Michael von Melas (May 12, 1729 - May 31, 1806) was a Transylvanian-born field marshal of Greek descent for the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.He was born in Radeln, Transylvania in 1729 and joined the Austrian army at age 17. He served in the Seven Years' War as aide de camp for Leopold Josef Graf Daun. He was promoted to colonel in 1781. He fought on the lower Rhine in 1794 and the middle Rhine in 1795.He later led the Austrian army in Italy during Napoleon Bonaparte's campaigns in Italy, part of the War of the Second Coalition. Serving under Russian field marshal Alexander Suvorov, who commanded Second Coalition forces, he commanded Austrian forces in victories at the battles of Cassano, Trebbia and Novi and the Siege of Genoa, and came near another victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo before his handing over control to a subordinate following injuries, and the arrival of General Louis Desaix, affected the outcome. The day after the battle he signed the Convention of Alexandria, ceding control of Italy up to the Mincio River to the French. The Austrians then withdrew.

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  • Michael von Melas (May 12, 1729 - May 31, 1806) was a Transylvanian-born field marshal of Greek descent for the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.He was born in Radeln, Transylvania in 1729 and joined the Austrian army at age 17. He served in the Seven Years' War as aide de camp for Leopold Josef Graf Daun. He was promoted to colonel in 1781. He fought on the lower Rhine in 1794 and the middle Rhine in 1795.He later led the Austrian army in Italy during Napoleon Bonaparte's campaigns in Italy, part of the War of the Second Coalition. Serving under Russian field marshal Alexander Suvorov, who commanded Second Coalition forces, he commanded Austrian forces in victories at the battles of Cassano, Trebbia and Novi and the Siege of Genoa, and came near another victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo before his handing over control to a subordinate following injuries, and the arrival of General Louis Desaix, affected the outcome. The day after the battle he signed the Convention of Alexandria, ceding control of Italy up to the Mincio River to the French. The Austrians then withdrew. Melas was then commander in Bohemia. (en)
  • Michael Friedrich Benedikt von Melas, né le 12 mai 1729 à Radeln, près de Sighişoara en Transylvanie, mort le 31 mai 1806 à Elbeteinitz en Bohême dans le district de Kolin, était un général autrichien.Il commandait le centre des troupes autrichiennes à la bataille de Marengo. Le lendemain de cette bataille, le 15 juin 1800, il négocia avec le général français Dupont de l'Étang la capitulation d’Alexandrie. Catégorie:Général autrichien Catégorie:Naissance en 1729 Catégorie:Décès en 1806 (fr)
  • Entrò in un reggimento di fanteria nel 1746. Prese parte come aiutante di campo del feldmaresciallo Leopold Joseph von Daun alla Guerra dei sette anni, raggiunse il grado di colonnello nel 1781 e quello di maggior generale nel 1789. Nel 1793 comandò una brigata sulla Sambre. Combatté come luogotenente feldmaresciallo nel 1794 sul Basso Reno e nel 1795 sul Medio Reno, ove, dopo la ritirata di Beaulieu, fu per lungo tempo comandante supremo. Alla fine del 1798 venne destinato a capo del quartier generale del principe Federico d'Orange-Nassau, comandante della armata d'Italia, in vista della campagna che si annunciava per l'anno successivo. L'improvvisa morte del principe, il 6 gennaio 1799 a Padova, per una infezione, costrinse Arciduca Carlo, comandante in capo degli eserciti imperiali, a passare il comando al Melas. Questi debuttò bene, battendo, insieme al generale russo Suvorov, i francesi del MacDonald sulla Trebbia e quelli del Joubert a Novi Ligure. Dopo che Suvorov si era allontanato in Svizzera per affrontare il Massena, Melas, al comando di 40. 000 soldati austriaci, batté il 4 novembre presso Genolo il generale francese Championnet e si impadronì di Cuneo. Nel 1800 si era inoltrato fino al Var e preparava l'invasione in Provenza, quando il generale Buonaparte, rientrato dalla Campagna d'Egitto, giunse alle sue spalle attraversando le Alpi occidentali ed interruppe le sue linee di comunicazione. Melas cercò di reagire affrontando il nemico a battaglia di Marengo e mancò poco che ci riuscisse: l'aver dato per sconfitto il nemico troppo presto gli costò caro, poiché l'arrivo improvviso delle truppe del generale francese Desaix rovesciò le sorti dello scontro e Melas fu sconfitto. Totalmente scoraggiato, firmò la Convenzione di Alessandria, in base alla quale dovette ritirarsi ad est del fiume Mincio. Venne trasferito a comandante generale della Boemia, sinché, nel 1803, si ritirò a vita privata. Morì tre anni dopo. (it)
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  • Michael von Melas (May 12, 1729 - May 31, 1806) was a Transylvanian-born field marshal of Greek descent for the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.He was born in Radeln, Transylvania in 1729 and joined the Austrian army at age 17. He served in the Seven Years' War as aide de camp for Leopold Josef Graf Daun. He was promoted to colonel in 1781. He fought on the lower Rhine in 1794 and the middle Rhine in 1795.He later led the Austrian army in Italy during Napoleon Bonaparte's campaigns in Italy, part of the War of the Second Coalition. Serving under Russian field marshal Alexander Suvorov, who commanded Second Coalition forces, he commanded Austrian forces in victories at the battles of Cassano, Trebbia and Novi and the Siege of Genoa, and came near another victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo before his handing over control to a subordinate following injuries, and the arrival of General Louis Desaix, affected the outcome. The day after the battle he signed the Convention of Alexandria, ceding control of Italy up to the Mincio River to the French. The Austrians then withdrew. (en)
  • Michael Friedrich Benedikt von Melas, né le 12 mai 1729 � Radeln, près de Sighişoara en Transylvanie, mort le 31 mai 1806 � Elbeteinitz (Tynec nad Labem) en Bohême dans le district de Kolin, était un général autrichien.Il commandait le centre des troupes autrichiennes � la bataille de Marengo. (fr)
  • Entrò in un reggimento di fanteria nel 1746. (it)
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  • Michael von Melas (en)
  • Michael von Melas (fr)
  • Michael Melas (it)
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