Battle of Cremona

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The Battle of Cremona (also coup of Cremona ) was a battle of the War of Succession, which took place on February 1, 1702 between France and imperial troops.

Five months after Prince Eugene of Savoy was able to beat the French troops at the Battle of Chiari in Lombardy, he came in a westward offensive against the army of the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I to Cremona in the Po River.

Eugen was planning a surprise attack on Cremona with the help of a local priest, who should be 400 Imperial through a channel in the city. This should then open the gate on the Po for more troops under Charles Thomas de Lorraine - Vaudémont.

On February 1, 1702 Prince Eugene surprised by his nocturnal attack the French garrison of Cremona under Marshal François de Neufville, duc de Villeroy. The city was conquered by the Prince and the Duke are captured by Villeroy. The imperial troops captured a large number of French high-ranking officers. 1,000 soldiers were killed in the attack, many of them in their sleep.

But the plan did not go quite as successful, as the troops under Vandemont were stopped by difficult terrain and reached Cremona later than planned. The citadel of Cremona was held, also because an important bridge was blown up by the defenders and thanks to the stubborn defense of the Po gate by the French Irish Brigade. A French relief army approached Cremona. Eugene was forced to retreat.