Siege of Genoa (1747)

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Siege of Genoa
Part of War of the Austrian Succession
Tipo dimostrativo di Genova assediata dalle truppe austro-sarde e dalle navi inglesi. Genova, Giovanni Gravier-Panfilio Vinzoni, 1747.jpg
Plan of Genoa during the 1747 siege.
DateApril - June 1747
Location
Genoa, Republic of Genoa
(present-day Italy)
44°24′25.88″N8°56′2.33″E / 44.4071889°N 8.9339806°E / 44.4071889; 8.9339806
Result Franco-Spanish-Genoese victory
Belligerents
Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor without haloes (1400-1806).svg  Habsburg Monarchy
State Flag of the Savoyard States (late 16th - late 18th century).svg  Kingdom of Sardinia
Flag of Genoa.svg  Republic of Genoa
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg  Kingdom of France
Bandera de Espana 1701-1748.svg Kingdom of Spain
Commanders and leaders
Siege force
Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor without haloes (1400-1806).svg Count Schulenburg
State Flag of the Savoyard States (late 16th - late 18th century).svg Gian Luca Pallavicini
Garrison
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg General Boufflers
Relief Force
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg Marshal Belle-Isle
Bandera de Espana 1701-1748.svg General Las Minas
Strength
Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor without haloes (1400-1806).svg 24,000 men,
State Flag of the Savoyard States (late 16th - late 18th century).svg 6,000 men [1]
Flag of Genoa.svg 10,000 garrison
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg 6,000 garrison [1]
Relief map of Italien Ligurien.png
Red pog.svg
Location within Liguria
Italy relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Siege of Genoa (1747) (Italy)

The siege of Genoa took place in 1747 when an Austrian army under the command of Count Schulenburg-Oeynhausen launched a failed attempt to capture the capital of the Republic of Genoa.

Contents

Prelude

The Austrians had captured and then lost Genoa the previous year, and made it the central objective of their strategy for 1747. They decided on attacking Genoa before they would consider further operations against Naples or an invasion of France, especially because the Invasion of the Provence in winter 1746-47 had been a failure. [2]

Maximilian Browne was appointed commander of all Imperial forces in Italy, and Count Schulenburg of the Imperial forces that would attack Genoa. The plan was to starve Genoa into submission, and in order to cut off all approaches by sea, the British fleet began a naval blockade in February. [3]

The Siege

Schulenburg's force reached the outskirts of the city in April, but realising they needed more troops they waited until twelve battalions of infantry from their Sardinian allies arrived in June. The delay allowed the French and Spanish to send reinforcements to the city under Joseph Marie de Boufflers to bolster the garrison. A major attack on the city was launched on 21 May, but the defenses of Genoa held, despite the fact that Boufflers contracted smallpox, and would die in early July. [4]

The approach of a strong Franco-Spanish force under Marshal Belle-Isle and General Las Minas, pressured the Sardinians to withdraw to try to defend a possible threat to Milan, and Schulenberg then abandoned the siege blaming the Sardinians. The failed siege led to recriminations between Vienna and Turin with both complaining to their British allies in London about the alleged betrayal of the other. [5] [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 Bodart, Gaston. Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905), 1867.
  2. Browning 1994, p. 293.
  3. Browning 1994, p. 297.
  4. Browning 1994, p. 297-298.
  5. Lodge p.262-64
  6. Browning 1994, p. 310.

Bibliography