Filippo Paulucci delle Roncole (11 September 1779 – 25 January 1849), also known as Filipp Osipovich Pauluchchi (russian: Филипп Осипович Паулуччи), was an Italian marquis and
army officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent contextu ...
, later a general at the services of the
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
, the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
, the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
, and the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.
Born into a prominent
Modenese noble family, he served as a junior officer in the
Sardinian Army
The Royal Sardinian Army (also the Sardinian Army, the Royal Sardo-Piedmontese Army, the Savoyard Army, or the Piedmontese Army) was the army of the Duchy of Savoy and then of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was active from 1416 until it became th ...
during the
War of the First Coalition
The War of the First Coalition (french: Guerre de la Première Coalition) was a set of wars that several European powers fought between 1792 and 1797 initially against the Kingdom of France (1791-92), constitutional Kingdom of France and then t ...
(1794–96). After brief services in the
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic ( it, Repubblica Cisalpina) was a sister republic of France in Northern Italy that existed from 1797 to 1799, with a second version until 1802.
Creation
After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte organized t ...
and
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
armies in Italy, in 1806 he moved into
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
service and climb the ranks to the position of governor general of
Livonia
Livonia ( liv, Līvõmō, et, Liivimaa, fi, Liivinmaa, German and Scandinavian languages: ', archaic German: ''Liefland'', nl, Lijfland, Latvian and lt, Livonija, pl, Inflanty, archaic English: ''Livland'', ''Liwlandia''; russian: Ли ...
. In 1829 he returned in Piedmont and was appointed
full general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED On ...
and
Inspector general
An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general".
Australia
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory off ...
of Infantry and Cavalry on 1830, only to be dismissed a year later when King
Carlo Felice
Charles Felix (; 6 April 1765 – 27 April 1831) was the Duke of Savoy, Piedmont, Aosta and King of Sardinia from 1821 to 1831.
Early life
Charles Felix was born in Turin as the eleventh child and fifth son born to Victor Amadeus III of ...
died. In 1848 Paulucci was rumored as a possible Commander-in-Chief for the
Sardinian Army
The Royal Sardinian Army (also the Sardinian Army, the Royal Sardo-Piedmontese Army, the Savoyard Army, or the Piedmontese Army) was the army of the Duchy of Savoy and then of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was active from 1416 until it became th ...
, but he refused any involvements. He died peacefully in
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
the following year.
Life
First years
Filippo Paulucci delle Roncole was born in one of the most notable noble couples of
Modena
Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...
: the family of his father, Giuseppe Paulucci delle Roncole, had held the feudal titles of Vignola, Cividale and Roncole since 1768 and moved from
Perugia
Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia.
The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part o ...
to Modena in 1753. His mother, Claudia Scutellari, was the daughter of one of
Parma
Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...
noble families, with blood ties to the
Spanish court. His older brother was
Amilcare Paulucci
The Marquis Amilcare Ambrosio Paulucci delle Roncole (11 January 1773 – 17 March 1845) was an aristocrat from Modena, in what is now Italy, who served in the navy of the Bourbon Kingdom of Naples from 1787 to 1799.
He then joined the French serv ...
, who later commanded the Austrian navy. Filippo was the fifth of their eight sons, and was admitted beyond the pages of the
King of Sardinia
The following is a list of rulers of Sardinia, in particular, of the monarchs of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica from 1323 and then of the Kingdom of Sardinia from 1479 to 1861.
Early history
Owing to the absence of written sources, little ...
after his father's death in 1785. This position granted him access to the military elite of the
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
. In 1792 the Kingdom entered the
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
against
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, and in 1794 Paulucci, just appointed
sublieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces.
In most armies, sub-lieutenant is the lowest officer rank. However, in Brazil, it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain, it is the second high ...
in the 2nd Battalion of the Gards, was sent to the front-line. Captured in action on 27 April, he was freed after a prisoners exchange on 7 May. He went on fighting the Frenchmen, until he was taken prisoner in
Mondovì
Mondovì (; pms, Ël Mondvì , la, Mons Regalis) is a town and ''comune'' (township) in Piedmont, northern Italy, about from Turin. The area around it is known as the Monregalese.
The town, located on the Monte Regale hill, is divided into ...
when the city surrendered to the French army, but subsequently freed after six days following the
Armistice of Cherasco
The Armistice of Cherasco was a truce signed at Cherasco, Piedmont, on 28 April 1796 between Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia and Napoleon Bonaparte. It withdrew Sardinia from the War of the First Coalition (leaving only Britain and Austria in the Co ...
. After the French occupation of
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 ...
, he challenged to a duel a French officer who questioned the valor of the
Piedmontese
Piedmontese (; autonym: or , in it, piemontese) is a language spoken by some 2,000,000 people mostly in Piedmont, northwestern region of Italy. Although considered by most linguists a separate language, in Italy it is often mistakenly regard ...
soldiers. Since duels were outlawed, Paulucci was arrested and sentenced to a three-week imprisonment. On 19 November 1796, he was promoted to captain and freed from his fealty's oath by the king, who awarded him the Knight's Cross of the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus ( it, Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the wo ...
for the stubborn loyalty he had shown.
In 1797 he was listed among the staff officers and aide-de-camp of the
Cisalpine Army, probably as aide-de-camp of
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Giuseppe Lahoz Ortiz
Giuseppe Lahoz Ortiz, also known as Giuseppe La Hoz (Mantua, 1766 — Ancona, 13 September 1799) was an Italian general, Jacobin and patriot, who served the Austrian Empire, the Cisalpine Republic and then fought in the Italian anti-French ins ...
. In 1799, in
Mantua
Mantua ( ; it, Mantova ; Lombard language, Lombard and la, Mantua) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, province of the same name.
In 2016, Mantua was designated as the Italian Capital of Culture ...
he passed in the
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
service, taking on garrison duties in
Passau
Passau (; bar, label=Central Bavarian, Båssa) is a city in Lower Bavaria, Germany, also known as the Dreiflüssestadt ("City of Three Rivers") as the river Danube is joined by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north.
Passau's popu ...
until, in 1803, the city was given to the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
. In 1804, in
Wien
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
, he married Wilhelmina Franziska von Koskull, daughter of a noble
Curlandia
Courland (; lv, Kurzeme; liv, Kurāmō; German language, German and North Germanic languages, Scandinavian languages: ''Kurland''; la, Curonia/; russian: Курляндия; Estonian language, Estonian: ''Kuramaa''; lt, Kuršas; pl, Kurland ...
n family.
Service in the Russian Empire
![Filippo Paulucci monument 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Filippo_Paulucci_monument_01.JPG)
Paulucci, using his wife's family connections, moved to the Russian service, and in 1807 was promoted
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 ...
, and was sent on a mission to
Karađorđe's Serbia
Revolutionary Serbia ( sr, Устаничка Србија / Ustanička Srbija), or Karađorđe's Serbia ( sr, Карађорђева Србија / Karađorđeva Srbija), refers to the state established by the Serbian revolutionaries in Ottoman S ...
. On 7 May 1809 he was awarded the 4th class of the
Order of St George
The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...
"as a reward for prudent orders given whilst in the Finnish army, which helped to defeat the enemy". He took part in the war against the Turks in 1810 and was appointed quartermaster of the
Caucasian Army in 1811, then governor of Georgia. In this position he simultaneously had to wage a war against the Turks (from
Kars
Kars (; ku, Qers; ) is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. Its population is 73,836 in 2011. Kars was in the ancient region known as ''Chorzene'', (in Greek Χορζηνή) in classical historiography ( Strabo), part of ...
), against the Persians (
Karabakh
Karabakh ( az, Qarabağ ; hy, Ղարաբաղ, Ġarabaġ ) is a geographic region in present-day southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura (Caspia ...
) and insurgents. Paulucci withstood this difficult situation and on 25 April 1812 was awarded the Order of St George 3rd class "as a reward for feats of courage and bravery in the Caucasus against the Persians". However, soon afterwards the preparations for war with Napoleon got underway and Paulucci was summoned to
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
to be appointed Army Chief of Staff. However, after a few days, probably due to the opposition of
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly (german: Fürst Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly; baptised – ) was an Imperial Russian soldier of Baltic German and Scottish origin, who was commander-in-chief and Minister of War of the Russian Empire ...
, he received the post of the governor general of
Governorate of Livonia
The Governorate of Livonia, also known as the Livonia Governorate, was a Baltic governorate of the Russian Empire, now divided between Latvia and Estonia.
Geography
The shape of the province is a fairly rectangular in shape, with a maximum ...
. In 1829 he left the Russian army and went to Italy, where he took command of the army of Piedmont.
Return to service in the Kingdom of Sardinia
After the constitutional revolution in 1821, the
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
made political manoeuvres to exclude
Carlo Alberto
Charles Albert (; 2 October 1798 – 28 July 1849) was the King of Sardinia from 27 April 1831 until 23 March 1849. His name is bound up with the first Italian constitution, the Albertine Statute, and with the First Italian War of Independence ...
from the succession line, in hope to substitute him with
Francesco IV d'Asburgo-Este. Paulucci met, during one of his Italian licence periods, Carlo Felice in
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 ...
, and resolved to do whatever he can to help him. Paulucci's later efforts at the Russian court were indeed essential in stopping the Austrian ambitions at the
Verona congress. Memoring these good services, the King
Carlo Felice
Charles Felix (; 6 April 1765 – 27 April 1831) was the Duke of Savoy, Piedmont, Aosta and King of Sardinia from 1821 to 1831.
Early life
Charles Felix was born in Turin as the eleventh child and fifth son born to Victor Amadeus III of ...
invited Paulucci in Piedmont in 1829, and the two started a close friendship.
After the ''coup d'etat'' that, in France, brought
Louis Philippe d’Orléans to power, Carlo Felice feared internal political struggles, and was eager to reinforce his army. The King eventually called on Paulucci, giving him the ranks of
Full General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED On ...
and
Inspector general
An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general".
Australia
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory off ...
of Infantry and Cavalry on 28 June 1830. The following month, he was then put at the head of the Sardinian Army, with full authority, except for the
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign polic ...
and four generals with greater seniority. It was recorder that Paulucci was not welcomed by the army and the officers, namely being "sevère
../nowiki> jusq'à la rudesse" (rigid to the bone).
Paulucci reorganised the Kingdom's infantry, increasing the number of the troops, modifying the brigade system and facing both enthusiastic approval and bitter critic, especially from the heir to the throne, Prince Carlo Alberto
Charles Albert (; 2 October 1798 – 28 July 1849) was the King of Sardinia from 27 April 1831 until 23 March 1849. His name is bound up with the first Italian constitution, the Albertine Statute, and with the First Italian War of Independence ...
. Carlo Felice died in March 1831, and Paulucci was eventually discharged of all his positions. The new king, only days later, suppressed the rank of Full General in the Sardinian Army.
The name of Paulucci came back to the attention of the public in March 1848, along with that of General Latour, for the command of the Sardinian Army
The Royal Sardinian Army (also the Sardinian Army, the Royal Sardo-Piedmontese Army, the Savoyard Army, or the Piedmontese Army) was the army of the Duchy of Savoy and then of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was active from 1416 until it became th ...
on the field, those being the only two generals of the entire force that had led troops in battle before. Both his age and bad health induced him to make a public refusal of the position, still never offered to him officially.[Ilari et al., ''Filippo Paulucci...'' pg 288]
Filippo Paulucci delle Roncole died in Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
on 25 January 1849, and was later buried in Mirandola, near Modena
Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...
, in the church of Saints James and Philip.
References
Bibliography
*Ulrich Einrich Gustav Freiherrn von Schlippenbach, ''Erinnerungen von einer Reise nach St. Petersburg im Jahre 1814'', Hamburg, 1818, II, pp. 5, 88, 154–165, 178–180, 192, 202, 205, 220, 241–4
*Carl von Clausewitz, ''Der Feldzug von 1812 in Russland'' (''Hinterlassene Werke'', Band 7, ed. 1862, cc. 32–33, 165, 187
*Ferdinando Augusto Pinelli, ''Storia militare del Piemonte in continuazione di quella del Saluzzo, cioè dalla pace di Aquisgrana sino a' dì nostri, 1748–1850'', Torino, T. De Giorgis, 1854, vol. 2, pp. 653–55 e supplemento III pp. 31–3
vol. 3, pp. 203–20
*Joseph Lehmann, Paulucci und Carlo Alberto, ''Magazin für die Literatur des Auslandes'', Bände 59–60, 1861, pp. 284–28
*Julius von Eckardt, Garlieb Merkel, ''York und Paulucci: Aktenstücke und Beiträge zur Geschichte der Convention von Tauroggen'', Leipzig, 186
*Dr. W. von Gutzeit, "Urtheile über den Marquis Paulucci", in ''Mittheilungen aus dem Gebiete der Geschichte Liv-, Est- und Kurlands, hgb von der Gesellschaft für Geschichte und Alterthumskunde der Ostsee-Provinzen Russlands'', Riga, I, 1865, pp. 546–55
*Василий Александрович Потто (1836–1911), ''Кавказская война''. Том 1. ''От древнейших времен до Ермолова'', 1887, Tom 1, cc. 466–488 (Maркиз ПАУЛУЧЧ
*''Le Général Marquis Amilcar Paulucci Et Sa Famille'', Padoue (1899).
*''Le bocche di Cattaro nel 1810: con notizie sul Montenegro: relazione di Luigi Paulucci (1774–1844), delegato napoleonico, con altri documenti e appunti di storia "bocchese": biografie dei Marchesi Paulucci, nei loro legami dalmati, veneti, piemontesi e russi'', a cura di Almerigo Apollonio, Istituto regionale per la cultura istriano-fiumano-dalmata, Trieste, Italo Svevo, 2005.
*Maurizio Lo Re, ''Filippo Paulucci. L'italiano che governò a Riga'', Books & Company s.r.l., Livorno, 2006.
External links
Biography
V. VII, Chapt. 511–512, Sect 511–512.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paulucci
People from Modena
1779 births
1849 deaths
Italian generals
Italian military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
Russian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Third Degree
Officers of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus