Siege of Turin

Lore & Background

By 1706, France occupied most of the Duchy of Savoy except Turin. Siege operations began on 2 June but made little progress. Prince Eugene outmanoeuvred the French field army under the Duke of Orleans and joined forces with 7,000 cavalry led by Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia. On 7 September, the Allies attacked the French south of Turin and broke through their lines after fierce fighting. The French were forced to withdraw from Northern Italy, allowing Victor Amadeus to recover most of Piedmont.

Reader's Guide

The Siege of Turin was a turning point in the Italian theatre of the War of the Spanish Succession. Prince Eugene's march to relieve the city—covering 200 miles in 24 days and crossing four major rivers—is often compared to Marlborough's march to the Danube. The French failure to capture Turin, despite outnumbering the relief force, led to their withdrawal from Northern Italy and the eventual Convention of Milan in March 1707, which ended the war in Italy. The siege also produced a lasting national hero in Pietro Micca, who died on 31 August 1706 after exploding a mine to prevent French entry into the citadel's tunnels. His story became a symbol of patriotism after Italian unification in the 19th century.

Did You Know?

• Pietro Micca was killed on 31 August 1706 after exploding a mine to prevent French troops from breaking into tunnels under the citadel.
• Prince Eugene's march to relieve Turin covered 200 miles in 24 days and crossed four major rivers.
• The French commander Louis de la Feuillade began bombarding the citadel from 300 metres away, against the advice of military engineer Vauban.
• The Convention of Milan, signed in March 1707, ended the war in Northern Italy.