Siege of Turin

Part of the War of the Spanish Succession

The attack of Prince Leopold of Anhalt Dessau

Date	14 May - 7 September 1706
Location	Turin (present-day Italy)
Result	Grand Alliance victory

Belligerents

Habsburg Austria

Duchy of Savoy

Prussia

France

Bourbon Spain

Commanders and leaders

Eugene of Savoy

Count Wirich Philipp von Daun

Duke of Savoy

Prince Anhalt-Dessau

Duke of Orleans

Louis de la Feuillade

Marshal Marsin †

Strength

14,700 garrison,
30,000 relief army

41,000

Casualties and losses

3,246 dead or wounded

3,800 dead or wounded,
6,000 captured, 186 guns

The Siege of Turin (14 May–7 September 1706) was undertaken by Philippe II, Duke of Orléans and General Louis d'Aubusson de la Feuillade against the Savoyard city of Turin during the War of the Spanish Succession. The French Royal Army was unable to break down Turin's defences or obtain the city's surrender. The besiegers were attacked on 7 September by a Habsburg Austrian relief column under Prince Eugene of Savoy and Victor Amadeus, Duke of Savoy and routed at the Battle of the Stura. The siege of Turin was broken and the withdrawal of French forces from northern Italy began. Coupled with its twin disaster in Flanders—the destruction of a French army at the Battle of Ramillies—Turin marked 1706 as the annus horribilis for Louis XIV of France.

At the outbreak of the conflict, Victor Amadeus, backed by his cousin Eugene, generalissimo of the Imperial troops, had taken the risk to side with Austria's Habsburgs since they were the sole power in Europe that could grant his state a total independence after a final victory. However, in case of defeat, Piedmont and Savoy would be wiped off the European maps.

King Louis XIV of France, allied with Spain, replied by invading first Savoy and then Piedmont itself. As the Spanish armies occupied Lombardy, Piedmont found itself surrounded from every side. Attacked by three armies, the Savoyards lost Susa, Vercelli, Chivasso, Ivrea and Nice (1704). The last stronghold was the Citadel of Turin, a fortification built in the mid-16th century.

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Wikipedia