Claude Louis Hector de Villars

Claude Louis Hector duke of Villars (May 8th 1653 with Mills (To combine) - June 17th 1734 with Turin) is one of the most brilliant generals of the reign of Louis {{XIV}}.

Biography

Resulting from a family coldly anoblie, Villars begins its military rise only at fifty years, at the time of the War of succession of Spain. It becomes Marshal of France in 1702, after its victory of Friedlingen.

Winner again with Battle of Höchstadt in 1704, it is made Duc of Villars in 1705 even and of France in 1709. The same year, it is wounded with the Bataille of Malplaquet, where the victorious allies undergo more losses than overcome, which would have made him say: “ Still a defeat like that, lord, and we gained the war. ”

In 1712 by its surprised victory of Denain, it saves the armies louis-quatorziennes of the defeat.

He is elected member of the French Academy in 1714. Of 1715 with 1718, it chairs the Conseil of the War. In 1733, one year before its death, it receives Louis {{XV}} the rare dignity of general Maréchal of the camps and armies of the king. In 1734, still green Villars with eighty one years took, in Italy, the command of 40000 French, 12000 Piedmontese and of 21000 Spaniards to conquer in three months the Milanese at the time of the War of succession of Poland, it was to die in its bed in Turin on June 17th, 1734. Among the words that one owes him, when he learned that Berwivk had had the head carried by a ball at the time of the Siège of Philippsburg, Villars known as “ This man always had more chance than me! ”

Voltaire said of him: “It by heart knew the beautiful places of Crow, Root, and Molière. I intended to him to say one day to an extremely famous statesman, which was astonished that it knew so many worms of comedy: “I played less about it than you, but I know some more. ”” The worms often allotted to Voltaire, “happy Villars, fanfaron full with heart”, regarded by some as a right appreciation of the duke of Villars, would be an interpolation.

Publications

Memories of the duke of Villars, par of France, general Marshal of the armies of S. m.t. C. (3 volumes, 1735-36). The last two volumes are forgeries manufactured by the abbot who published them.
Countryside of Mister the marshal of Villars in Germany, year MDCCIII, containing the Letters of this marshal and those several other general officers with the King and Mr. de Chamillart, with the Answers of the King and of this minister; collection formed on the originals which are in deposit at the Office of the war of the Court of France (2 volumes, 1762)
Mémoires of the marshal of Villars, published, according to the original manuscript, for the Société of the French history, and accompanied by new correspondences, by Put Mr. Vogue (6 volumes, 1884-1904)
the last countryside of Historical Villars Revue of the Army. Minitère of the War. Quarterly publication Staff of the Army. Historical service. First year number I - July 1945

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