or reinforcements. This strongly suggests that, up to that point, it had continued to operate without horses and had therefore fought on foot.

Detail of the position of the Calyus - Dragone Amarillos Regiment during the siege of Turin

The terminology used in the accounts of its withdrawal from Turin provides an additional indication: the regiment is said to have “marched” through France, a wording consistent with a unit moving on foot. Taken together, these elements provide strong confirmation that the regiment fought dismounted, at least throughout the campaigns of 1705–1706.

At the end of the seventeenth century and during the opening years of the eighteenth, Spanish dragoons did not normally carry the same type of square standard used by the cavalry. Their distinctive colour was the guión farpado, a forked standard ending in two rounded tails or points. This form was already rooted in seventeenth-century Spanish military practice and remained characteristic of dragoon units during the early Bourbon period.

The guidon was generally smaller and more elongated than an infantry colour. It was fixed to a lance or staff surmounted by a metal spearhead or finial and was frequently richly decorated with gold lace, braid or fringe. Red ribbons or a corbata could also be attached beneath the finial.

The colours of the field were not yet completely standardised in the early years of Philip V’s reign. Surviving regulations and later descriptions indicate that dragoon guidons could be white for the Coronela and blue, green, crimson or red, depending on the regiment, squadron or company facing. 

For the Calyus Regiment hence the crimsom colour applies to the Compania's guidons.

One of the most characteristic Spanish devices was the Cross of Burgundy, or Borgoña, recalling the long-established military emblem of the Spanish Monarchy. On dragoon guidons it could occupy the principal face of the standard (both Coronela and Compania) and might be represented in red, yellow or gold according to the colours of the individual guidon.

The opposite side of the guidon could be quite different. Seventeenth-century Spanish practice frequently employed a religious image, often enclosed within an oval or ornamental frame. Such images could represent the Virgin, Christ, a saint, or another sacred protector associated with the unit or its commander. 

To make order we can say: the opposite of the Coronela was with the Coat of Arms of the Colonel. The same the Second Squadron (crimsom), the third blue, and the fourth in blue.

Religious iconography was entirely natural in the military culture of the Spanish Monarchy and appeared on both infantry colours and cavalry or dragoon standards.

Another possibility was the use of the personal arms of the captain or commander. 

Bandera Coronela (Coat of Arms Calyus)
(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Bandera Compania of the 2th Squadron (Coat of Arms Calyus)
(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Bandera Compania of the 3th (and 4th) Squadron 
(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

KINGDOM OF SPAIN. RGT. "FIGUEROA" 1706 (aka REGIMIENTO ESTRANJERO DEL ESTADO DE MILAN aka COPPOLA)

 Returning to the Siege and subsequent Battle of Turin, I have begun to examine the Spanish troops that took part in the battle, as I have noticed that there is considerable confusion surrounding them. These forces included the Louvigny Regiment (which I have already discussed), the Brabant, Figueroa and Flandres Cavalry Regiments, and the dismounted Caylus Dragoon Regiment, the famous “Yellow Dragoons.”

Here I will focus on the Figueroa Cavalry Regiment, which has a particularly interesting history.

I must also acknowledge an error on my part. I had previously indicated to Kronoskaf that this regiment had blue facings, having confused it with the Milano Infantry Regiment. More accurate sources, however, show that the Figueroa Regiment actually had red facings.

On 19 February 1701, the Governor of the Duchy of Milan, Prince Charles Henri de Lorraine-Vaudémont, ordered a general reorganisation of the cavalry regiments serving in the State of Milan. The newly reorganised units were reviewed for the first time on 20 April 1701 and comprised:

1. the Regimiento del General de la Caballería, or Marquis de Balbases;
2. the Regimiento del Teniente General de la Caballería del Estado, Prince de Trivulzio;
3. the Regimiento de Caballería Napolitana, or Valdefuentes;
4. the Regimiento de la Caballería Extranjera del Estado de Milán, the regiment which later became known as Figueroa Cavalry.

The latter regiment was formed principally from the twelve companies of the Caballería Extranjera de Milán, a body of predominantly German mercenary cavalry which had served the Duchy of Milan since 1685, together with one company of Neapolitan cavalry. 

At its first review in 1701 the reformed regiment comprised 10 companies, 56 officers, 471 mounted troopers and 30 dismounted men, confirming that it was already a substantial formation. Its recruitment remained traditionally German, despite its incorporation into the military establishment of Spanish Milan.

During the War of the Spanish Succession the regiment changed commanders several times. From 20 April 1701 it was commanded by Gaetano Coppola, who in May 1702 was appointed colonel of the Guardia de Italia. The colonelcy then remained vacant for a short period until Fernando Suárez de Figueroa, later Viscount de Surco, assumed command in 1703. It was under his name that the regiment became generally known as Figueroa Cavalry. On 12 December 1708, command passed to Philippe Richard du Puys, son of the Lieutenant-General of the Cavalry of Flanders.

Thi unit originated from the Regimiento Estrajero del Estado de Milan, whose origins went back to 1685. 

Uniform in 1706

The regiment’s early eighteenth-century uniform can be reconstructed as a white coat with red distinctions. Contemporary and later descriptions indicate:

• white coat;
• white neckcloth or cravat;
• red cuffs/facings;
• red waistcoat;
• red saddlecloth;
• red pistol-holster covers;
• white or silver-coloured edging on the saddlecloth and holster covers;
• grey gloves;
• a shoulder-belt or bandolier of grey;
• brass fittings on the sword-belt;
• boots with spurs.

The horse furniture therefore repeated the red facing colour, making the regiment visually quite distinctive despite the otherwise predominantly white uniform.

The description of the related Milanese cavalry tradition is particularly useful in understanding the equipment typical of these units. The sword-belt fittings were of brass, while the troopers carried their firearms by means of a shoulder-belt arrangement. 

Service during the War of the Spanish Succession

The regiment was employed actively from the very beginning of the conflict.

On 5 October 1701, eight of its companies formed part of the reinforcements sent from Milan to the Viceroy of Naples by Prince de Vaudémont to help suppress an uprising.

On 5 November 1701, the regiment belonged to the detachment placed by the Duc de Vendôme under the command of the Comte d’Estaing at Mortara and Novara, with the task of covering Milan. By the end of that month it was attached to the corps of Colmenero and d’Estaing and stationed at Cozzo, near Novara.

By 27 January 1704, it was again serving with d’Estaing’s corps near Novara, and in mid-February it was posted between Castello d’Agogna and Nicorvo.

In 1705, orders of battle list the regiment under the designation Caballería Alemana, or “German Cavalry”, with a strength of approximately 550 men. This name clearly reflects its traditional recruitment from German-speaking soldiers.

In 1706, Figueroa Cavalry took part in the Siege of Turin and was present at the decisive Battle of Turin on 7 September. Following the catastrophic Franco-Spanish defeat, the regiment withdrew towards France with the remnants of the allied army.

Its presence at Turin places it among the relatively limited number of Spanish cavalry formations involved in the campaign, alongside the Brabant and Flandres Cavalry Regiments, while the dismounted Caylus Dragoons, the celebrated “Yellow Dragoons”, represented another important Spanish mounted formation fighting on foot.

In 1707, Figueroa was placed on French pay and served in Germany, where it was present at the combat of Offenburg.

From 1708, the regiment was initially stationed at Besançon and subsequently campaigned in Alsace, Franche-Comté and Germany. On 12 December 1708, Philippe Richard du Puys assumed command.

In 1713, Du Puys brought the regiment to Catalonia. Two years later, in 1715, the Aponte Cavalry was incorporated into Du Puys’ regiment. Finally, in 1718, the resulting formation was renamed Barcelona Cavalry.

DUCHY OF MODENA'S ARMY 1702 -1712. THE GUARDIA DEL CORPO A PIEDI

As mentioned in a previous post, the Guard of the Duke of Modena also included a unit at company strength—therefore approximately 80–100 men—known as the Compagnia Carabinieiri a Piedi della Guadia di Palazzo (Foot Carabinieri Company of the Palace Guard). Alongside this company there was also another company of grenadiers.

Unlike the rank and file, their uniform was blue, with white cuffs and prominent lace decorations on the coat, the cuffs, and the pockets.

Guardia del Corpo a piedi

PRINCE EUGENE OF SAVOY'S PAINTING OF HIS VICTORIES (GALLERIA SABAUDA TURIN)

 Sometimes the most interesting things are right on our doorstep. The Galleria Sabauda, housed in the Royal Palace of Turin, preserves the collection of paintings that once belonged to Prince Eugene of Savoy and which his heiress sold to the King of Sardinia in 1738.

Alongside paintings of various subjects, particularly interesting are ten works depicting the Prince’s victories, which he himself commissioned to celebrate his undisputed military genius. I photographed them and, for the first time, I am presenting all ten together.

I also tried to examine the uniforms shown in the paintings, but my impression is that they were either largely invented or not rendered with any particular attention to detail. In any case, from a visual point of view, the paintings provide a vivid impression of the landscape and overall setting of each individual battle.

Battle of Belgrad

Battle of Luzzara

Battle of Turin

Battle of Cassano

Battle of Zenta

Battle of Oudenarde

Battle of Hochstedt/Blenheim

Battle of Petervaradin

Battle of Malplaquet

Battle of Chiari

DUCHY OF MODENA'S ARMY 1702 -1712. THE REGGIO REGIMENT. THE DRUMMERS

I wanted to devote a separate post to the drummers of the Reggio Regiment, as reconstructing them required a considerable amount of both research and practical work. First of all, I was able to recover a description of the Drum Major.

Unlike ordinary drummers, the Drum Major wore the officers’ uniform, while retaining the regimental colours, as in this case.

Reggio Regiment - Major Drum

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

As for the drummers of the regular regiments, they wore a red livery with various blue and white decorations. In the Reggio Regiment, the buttons were gold, whereas in the Modena Regiment they were silver.

Reggio Regiment - Drummer

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Reggio Regiment - Musician

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

DUCHY OF MODENA'S ARMY 1702 -1712. THE REGGIO REGIMENT

One of the two regular infantry regiments was the Modena Infantry Regiment. Its existence is explicitly documented in 1700, when its strength is reported as no fewer than 2,700 men. It may reasonably be assumed that the regiment had also incorporated the urban militias of Reggio, as part of a broader programme aimed at making these forces increasingly efficient and placing them on a more regular military footing.

The regiment was therefore organised into four battalions, each consisting of twelve companies, with no separate grenadier companies.

Regiment of Reggio - Captain in parade uniform - 1708
*
(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

The unusually large number of men can also be explained by the fact that the regiment was responsible for garrison duties in the fortresses of the Duchy. (mostly the Fortress of Brescello)

Until the reform of 1742, officers and sergeants of the regular regiments wore uniforms with the colours reversed in comparison with those of the rank and file. The Este Army—that is, the army of the House of Este, Dukes of Modena—placed particular emphasis on elegance, appearance and splendour in military dress.

Reggio Regiment - Bandiera Colonnella

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Regiment of Reggio. Captain

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Regiment of Reggio - Private

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

ERRATACORRIGE

According to Cenni’s notes, the Modenese units wore a red neckcloth: tied at the back for ordinary soldiers, and tied so that the ends hung down at the front for corporals. I have therefore decided to revise my previous figure and correct it accordingly.

Regiment of Reggio - Private with red collar

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

The colonel’s colour followed the general pattern of French regimental flags, replacing the white cross with a cross in the colour associated with the House of Este, while the yellow fields were generally combined with different colours corresponding, broadly speaking, to the regiment’s facing colour.

Reggio Regiment - Ordonnace

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Reggio Regiment - Colonnella Bearer

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Reggio Regiment - Ordinanza Bearer

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Unlike ordinary drummers, the Drum Major wore the officers’ uniform, while retaining the regimental colours, as in this case.

Reggio Regiment - Drum Major 

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

THE ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MODENA DURING THE WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION

METHODOLOGICAL NOTE

The Duchy of Modena, ruled by the House of Este—once the lords of Ferrara—represents a genuine challenge from the point of view of uniform research. On the one hand, I have managed to recover a considerable amount of information; on the other, I soon realised that no one had ever attempted to organise it systematically. What existed was essentially a collection of scattered images and references, assembled without any real underlying structure.

This uniformological investigation therefore provides an excellent, and indeed rather extreme, example of what I mean by an investigative/inductive method of uniform research. By this I mean an approach in which conclusions are always rooted in historical evidence: every available piece of information is examined in the greatest possible detail, then compared and interpreted through logical deduction until a coherent reconstruction can be reached.

In my view, it is always preferable to attempt to fill historical gaps in this way rather than simply abandon the subject because the surviving evidence is incomplete.

And this is precisely the story of the Army of the Duchy of Modena during the War of the Spanish Succession, from 1707 onwards, during the brief period in which it becomes particularly relevant.

The military history of the Duchy of Modena and Reggio during the War of the Spanish Succession is particularly interesting because this small Este state found itself almost exactly on the fault line between France and the Empire. Rather than conducting a large-scale independent war with forces of its own, Modena was initially a territory of passage, occupation and strategic rivalry, before becoming, from 1707 onwards, a political and military base increasingly tied to the Imperial cause.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

1701 – A neutrality already compromised

At the beginning of the war, Duke Rinaldo d’Este attempted formally to maintain a position of neutrality. In practice, however, as early as the summer of 1701 he allowed the Imperial troops of Prince Eugene to make use of the fortress of Brescello. This was far from a neutral gesture: Brescello, on the Po, was a fortress strategically very important for communications and for the entry of Imperial forces into the Po Valley. The Duchy found itself in an extremely difficult position: Franco-Spanish armies operated to the north and west, while Imperial forces were advancing from the opposite direction. Modena simply did not possess enough troops to prevent either of the great powers from imposing its will.

The Duchy of Modena and Reggio

1702 – The French occupation

Rinaldo’s pro-Imperial stance soon had consequences. On 1 August 1702, French troops entered Modena after forcing the Imperial forces to abandon the Reggio sector. Rinaldo left the Duchy and took refuge with his court in Bologna (with his Guards du Corps), where he remained for the most part until 1707. From this point onwards, Modena ceased for several years to enjoy any real military independence. In 1703, the French occupation effectively became a conquest, and the Este administration was dissolved. The military structures of the Duchy did of course continue to exist but under French control and the state itself was under occupation and its ruler was in exile.

1706 – The turning point

The major strategic turning point came with the campaign of 1706. The Allied victory at Turin on 7 September 1706 completely altered the military balance in northern Italy. The French army was gradually forced to retreat (the retreat was compleated at the beginnin of the year 1707), while Imperial forces were able to advance into the Po Valley. The war in Italy was now clearly turning in Austria’s favour. In November 1706, Imperial forces reached Modena. The French withdrew into the Citadel, which was then besieged. Rinaldo d’Este himself took part in the siege, (and this means with his troops, already recovered; this also confirms they wereexsisting under the french occupation, with important effects on the uniforms study); it was indeed a significant fact because it marked the return  of the Duke of Modena not simply as a restored ruler, but also as a military ally of the Empire.

Rinaldo d'Este Duca di Modena e di Reggio

1707 – Liberation of Modena and reconstruction of the military establishment

In February 1707, the French garrison of the Citadel surrendered. Rinaldo returned permanently to his territories and restored the Este government.

It is above all from this point onwards that the Army of Modena becomes particularly interesting from a uniformological point of view.

With the territory liberated, the Duke had to:

• re-establish companies and regular units;
• reorganise the garrisons;
• provide for the defence of the fortresses;
• restore equipment, uniforms and armament;
• coordinate his forces with the Imperial troops operating in the region.

The Duchy also became a kind of secure rear area for the Imperial military system in northern Italy. Rinaldo’s policy increasingly transformed Modena into a political and military bridgehead for Imperial influence in Italy.

1707–1708 – Ferrara and Comacchio

After the liberation of his Duchy, Rinaldo attempted to turn his alliance with the Emperor into territorial advantage. The Este had never forgotten Ferrara, which they had lost to the Papal States in 1598. Rinaldo therefore supported the argument that Comacchio, and more broadly certain rights in the Ferrarese, were Imperial fiefs rather than territories over which the Papacy exercised unquestioned sovereignty. This interpretation found support in Vienna.

When open conflict broke out in 1708 between the Empire and Pope Clement XI, the Duchy of Modena therefore occupied a very particular position: it was not merely a spectator, but an Imperial ally with a direct dynastic interest in the dispute. Imperial operations against Comacchio, Ostellato, Bondeno and Ferrara thus took place immediately next to Este territory and made use of Modena and the neighbouring districts as part of the wider Imperial logistical system.

THE ROLE OF THE ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MODENA 1706 - 1709

Besides roles of garrison duty, fortress defence, territorial control, logistical support and artillery service, the Este's Army also perfomed a limietd military campaign.

The military activity of the troops of the Duchy was concentrated mainly on the siege of Modena and its Citadel, in which some 4,000 militiamen took part under the command of Antonio Maria Sufari, Lieutenant of the Guard of the Duke of Modena. (The Guardia del Corpo had been divided into two detachments, with approximately 60 guards accompanying the Duke during his exile in Bologna).

The presence of a Lieutenant of the Guard allows us to draw two conclusions: first, that half of the unit (that stayed in Modena) had remained active; and second, that a detachment of it was present at the siege, probably at about half-company strength, or roughly 40-50 men. As for the militia, the sources describe them as “forensi”, that is, Territorial militia. They were therefore probably drawn from the territories around of Modena and Reggio and Garfagnana.

The siege took place on 20 November 1706, which means that these troops were able to organise themselves in an extremely short space of time. This is particularly significant because, as we shall see, they were already fully organised from a military point of view.

A further important element that has emerged is that the Bombardiers (artillerymen) of the Duchy also took part in the subsequent siege of the Citadel of Modena. This provides additional confirmation that the entire military structure of the Duchy of Modena had remained in existence even during the French occupation.

Further evidence also supports the conclusion that the Guard of the Duke of Modena had accompanied him during his exile in Bologna. When the Duke returned to his territories, he was escorted by his Guard, which strongly suggests that the unit had been with him in Bologna, together with a body of cavalry. The escort numbered about 150 men in total.

In September 1708, the Emperor began moving towards the Ferrarese the limited forces that he had been able to assemble in the Mantuan territory. In order not to weaken the garrison of Mantua excessively, he asked the Duke of Modena to send several companies of his infantry there as reinforcements.It therefore appears clear that, by this time, the army of the Duchy had once again become fully operational.

 At the same time, Duke Rinaldo I d’Este, concerned for the security of his own territories, also began strengthening his military establishment. During that same month he brought down several companies of hardy men from the Garfagnana, reinforced with them the garrisons of Spilamberto, Vignola, San Cesario, Nonantola and Finale, and subsequently increased the number of regular troops available for any eventuality.

The contemporary Avvisi Italiani confirm that a considerable mobilisation was under way. A report from Venice stated that recruiting drums were being beaten in Modena for new levies and that enlistment was proceeding successfully. Each recruit was offered very good payment and a full uniform. The conditions appear to have been sufficiently attractive to induce 54 soldiers to desert from Forte Urbano, together with additional men from Faenza, in order to enter Modenese service. At the same time, the export of horses from Modena was prohibited under severe penalties, while the militia were ordered to be ready to march on the 27th, although their intended destination was not disclosed.

The Modenese forces were deployed in particular along the Panaro, which at that time marked the frontier between the Este territories and the Papal States. From these positions they not only defended the border but also repelled several Papal incursions and took an active part in operations carried out beyond the frontier.

The precise strength of the Modenese forces were very elevated: The Avvisi Italiani reported in August that the Duke of Modena had reached an agreement with contractors from Mantua for as many as 12,000 uniforms intended for newly raised soldiers.

More significant is another report dating from the end of September, according to which 3,000 men had descended from the Garfagnana to join an equal number of regular soldiers, with the purpose of opposing the Papal forces that were concentrating around Forte Urbano. If taken literally, this would suggest a force of approximately 6,000 men available for operations in the sector, 

Taken together, these contemporary accounts clearly indicate that the Duchy of Modena was not merely a passive supporter of the Imperial cause in 1708. On the contrary, it was actively recruiting, equipping and deploying significant numbers of troops, reinforcing its fortresses, guarding the frontier along the Panaro and preparing to cooperate militarily with the Imperial forces operating against the Papal States.

The Duke Rinaldo I d'Este (after Q. Cenni)

THE ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MODENA

Having set out the necessary historical background, we must now turn to the most difficult part: determining the actual composition of the Army of the Duchy of Modena.

To do so, following the methodological approach outlined above, it is necessary to begin from a number of investigative and deductive principles:

1. Before the occupation of 1702, a ducal army was already in existence.
2. During the French occupation, the Modenese military system was not dismantled, but continued to remain in existence.
3. With the Duke’s return, the army developed in continuity with the pre-existing military establishment, both because of immediate practical necessities and because of the need to reorganise it as rapidly as possible.
4. No substantial changes were introduced before 1740; consequently, information relating to the Modenese military establishment up to that date may, with due caution, also be considered applicable to the period of the War of the Spanish Succession.

The principal source consists of Quinto Cenni’s notes and his remarkable uniformological plates. Unfortunately, no systematic study of the Modenese army exists, and even the surviving material collected by Cenni is often rather confused, having been assembled without any clear methodological framework. Cenni himself is also frequently lacking in precise information and detail.

Nevertheless, by comparing his material with contemporary sources and carefully examining apparently minor references—for example, accounts of the celebrations held in 1700 for the birth of the Duke’s first-born son, during which the various troops were drawn up on parade—it is possible to reconstruct a much more complete picture of the military establishment of the Duchy.

From 1674 onwards, following the end of the regency, the military establishment of the Duchy of Modena entered a phase of renewed development, particularly in relation to the militia. A central figure in this process was Prince Cesare Ignazio d’Este (1653–1713), cousin of Duke Francesco II. Educated in France, like his uncles Alfonso and Almerico, Cesare Ignazio returned to Modena in 1673 and soon became actively involved in court politics, playing an important role in the removal of the Dowager Duchess from the regency the following year.

His years at the court of Louis XIV appear to have had a considerable influence on his character and on his military ideas. Francesco II appointed him Comandante Generale in Capo of the ducal army, entrusting him with the direction of military affairs. Cesare Ignazio pursued an energetic programme of reform, although his ambitions were inevitably limited by the modest financial resources available to the Duchy.

French influence was therefore reflected in both the organisation and the uniforms of the troops, in keeping with a broader military fashion of the period.

 Copyright of 
Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE TARNOWSKI