Siege of Nice (1705)
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2016) |
Siege of Nice | |||||||
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Part of War of the Spanish Succession | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France | Savoy | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Louis d'Aubusson de La Feuillade Duke of Berwick | Marquis of Caraglio |
The siege of Nice took place between 15 March 1705 and 4 January 1706 as part of the
Victor Amadeus II of Savoy
– the latter were led by the marquis of Caraglio.
Course
French forces massed on the west bank of the
River Var, giving warning of preparations for an invasion.[1] However, the Savoy stronghold at Nice did not prepare for a siege – at the end of the year, its powder reserves were sent to the Piedmont.[1]
In spring 1705 the French armies under the command of
duc de La Feuillade
laid siege to the imposing bastions and towers of the town of Nice. Its citadel and castle overlooked the town on a rocky spur, surrounded by a 2.3-kilometre and 8-metre-high (26 ft) wall. Inside this initial fortified line, a second higher and bigger wall flanked by towers marked the outline of the castle's citadel.
The French forces in the
Nice Castle to ruin after a 54-day bombardment. It was immediately razed "as if it had never existed" on the instructions of Louis XIV.[1]