BATTLE OF TURIN 1706. MAP OF THE HILLSIDE SECTOR

 As surprising as it may seem, this is the first map showing the deployment of the troops around the Turin hill. It depicts the situation after De Muret had already led two battalions towards the fighting in front of Turin, while command of the sector remained in the hands of Albergotti, who failed to move in support of the main army, thereby condemning it to defeat.

Map - extended version

Below is a detailed view of the hilly sector. It is an area I know extremely well. The entire position is dominated by Monte dei Cappuccini, which is still clearly visible today and was, in all likelihood, occupied by the Fusiliers de Montagne, as it was—and still is—the highest point in that sector.

Extended Version

BATTLE OF TURIN 1706 - MAP OF THE FARMSTEADS AND CHURCHES AROUND TURIN

Further research led me to identify the location of the various farmsteads, farm buildings, and churches around the city of Turin. Some of these names have now become the names of Turin districts, such as La Crocetta — from where I am writing — San Salvario, and Madonna di Campagna, all now within central Turin. Likewise, where the Cascina La Molinetta once stood, there is now the enormous hospital complex — the second largest in Italy — which is called, precisely, Le Molinette.

Bigger version

BATTLE OF TURIN 1706. MAP OF THE LAST STANDING OF THE FRENCH ARMY - Part 1

The ultimate goal is to produce a book on the Battle of Turin 1706, bringing together all the information I have collected over the years. An important part of this work will consist of a series of maps.

In this case, I have sought to reconstruct the French defensive line as it stood at approximately 1.00 p.m. on 7 September 1706. The map also serves to illustrate the actual positions of the Troops of the Duchy of Monferrat—namely one battalion of the Gardes du Duc de Mantoue and one battalion of the Beltrambi Regiment.

Moreover, for the first time, it identifies the French and Spanish units that did not take a direct part in the Battle of Turin itself but were instead assigned to garrison the line of circumvallation.

As I will show later, although these troops were not directly engaged in the main battle, some of them—particularly the infantry units—ultimately sacrificed themselves to ensure the survival of the French army. Their conduct displayed a remarkable degree of courage and determination, one that, in my opinion, should lead to a reassessment of the commonly held view of the Monferrat troops (including that presented on Kronoskaf by my friend Richard).

By bringing together a wide range of information, supported by several illustrative maps, and through a careful reading, re-reading and interpretation of the available sources, I have been able to reconstruct the defensive deployment of de Muret's troops. These forces formed the final barrier against the Imperial army which, having broken through the initial entrenched line, poured onto the retreating Bourbon army while it was simultaneously caught in a pincer movement by the garrison of the City of Turin, which seized the opportunity to launch a sortie against its rear.

This therefore represents another episode of the famous battle, distinct from the one I have already examined concerning the assault on the Castle of Lucento. It sheds further light on the final stages of the Battle of Turin and on the crucial role played by the troops covering the French retreat.

complete map

Map with the rearguard troops.

WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION: ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MANTUA - MILIZIA TROOPS

The Duchy of Mantua-Montferrat also raised local militia units in the Montferrat region, whose members were particularly hostile towards the Piedmontese. These formations were primarily employed for patrol duties and garrison service, engaging in a form of low-intensity warfare. They nevertheless became involved in several incidents of friction with the local population of the Duchy of Savoy, earning a particularly poor reputation among its inhabitants.

A total of 580 men were enlisted and distributed among several garrisons to maintain control of the territory, specifically as follows:

Their deployment was as follows:

- 60 men at Castel'Alfero;

- 60 at Bruzolo, 60 at Vercelli (after its occupation in 1704); 

- 200 at Avigliana (together with detachments from the Montferrat regiments); 

- 100 at Crescentino–Verrua (after Verrua was captured in 1705); 

- 100 at Trino Vercellese.

Their uniform essentially consisted of civilian clothing made of dark woollen cloth, without cuffs or turnbacks, and a hat of the late seventeenth-century style, with its brims not yet turned up into the fully developed tricorne. They wore the red-white cocarde with the Monferrato's colours. Instead of the standard haversack issued to the regular Montferrat regiments, they carried a simple cloth sack. Their footwear likewise consisted of sturdy boots of civilian origin, reflecting the fact that these men were primarily urban levies drawn from merchants and the lower artisan and labouring classes, with only limited means to equip themselves at their own expense. To distinguish themselves, they wore a red-and-white cockade, the traditional colours of Montferrat.

The Militia colours could simply have displayed the colours of the Monferrato coat of arms (rather than those of Mantua), making them both easy to produce and immediately identifiable as Monferrato troops. Given their simplicity, it is likely that each detachment carried one, and it is almost certain that the larger contingents possessed their own colours.

The black and yellow straps to celebrate the Gonzaga House.

WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION: ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MANTUA - REGIMENT (MARCHESE DI) NATTA

 This regiment represented the third regiment raised by the Duchy of Mantua and Monferrato. It took its name from Marquis Giacomo Natta d'Alfiano. Like several other noble families of Monferrato, the Natta family attained noble status through wealth, their earliest ancestors having been prominent bankers in the region.

The ordonnance flag follows the traditional pattern of French regimental colours, while incorporating the colours of Monferrato both in the border and in the central field. These colours also echo those of the coat of arms of the Marquises Natta d'Alfiano, thereby emphasizing both the regiment's territorial identity and its connection with its proprietor.

Ordonnance

The fleurs-de-lis placed in the four corners of the flag are intended as a mark of reverence towards Louis XIV of France. It should be remembered that Marquis Giacomo Natta d'Alfiano originally served as Captain of the Duke's Personal Guards (not to be confused with the Guardes du Duc de Mantoue Regiment) of the Gonzaga-Nevers Duke.

The coat of arms depicted on the flag is an accurate reproduction of the original, which has been faithfully preserved to the present day (see the picture below).

Moreover, it was Louis XIV himself who entrusted the Marquis with the task of raising the Royal-Montferrat Regiment in 1688, the unit that was subsequently reorganised as the Guardes du Duc de Mantoue Regiment. To support this undertaking, the King of France granted the Marquis a special pension of 1,200 doubles per annum.

When the Guardes du Duc de Mantoue Regiment passed under the command of the Duke Gonzaga of Luzzara in 1702, the Marquis raised this new regiment. Like the other regiments of Monferrato, it was disbanded in 1707 following the fall of the Duchy of Mantua.

Like the other Monferrato regiments, it consisted of a single battalion, comprising twelve companies of fusiliers and one company of grenadiers.

The regiment remained under the command of Marquis Giacomo Natta d'Alfiano throughout its existence. His survival beyond 1707 is beyond doubt, as demonstrated by the title page of a book that he himself authored in his later years and published in 1713 (see below).

Colonnella

The uniform followed the standard pattern adopted by the other Mantuan regiments, but was distinguished by its red facings. The wealth and noble status of its proprietor—and consequently his attention to detail and willingness to bear additional expense—may well have enabled this regiment to be equipped with red breeches as well.

The regiment was principally engaged, together with the Beltrambi Regiment, during La Feuillade's campaign in southern Piedmont in 1705. During the summer of 1706, it was deployed in the Luserna Valley, where it was tasked with pursuing Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy, and containing his incursions.

It was subsequently transferred to the garrison of Pinerolo, where it remained until the regiment was disbanded in 1707.

This regiment did not participate in the Battle of Turin, possibly because it was deliberately kept out of action in order to preserve it, in view of its proprietor's close relationship with the King of France.

WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION: ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MANTUA - REGIMENT BELTRAMBI

The second regiment of the Duchy of Mantua that took part in the Siege of Turin and, in a more secondary role, in the Battle of Turin itself (as it was not deployed in the front line but rather assigned to the defence of the lines of contravallation) was the Beltrambi Regiment.

According to the limited uniformological evidence collected so far, this regiment also wore yellow facings, like the more prestigious Regiment des Gardes du Duc de Mantoue, together with a grey coat made of a less expensive cloth than that used by the Guards. The regiment also wore grey breeches, thereby distinguishing itself from the Guards.

The proprietor-colonel belonged to the Beltrambi family, Counts of Castelrocchero, an Astigian-Monferrine noble house from a territory then subject to the Duchy of Mantua.

The partial information concerning their coat of arms was discovered in the heraldic compilation Armoriale delle Famiglie Italiane, although the entry is incomplete. Nevertheless, by applying the established principles of heraldic blazonry, it has been possible to reconstruct the arms. The reconstruction presented here is believed to be the first example ever published on the Internet.

This coat of arms has been incorporated into a flag, with the colours of Monferrato, the cross typical of the French regiments, and the coat of arms of the Beltrambi family. It must be considered that this family - like many others in the Province of Asti -  originated from a lineage of merchants who were later ennobled, as frequently occurred among the Asti nobility (the Roero family being a notable example). Consequently, owning a proprietary regiment represented a source of immense prestige within the Monferrato.

Although this territory was formally subject to the House of Gonzaga, it regarded itself as a genuinely autonomous entity with a strong sense of its own identity and traditions. For this reason, the regimental colour adopts the traditional colours of Monferrato.

Furthermore, the decorative elements featured on the ordonnance flag of the Gardes du Duc de Mantoue Regiment have been deliberately omitted, as it is unlikely that what may be described as a second-line regiment could have afforded flags of such elaborate workmanship. The central shield incorporates several decorative and heraldic motifs characteristic of the Monferrato region during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The Colonel's like the reverse side of the Guardes but on both sides

Drapeau Colonel 

Regiment Beltrambi

The regiment took part in the Southern Piedmont campaign of 1705–1706. During the summer of 1706, it was employed to counter the incursions of the Duke of Savoy in the Luserna Valley, after which it was transferred to garrison duty, first at Avigliana and subsequently at Pinerolo, where the 1st Company was stationed.

The 2nd Company was detached to garrison the Fort of Bard, where it surrendered to the Imperial forces on 22 September 1706.

The regiment nevertheless took part in the Siege and Battle of Turin, albeit with these two companies absent—the 1st and 2nd Companies—and therefore fielded ten companies of fusiliers and one company of grenadiers. During the battle, it was deployed in the defence of the French lines of contravallation.

WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION: ARMY OF THE DUCHY OF MANTUA - REGIMENT GUARDES DU DUC DE MANTOUE (Guardie del Duca di Mantova)

 One of the most obscure aspects of the War of the Spanish Succession is the strength and, above all, the uniforms of the army of the Duchy of Mantua and Monferrato. The Gonzaga-Nevers state consisted of two geographically separated territories: the Duchy of Mantua around the city of Mantua itself and the Duchy of Monferrato, centred on Casale, in what is today southern Piedmont.

The Duchy sided with France, a decision that ultimately proved disastrous. Following the collapse of French power in Northern Italy after the Battle of Turin in 1706, Emperor Joseph I accused Duke Charles IV Gonzaga-Nevers of felony and formally deprived him of his duchy in 1707.

In the western portion of the Gonzaga dominions, the principal city was Casale Monferrato, whose famous citadel — one of the strongest fortresses in Europe and a masterpiece of military engineering— had been demolished in 1695 on the orders of Louis XIV.

The purpose of this post is therefore to examine the armed forces of the Duchy, a task made extremely difficult by the almost complete lack of surviving information on the subject. Nevertheless, I have managed to reconstruct the regiments—each consisting of a single battalion—as well as the militia that formed the Duchy's principal military force.

Moreover, these units took an active part in the war and, of particular interest to me, two of them were present at the Battle of Turin: the Duke's Guards Regiment (Regiment of the Duke of Mantua's Guards) and the Beltrambi Regiment.

By siding with the Kingdoms of France and Spain, the Duchy came under strong French influence from a military standpoint, a fact that was also reflected in its uniforms. The organization, structure, and appearance of the Mantuan troops increasingly followed French military models, making them more akin to contemporary French units than to those of the Imperial Army.

The Duchy's military establishment consisted of three regiments: the Guards du Duque de Mantou (Duke of Mantua's Guards Regiment), the Beltrambi Regiment, and the Natta Regiment, supplemented by militia forces that provided the bulk of its local defensive capabilities. the last two were raised by two noble families of the West part of the Duchy, once in Asti.

Beginning with the first regiment, namely (Reggimento Guardie del Duca in Italian, it should be noted that it originated from the French Royal-Montferrat Regiment. The unit was subsequently transferred to the service of the Duke of Mantua and became known as the Guards of the Duke of Mantua, while retaining much of its French military character, organization, and traditions.

The uniform seems to have been predominantly white rather than grey, a characteristic consistent with the regiment's elite status. The facings, and most likely the breeches, were blue. This colour was significant not only as a traditional emblem of the House of Gonzaga, but also as a reminder of the unit's former position as the Royal-Montferrat Regiment in French service.

Regiment: Guardes du Duc de Mantoue/Guardie del Duca di Mantova

When its proprietor-colonel became Prosper de Gonzague, Marquis of Luzzara, the regiment adopted the title: Régiment des Gardes du Duc de Mantoue or Gardes de Monsieur le Duc de Mantoue. Upon the death or replacement of its proprietor-colonel, the regiment adopted the name: Régiment de Jaucourt de La Vaiserie, in accordance with the French military practice whereby regiments were customarily named after their commanding proprietor-colonel, but in all documents it is still reported as Reggimento Guardie del Duca di Mantova (in Italian or French)

The regiment operated primarily in Northern Italy. It is recorded as having served:

• during the Brescian Campaign, Cremona, 
• Battle of Governolo 1702
• Battle of Luzzara 1702;
• Operations along the Mincio River;
• Siege of Chivasso;
• Battle of Cassano in 1705;
• Siege of Turin;
• Battle of Turin in 1706.

Drapeau Colonel

The Colonel's Colour was white, inherited from the former Royal-Montferrat Regiment, and displayed the coat of arms of the Gonzaga-Nevers dynasty, who held the rank and dignity of Peers of France.

On the reverse side of their colours, the regiments of the Duchy of Mantua, even in the late seventeenth century, simply displayed the eagle of the Gonzaga dynasty on a white field. 

However, it appears rather unlikely that an eagle of this kind was actually displayed, as it was clearly a tribute to the Empire. Other sources instead suggest the presence of the Gonzaga coat of arms, which in this reconstruction has been placed upon the white cross of French derivation, following the pattern of a colonel's colour.

Drapeau Colonel Reverse Side

In the following reconstruction, the Ordonnance Colour follows the traditional pattern of French regimental colours, featuring a white cross at the centre, the colours of the House of Gonzaga in the cantons, and the coat of arms of the Gonzaga of Luzzara—the proprietors of the regiment—displayed in the centre.

Drapeau d'Ordonnance