Prince Eugene of Savoy

Timeline

1. 1663–1683Paris · FranceBorn in Paris, with maternal ties to the French royal family. As a youth he studied at the court of Louis XIV but was cold-shouldered for his short stature and marginal origins. Repeatedly refused when seeking a commission in the French army in the 1670s, he switched to the Habsburg Empire in 1683, launching his military career.
2. 1683–1699Vienna · AustriaHe distinguished himself at the relief of Vienna in 1683, then won a string of victories in the wars against the Ottomans, recovering Belgrade and other places. During the Nine Years' War he led troops against the French on the Italian and Rhine fronts, gradually rising to become a core commander of the empire and participating in military and political reforms.
3. 1700–1736Vienna · AustriaDuring the War of the Spanish Succession he cooperated with the Duke of Marlborough, dealing heavy blows to the French at battles such as Blenheim and Turin. After the war he held senior posts in the imperial regency council, promoted military and fiscal reforms, and was renowned as a patron of the arts; he was one of Europe's most influential military statesmen of the early 18th century.