The Battle of Chiari was fought on 1 September 1701 during the War of the Spanish Succession. The engagement was part of Prince Eugene of Savoy’s campaign to attempt to seize the Spanish controlled Duchy of Milan in the Italian peninsular. Following the defeat at Carpi in July a new French commander, Marshal Villeroi, was sent to Italy to take command of King Louis XIV’s army with orders to attack the Imperial forces and drive them out of the cou...
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The Battle of Chiari was fought on 1 September 1701 during the War of the Spanish Succession. The engagement was part of Prince Eugene of Savoy’s campaign to attempt to seize the Spanish controlled Duchy of Milan in the Italian peninsular. Following the defeat at Carpi in July a new French commander, Marshal Villeroi, was sent to Italy to take command of King Louis XIV’s army with orders to attack the Imperial forces and drive them out of the country. However, Eugene, foreseeing the enemies intention of attacking at any price, had been content to entrench himself at the fortress of Chiari. In a battle that lasted several hours the Austrians inflicted heavy casualties on the Franco-Spanish forces, and scored an overwhelming victory. Villeroi was forced to withdraw across the river Oglio in November to winter in Milan, whilst Eugene occupied most of the Duchy of Mantua.
After his defeat at the Battle of Carpi on 9 July 1701 the French commander, Nicolas Catinat, precipitously retired...
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