Battle of Santa Vittoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Santa Vittoria |
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| Part of the War of the Spanish Succession | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Holy Roman Empire |
 Kingdom of France Savoy |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Annibal Visconti | Duc de Vendôme | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 2,800 | 4,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 600 killed or wounded 400 captured |
200 | ||||||
The Battle of Santa Vittoria was a small but important fight that happened on July 26, 1702. It was part of a bigger war called the War of the Spanish Succession. This battle took place in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It was a quick fight, also known as a skirmish, between French soldiers led by Louis Joseph, duc de Vendôme and a group of Imperial cavalry (horse soldiers) led by General Annibal Visconti. The French won this battle.
Contents
What Led to the Battle?
The War for Control of Italy
The War of the Spanish Succession was a big conflict in Europe. One of the main goals was to control areas in Northern Italy. The Duchies of Milan and Mantua were very important. They were like key gateways for Austria's southern border. In 1701, both Milan and Mantua allowed French soldiers to be stationed there. Also, Victor Amadeus II, the Duke of Savoy, joined forces with France.
Prince Eugene's Victories
However, in May 1701, an Austrian army arrived. It was led by a famous general named Prince Eugene of Savoy. His army won several battles. By February 1702, they had pushed the French soldiers back behind the Adda River.
Challenges for Prince Eugene
Even though Prince Eugene was successful, he faced problems. He didn't have enough money, soldiers, or supplies. Because of this, he couldn't fully use his wins. Instead of attacking Mantua directly, he tried to cut off its supplies. He hoped the city would surrender because of hunger.
Vendôme Takes Command
In early March 1702, a new French commander arrived. This was Vendôme. He took over from Villeroi, who had been captured. Vendôme's army got many more soldiers. He then started moving his troops around to try and help Mantua.
A Game of Cat and Mouse
Vendôme managed to get supplies into Mantua. But Prince Eugene kept up his blockade. Eugene's army stayed in strong, protected positions near Borgoforte. There were many small, fierce fights between the two sides. In June, the new King of Spain, Philip V, joined Vendôme at Cremona. They split their armies. Philip attacked towns held by the Imperial forces. He hoped this would make Prince Eugene leave Mantua. Meanwhile, Vendôme followed Eugene, looking for a chance to attack.
Visconti's Mission
In early July, Vendôme's army reached the village of Sissa. King Philip was further south at Castelvetro di Modena. The two armies then met up at Castelnuovo. Prince Eugene thought they were heading towards Guastalla. So, he sent three groups of cavalry soldiers. These were led by General Visconti. Their job was to watch the French movements. On the evening of July 23, Visconti's soldiers camped at a small village called Santa Vittoria. This village is near modern-day Gualtieri.
The Battle Begins
A Surprise Attack
Vendôme heard that Visconti's soldiers were at Santa Vittoria. He quickly gathered his own force. This included 20 groups of cavalry and 24 groups of infantry (foot soldiers). A French cavalry group usually had about 135 soldiers. An infantry group had about 50. So, Vendôme had around 2,700 cavalry and 1,200 infantry.
Vendôme managed to surprise Visconti's forces. His cavalry arrived late in the morning of July 26. Many of the Imperial horse soldiers were letting their horses graze. The French quickly took control of the bridge over the River Crostolo. This cut off the Imperial soldiers' escape route.
A Fierce Fight
The Imperial soldiers quickly got ready to fight. A very fierce battle began as they tried to break through the French lines. They fought hard to escape. But then the French infantry arrived. General Visconti's soldiers were forced to retreat.
Losses on Both Sides
The Imperial forces lost most of their supplies and equipment. It's not completely clear how many soldiers were hurt or captured. One guess is that about 1,000 Imperial soldiers were lost. This includes those killed, wounded, or captured. The French lost about 200 soldiers. However, the number for the Imperialists seems very high to some historians.
What Happened Next?
After their victory, the French continued their advance. They captured Guastalla and then Borgoforte. This forced Prince Eugene to move his army away from Mantua. These events then led to a bigger battle. This was the Battle of Luzzara, which happened on August 15.
