Juan de Courten (elder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Courten y Gonzalez
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| Born | 10 October 1730 Tortosa |
| Died | 21 December 1796 (aged 66) Zaragoza |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Spain |
| Service/ |
Infantry |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Battles/wars | War of the Austrian Succession Spanish–Portuguese War Great Siege of Gibraltar War of the Pyrenees |
| Other work | Governor of Oran (1790–1792) |
Juan Courten y Gonzalez (born October 10, 1730, died December 21, 1796) was an important Spanish military leader. He started his army career very young, at age 14, during the War of the Austrian Succession. He fought in many big conflicts. These included the Spanish–Portuguese War, the Invasion of Algiers in 1775, and the Great Siege of Gibraltar. He was also the last Spanish governor of Oran in 1792. As a lieutenant general, he led soldiers in the War of the Pyrenees. He fought against the First French Republic in battles like Perpignan, Peyrestortes, Truillas, Boulou, and the Black Mountain. In 1795, he became the Captain General of Aragon.
Early Military Life
Juan Courten was born on October 10, 1730, in Tortosa, Spain. His family originally came from Valais, which is now part of Switzerland. His father, Jean-Etienne Amand de Courten, was a Brigadier General and a military engineer. Juan's grandfather, Amand de Courten, was also a soldier. He died in the Siege of Venlo in 1702. Juan's father died in 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession.
Juan Antonio de Courten joined the Spanish army when he was just 12 years old. He served in the Walloon Guards Regiment. He became an ensign in 1744. He fought in the War of the Austrian Succession. He was part of the Battle of Velletri in 1744 and the Battle of Piacenza in 1746. He also took part in the sieges of Alessandria, Tortona, and Valenza. He was promoted to second lieutenant in 1746 and first lieutenant in 1754.
Courten served in the Spanish–Portuguese War from 1761 to 1763. He became a captain in 1768. In 1775, Courten was part of the Invasion of Algiers. This was a big defeat for the Spanish army. Many officers involved were sent away from the royal court. These officers, including Courten, formed a secret group. They wanted to make the military more modern.
Courten fought in the Great Siege of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1783. In 1789, he became a mariscal de campo. He was given the temporary rank of lieutenant general. He then commanded the Walloon Guards. Courten was the last Spanish governor of Oran. He was in charge from 1790 to 1792. Oran had been under Spanish control since 1732. Courten followed royal orders to leave Oran. He made sure all Spanish property was moved out.
Fighting in the Pyrenees War
Courten was promoted to teniente general. He played a very important role in the War of the Pyrenees. This war began in 1793 against the First French Republic. The army commander, Ricardos, thought highly of Courten's skills. He gave Courten important commands.
Courten led three battalions of the Walloon Guards. He fought in the Battle of Perpignan on July 17, 1793. His troops fought well, even though the battle was not successful. On September 17, 1793, he fought at the Battle of Peyrestortes. The French attacked his division. His troops had to retreat. They lost 1,200 soldiers and many cannons.
Five days later, he helped win the Spanish victory at the Battle of Truillas. At Truillas, 24,000 French soldiers attacked. But they were stopped. Juan Courten and the Count de la Union led an infantry counterattack. This helped Spain win the battle. The French lost many prisoners and cannons.
After leading his troops in December, the 63-year-old general became ill. He still fought in the Battle of Boulou in April and May 1794. In October 1794, Courten was listed as commanding several units. These included battalions from the Burgos, Principe, Granada, Voluntarios de Tarragona, España, Extremadura, Malaga, and Savoia regiments.
Courten commanded the left side of the army at the Battle of the Black Mountain. On November 17 and 18, 1794, the French army defeated Courten's troops. They forced his soldiers to pull back. The main part of the battle happened on November 20. The French took a key fort. The Spanish army then had to flee. Both army commanders were killed in this tough battle. Courten became the Captain General of Aragon in 1795. He died near Zaragoza on December 21, 1796.
Family Background
The Courten family was originally from Italy. They moved to Switzerland and settled near the Simplon Pass. They became rich by charging tolls to travelers. They even built a castle in the Valais area. The family was important enough to raise a regiment of Swiss soldiers. These soldiers served in the French royal army. This continued until 1792. After 1792, the regiment joined the army of King Charles IV of Spain.
A younger Juan de Courten was promoted to mariscal de campo in 1810. He commanded troops at the Siege of Tarragona in 1811.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Antonio Courten y González para niños
