Peter Vitus Freiherr von Quosdanovich ( Croatian: Petar Vid Gvozdanović; 12 June 1738 – 13 August 1802) was a nobleman and general of the

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...

of Croatian descent. He achieved the rank of Feldmarschall-Lieutenant and was awarded the Commander's Cross of the

Military Order of Maria Theresa The Military Order of Maria Theresa (german: Militär-Maria-Theresien-Orden; hu, Katonai Mária Terézia-rend; cs, Vojenský řád Marie Terezie; pl, Wojskowy Order Marii Teresy; sl, Vojaški red Marije Terezije; hr, Vojni Red Marije Te ...

. He played a major role in several battles against the

French Army of Italy The Army of Italy (french: Armée d'Italie) was a field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best kno ...

led by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

during the French Revolutionary Wars.

Early years

Petar Vid Gvozdanović was born in Žumberak, Croatia,

, and joined the '' Varaždin'' Grenz

Hussar A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...

Regiment # 41 in 1752. He fought in the Seven Years' War. He distinguished himself in the War of the Bavarian Succession of 1778–9. He was promoted to colonel of the Slavonian Hussar regiment and decorated with the Knight's Cross of the

. He fought during the

Austro–Turkish War (1787–1791) The term Austro-Turkish War may refer to: * Austro-Turkish War (1593–1606) * Austro-Turkish War (1663–1664) * Austro-Turkish War (1683–1699) * Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718) * Austro-Turkish War (1737–1739) * Austro-Turkish War (1788–1 ...

, becoming a General-Major and taking over the command of Alt Gradisca. He was a relative of

Karl Paul von Quosdanovich Karl Paul von Quosdanovich ( hr, Karlo Pavao Gvozdanović, in some sources also ''Quasdanovich'' or ''Guosdanovich''; 1763 – 5 February 1817) was a Croatian nobleman and general in the Habsburg monarchy imperial army service.was a Habsburg no ...

Wars with France

During the War of the First Coalition Quosdanovich first commanded a brigade, then a division. At the crucial defeat at Fleurus he commanded the second column. On 24 September 1795, while leading a division, he scored an impressive victory over two French divisions at the

Battle of Handschuhsheim The Battle of Handschuhsheim or Battle of Heidelberg (24 September 1795) saw an 8,000-man force from Austrian monarchy, Habsburg Austria under Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich face 12,000 men from the First French Republic, Republican French army led ...

(now a district of Heidelberg). In July 1796 he transferred to Italy, where he led a corps under

Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser Dagobert Sigismund, Count von Wurmser (7 May 1724 – 22 August 1797) was an Habsburg monarchy, Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years' War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mount ...

and József Alvinczi in four attempts to break the French Siege of Mantua. In the first, he lost the Battle of Lonato after a complicated series of maneuvers between 29 July and 4 August 1796. During the second relief, he participated in the

Battle of Bassano The Battle of Bassano was fought on 8 September 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, in the territory of the Republic of Venice, between a French army under Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces led by Count Dagobert von Wurmser. The ...

on 8 September, but avoided being trapped in Mantua with Wurmser. In the third relief of Mantua he led the

Friaul Friuli ( fur, Friûl, sl, Furlanija, german: Friaul) is an area of Northeast Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity containing 1,000,000 Friulians. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giuli ...

Corps in the Second Battle of Bassano and the

Battle of Arcole The Battle of Arcole or Battle of Arcola (15–17 November 1796) was fought between French and Austrian forces southeast of Verona during the War of the First Coalition, a part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The battle saw a bold maneuver b ...

. He led two brigades at the crucial Battle of Rivoli.Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich
at historydata.com
/ref> He retired from the army in 1797 and died at Vienna on 13 August 1802.Smith-Kudrna, ''Peter Quosdanovich''

Footnotes

References

Books

* Boycott-Brown, Martin. ''The Road to Rivoli.'' London: Cassell & Co., 2001.

External sources