Maurice de Saxe

Maurice de Saxe was a prominent soldier and military theorist during the first half of the 18th century. He was born in Goslar on October 28, 1696. His father was Augustus II the Strong, who was the King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. Maurice was an illegitimate son, meaning his parents were not married. He was the first of many children acknowledged by his father. Because the political situation in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was unsettled, Maurice spent much of his youth outside of his father's borders. This separation helped him develop a strong sense of independence.

Maurice began his military career at the age of twelve. He served in the Imperial Army under Prince Eugene of Savoy. During the War of the Spanish Succession, he participated in the sieges of Tournai and Mons. He also fought at the Battle of Malplaquet. Later, he served under Peter the Great during the Great Northern War. By 1713, at age seventeen, he commanded his own regiment in the Royal Saxon Army. Prince Eugene once noted that Maurice's courage could sometimes be seen as rashness. Despite this, his physical strength was legendary. He was said to have a grasp so powerful he could bend a horseshoe with his hands.

His career eventually led him to serve France. He first served as a Maréchal de camp in 1720. After serving the Holy Roman Emperor, he moved to Paris to study mathematics. In 1726, he was chosen as the Duke of Courland. However, he struggled to maintain authority there. He eventually used a loan of £30,000 from an actress named Adrienne Lecouvreur to raise a force. After leaving Courland in 1727, he settled in Paris. He later rose through the ranks of the French military. He was named Marshal of France in 1743 and later became Marshal General of France.

Maurice is most famous for his actions during the War of the Austrian Succession. In 1741, he led a surprise night attack on Prague. This maneuver, known as a coup de main, made him famous across Europe. He also captured the fortress of Eger in 1742. During the war, he faced many difficult challenges. In 1744, he commanded 10,000 men for an invasion of Britain. Unfortunately, disastrous storms wrecked the fleet near Dunkirk. Later, he commanded 65,000 men at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745. During this battle, he suffered from edema, a condition involving swelling. Because he could not sit on a horse, he was carried in a wicker chariot. This steady leadership helped him secure a severe defeat for the enemy.

Beyond leading troops, Maurice was an inventor and a writer. He created a handheld light-artillery piece called an amusette. This weapon fired a half-pound ball a distance of 4,000 paces. It was capable of firing 100 shots per hour. After his death, his book *Mes Rêveries* was published in 1757. This work explored the art of war through a scientific lens. He rejected the rigid discipline used by the Prussians. Instead, he argued that French tactics should focus on mobile warfare. He also suggested that armies should focus more on winning battles than just capturing fortifications. His ideas were part of the Age of Enlightenment, which valued reasoned criticism.

Maurice died on November 20, 1750, at the Château de Chambord. The cause of death was a putrid fever. Because he was a Protestant, he could not be buried in Paris. His remains were instead moved to Strasbourg. A large funerary monument was built for him in St Thomas' Church. This monument was created by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. The statue depicts Maurice in a heroic pose, holding his baton. It also shows symbols of his enemies and the triumphs of France.

His legacy continues through his writings and his descendants. His book was praised by leaders like Frederick the Great. It was also respected by military leaders like Lord Montgomery centuries later. Even his family history is notable. His daughter, Maria Aurora, was the grandmother of the famous writer George Sand. Sand eventually included details about Maurice's life in her own memoirs. Today, historians study his life to understand 18th-century warfare. His ability to combine physical bravery with intellectual theory makes him a unique figure in history.