MONTECUCULI, RAIMONDO, Count de, Prince of Melfi, and generalissimo of the imperial armies of Germany, was descended from a noble family, and was born at Modena in 1608. He entered the imperial forces as a volunteer, was engaged in the war against the Swedes, and quickly rose through the several grades of rank until he was placed in command of 2000 horse. At the head of these, in 1639 he surprised an army of 10,000 before Nusslau in Silesia, cut them to pieces, and took their artillery and baggage. But he was speedily overtaken and captured by General Bannier near Prague. After a captivity of two years, spent in close study of the military art, he returned with renewed eagerness to the scene of war. His reputation as a general was retrieved by the defeat of Wrangel at Triesel in 1647. On the peace of Westphalia in 1648, he visited his native duchy; but being so unfortunate as to kill one of his dearest friends, Count Manzani, in a tournament held in honour of the marriage of Duke Francesco I., he hastened his return to Germany. His next expedition was against Prince Ragotski and the Swedes, who, in 1657, were threatening to drive John Casimir, King of Poland, from his kingdom. No sooner had he forced these to conclude a treaty, than he was despatched to relieve the King of Denmark from the Swedish force that was besieging his capital. In this enterprise he continued to experience his usual success until peace was re-established in the north by the death of Charles Gustavus, King of Sweden. He was then sent to check the advance of the Turks into Hungary. At the head of a very inferior force, he continued, by the rapidity of his movements, to baffle all the projects of the grand vizier, until, receiving reinforcements from the French, he came forth boldly into a fair field of battle, and finished the war in 1664 by the brilliant victory of St Gothard. Montecuculi was reserved for achievements still greater. On the outbreak of the war with France in 1673, he was placed at the head of the imperial troops, and contrived to effect a junction with the Prince of Orange, in spite of the manoeuvres of the great general Turenne. In the following year the elector of Brandenburg was chosen to supersede him. But it was soon manifest that none but Montecuculi could cope with Turenne: he was therefore reinstalled in the supreme command in 1675. Then began a series of manoeuvres and counter-manoeuvres more glorious than an equal number of victories. For four months these two generals continued to follow each other, to watch every movement, and to be ever on the alert to seize the slightest advantage. Yet endurance, rapidity, and stratagem were all tried in vain, and could not affect the equality of the contest. Each divined the purposes of the other by supposing what he himself would have done in his position; and no sooner had the one begun to execute any plan than he found that he had been anticipated and thwarted by his opponent. At length the scarcity of provisions rendered it necessary for both parties that a battle should be risked. Turenne was already reconnoitring the ground, when a random ball from a cannon shot him dead, to the deep regret of the magnanimous general whom he had been ready to attack. His place was taken by the Prince of Condé. But not even that great commander could out-maneuvre Montecuculi; and the war was closed without any decisive action. Montecuculi had now finished his last and most glorious campaign. He spent the remainder of his life in the enjoyment of the distinction and honours which his great deeds had won, and in promoting the cause of learning and science. He died at Lintz in October 1681. The military memoirs which he wrote show how profoundly skilled he was in his profession. They were published in Italian at Cologne in 1704,
and in Latin at Vienna in 1718. A French translation, with a Life of the author, appeared at Amsterdam in 1752.