Michael von Melas
Michael Friedrich Benedikt Baron von Melas was born on the 12th of May 1729 and died on the 31st of May 1806. He rose to general of the cavalry in the service of the Austrian Empire. Melas came from Transylvania and was of Greek descent, which made him an unusual figure among the commanders of the Habsburg army. His name is tied to the French Revolutionary Wars and to one of Napoleon Bonaparte's most celebrated days in Italy. How did a boy from the far edge of the empire reach the head of an army? Why did a general who had beaten the French again and again end up surrendering a whole country? And what did he believe he was doing at the moment it all slipped away?
Radeln, in Transylvania, is where Melas was born. Today the village is called Roadeș and belongs to Bunești commune in Brașov County, Romania. He joined the Austrian Army at the age of 17, so his military life began in his teens. During the Seven Years' War he served as aide de camp to Leopold Josef Graf Daun. That post kept him close to a senior commander and to the decisions made at headquarters. Melas was promoted to colonel in 1781. More than a decade would pass before the wars of the French Revolution gave him a command of his own.
In 1794 Melas fought on the lower Rhine, and in 1795 he served on the middle Rhine. Those campaigns were his introduction to war against revolutionary France. His largest task came later, when he led the Austrian Army in Italy as a general of the cavalry. This was the theatre of Napoleon Bonaparte's Italian campaigns, within the wider War of the Second Coalition. Melas served under the Russian field marshal Alexander Suvorov, who commanded the forces of the Second Coalition. Under that arrangement he led Austrian troops to victory at Cassano, Trebbia, Novi and Genola. He also won the Siege of Genoa. One more battle in this run would come close to bringing him a victory over Napoleon himself.
At the Battle of Marengo, Melas stood on the edge of beating Napoleon. He then made a decision that he came to regret. Believing the French were a beaten foe in retreat, he handed command to a subordinate so that the pursuit could begin. The French had not given up. Further down the road their forces made a stand. The French General Louis Desaix then led a counter-attack, and the Austrian advantage collapsed into a defeat. A battle that looked won was lost because the commander believed it was already over. The consequences were settled on the very next day.
On the day after Marengo, Melas was compelled to sign the Convention of Alessandria. Under its terms, rule of Italy up to the Mincio River passed to Napoleon. The authority of the Habsburg Crown was forced out of Italy as a result. Melas later served as a Habsburg commander in Bohemia, far from the Italian plains where his reputation had been made and lost. He retired in 1803. His final years were spent in Bohemia, and he died at Týnec nad Labem.
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Common questions
Who was Michael von Melas?
Michael von Melas was a Transylvanian-born general of the cavalry of Greek descent who served the Austrian Empire during the French Revolutionary Wars. He lived from the 12th of May 1729 to the 31st of May 1806.
Where was Michael von Melas born?
Michael von Melas was born in Radeln, Transylvania. The village is now called Roadeș and is part of Bunești commune in Brașov County, Romania.
Which battles did Michael von Melas win in Italy?
Michael von Melas commanded Austrian forces to victory at Cassano, Trebbia, Novi and Genola, and in the Siege of Genoa. He served under the Russian field marshal Alexander Suvorov, who commanded Second Coalition forces.
Why did Michael von Melas lose the Battle of Marengo?
Michael von Melas handed command to a subordinate in the belief that the French were a beaten foe in retreat. French forces made a stand further down the road, and a counter-attack led by General Louis Desaix defeated his army.
What was the Convention of Alessandria that Michael von Melas signed?
The Convention of Alessandria was signed by Michael von Melas the day after the Battle of Marengo. It gave Napoleon rule of Italy up to the Mincio River and forced Habsburg authority out of Italy.
When did Michael von Melas retire and where did he die?
Michael von Melas retired in 1803 after serving as a Habsburg commander in Bohemia. He died at Týnec nad Labem, in Bohemia.
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