Ferrante Vincenzo Gonzaga, Marquess of Vescovato (

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

, 6 March 1889 –

Eboli Eboli ( Ebolitano: ) is a town and ''comune'' of Campania, southern Italy, in the province of Salerno. An agricultural centre, Eboli is known mainly for olive oil and for its dairy products, among which the famous buffalo mozzarella from the ...

, 8 September 1943) was an Italian general during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Biography

Early life and career

Prince Ferrante Vincenzo Gonzaga was born in 1889, the only son of Prince

Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga (Venice, 21 September 1861 – Rome, 24 March 1938) was an Italians, Italian general from the House of Gonzaga, decorated with the rank of officer in the Military Order of Savoy, with two gold medals, three silver and two ...

, Marquess of Vescovato, general in the

Royal Italian Army The Royal Italian Army ( it, Regio Esercito, , Royal Army) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfre ...

during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and awarded the

victory title A victory title is an honorific title adopted by a successful military commander to commemorate his defeat of an enemy nation. The practice is first known in Ancient Rome and is still most commonly associated with the Romans, but it was also adop ...

of Marquis of the Vodice in 1932. At the death of his father in 1938, Gonzaga inherited the titles of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Marquess of Vescovato, marquess of the Vodice, count of and

Cassolnovo Cassolnovo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italy, Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 km southwest of Milan and about 35 km northwest of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,203 and ...

, lord of Vescovato and Venetian patrician. After graduating in

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

at the

University of Turin The University of Turin (Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Torino'', UNITO) is a public research university in the city of Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe and continues to play an impo ...

, Gonzaga decided to pursue a military career; he participated as a junior officer in the Italo-Turkish War, fighting in

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

, and in the First World War. In 1926 he was assigned to the Command of the

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

Army Corps. In 1936, with the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

, he commanded the 1st Artillery Regiment "Cacciatori delle Alpi" in

Foligno Foligno (; Southern Umbrian: ''Fuligno'') is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system. It is located so ...

; from December 1938 to June 1940 he was

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

of the 33rd Infantry Division Acqui. After Italy's entry into the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he commanded the artillery of the XIII Army Corps in

Cagliari Cagliari (, also , , ; sc, Casteddu ; lat, Caralis) is an Italian municipality and the capital of the island of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name ''Casteddu'' means ''castle''. It has about 155,000 inhabitant ...

, being promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

on 1 July 1940. In March 1942 he was given command of the artillery of the XXV Army Corps in Elbasan,

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

, until November, after which he was attached to the Ministry of War for a few months. On February 10, 1943, he was given command of the 222nd Coastal Division, stationed in the

Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...

area, a severely understaffed unit whose personnel largely consisted of ill-trained and ill-equipped territorial troops.

Death

After the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brig ...

was announced on 8 September 1943, German forces launched Operation Achse for the occupation of Italy and the disarmament of all Italian units. General Gonzaga, who had been preparing for such an instance, immediately issued orders to his subordinates instructing them to refuse German requests to hand over their weapons, and to regroup and prepare for resistance. On the same day of the proclamation of the Armistice General Gonzaga was approached in Buccoli, a hamlet of

, by a German detachment commanded by Major von Alvensleben, who ordered him to surrender. Gonzaga refused to comply, shouting to his men: "A Gonzaga never surrenders"; having drawn his gun, he was immediately killed with a burst of

submachine gun A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed, automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to describe its design concept as an autom ...

. Major von Alvensleben expressed admiration for Gonzaga's courage; the general was posthumously awarded the

Gold Medal of Military Valor The Gold Medal of Military Valour ( it, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare) is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The fac ...

, Italy's highest military decoration.

Family

On October 20, 1937, Ferrante Vincenzo Gonzaga married in Piacenza Luisa Anguissola-Scotti (1903–2008), daughter of Ranuzio Anguissola-Scotti, count of

Podenzano Podenzano ( egl, label= Piacentino, Pudinsàn ) is a in the Province of Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is bordered by the following municipalities: Gossolengo, Piacenza Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a ...

and Ville. The couple had three children: * Maurizio Ferrante, 15th marquis of Vescovato, 3rd marquis of Vodice, count of Villanova, count of Cassolnovo and patrician of Venice (born in Rome on 4 September 1938) * Corrado Alessandro (born in Rome on 10 July 1941), lord of Vescovato and patrician of Venice * Isabella (born in Rome on November 15, 1942), married Hans Otto Heidkamp

Honors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzaga, Ferrante Vincenzo Italian soldiers Italian generals Italian military personnel of World War I Italian military personnel of World War II Italian military personnel killed in World War II Recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Bronze Medal of Military Valor 1889 births 1943 deaths