page_title: Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne
section_title: Marshal of France
hierarchical_section_title: Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne / Marshal of France
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Abbildung des Haupt Treffens zwischen den Chur Bayrischen, und Frantzösischen Armeen, bey Allerheim geschehen den 3. Augusti A. 1645, Matthäus Merian, 1707
context_page_description: Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne, commonly known as Turenne, was a French general and one of only six Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustrious member of the La Tour d'Auvergne family, his military exploits over his five-decade career earned him a reputation as one of the greatest military commanders in modern history.
  Born to a Huguenot family, the son of a Marshal of France, he was introduced to the art of war at a young age. He first served as a volunteer in the Dutch States Army under the orders of his maternal uncles Maurice of Nassau and Frederick Henry but later chose to continue his career in the service of France, where his noble origins and proven qualities soon saw him rise to the top of the military hierarchy. He rose to prominence during the Thirty Years' War by capturing the fortress of Breisach in 1638. Promoted Marshal of France in 1643, he invaded Bavaria the following year, defeating the Bavarian army in three years of campaigning and forcing the Elector of Bavaria to make peace.
context_section_description: The relations of the principality of Sedan to the French crown markedly influenced the earlier career of Turenne; sometimes it proved necessary to advance the soldier to conciliate the ducal family, at other times the machinations of the ducal family against Richelieu or Mazarin prevented the king's advisers from giving their full confidence to their general in the field. Moreover, his steady adherence to the Protestant religion provided a further element of difficulty in Turenne's relations with the ministers. Cardinal Richelieu nevertheless entrusted him with the command in Italy in 1643 under prince Thomas, who had changed sides in the quarrel, and who was not trusted by Richelieu. Thomas, while in theory in command himself, quickly put Turenne in control of the campaign. Using deception to fool the Spanish into weakening the Trino Turenne took the town in a few weeks. He was promoted to Marshal of France (16 May 1643).
  Turenne was recalled due to the intrigues of Cardinal Mazarin, who was sabotaging Turenne's career. This meant that he was available in case of sudden need for a good commander. After the French suffered a devastating defeat at Tuttlingen, Turenne was thrown back into action. The following campaign would greatly advance his career.
  While molding the army back into fighting condition Turenne bought mounts for 5,000 cavalrymen and clothes for 4,000 infantrymen of his own money.  The reorganization finished, Turenne began campaigning in June 1644, crossing the river Rhine at Breisach. He defeated Gaspard von Mercy killing 2.400 imperials. After this however, he was quickly joined by a force under the Duke of Enghien, later to be known as the Grand Condé. The Duke, as a prince of the royal house, took the chief command of the united armies of "France" and "Weimar". The desperately fought battle of Freiburg against Franz von Mercy's Bavarians (3, 5 and 9 August 1644) proved the chief event of the first campaign. In this battle Turenne distinguished himself with a well executed strike at the enemy flank. The French continued on by successfully besieging Philippsburg. Before the capitulation Enghien withdrew and left Turenne in command. With Condé and most of the army gone Franz von Mercy occupied Mannheim and tried to induce Turenne to abandon the Siege of Philippsburg by pretending to cross the river there but to no avail. At the same time the Duke of Lorraine moved to besiege nearby Bacharach. Turenne to 500 men and built a huge camp near Bacharach, believing Turenne had a large force Lorraine retreated. Turenne continued on by taking the important fortress of Kreuznach and blocking the route between the two armies.
  Turenne began the 1645 campaign with a successful forward movement, but Mercy managed to deceive him into thinking the Bavarians were scattered and far away and he was taken by surprise and defeated at Mergentheim. While Turenne had quickly ordered his forces to unite one of his subordinates, general Rosen, was not informed on the situation, defied the order, leading to defeat while Turenne's main force was winning. Turenne's army lost all of its artillery and baggage and five sixths of its infantry. Turenne retreated to Hesse, which caused its forces to join the French, while a Swedish force and reinforcements under Condé, who took command once again. The Swedes soon departed, but Enghien commanded still 17,000 men. The French marched into Bavaria with facing little opposition until they caught up with Mercy's retreating army. Mercy inflicted casualties of the French in an artillery duel and outmaneuvered them in the march on Allerheim, buying time to fortify his position. Turenne advised not to fight but this was rejected by Condé. Turenne's plan of attack was accepted by Condé. The following battle was a French victory and Mercy was killed but the French had suffered heavily. Ill-health forced Enghien to retire soon afterwards, leaving Turenne for the third time in command of the French army.  He was met by superior imperial forces  and forced to retreat. At Philippsburg Turenne crossed the 
caption: Battle of Nördlingen
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