Napoleon Bonaparte ranked Prince Eugen of Savoy, son of a tempestuous Italian mother and a titled French father, among the seven greatest commanders of history. Frederick the Great acknowledged him as his main teacher, describing him as the 'real Emperor of the Habsburgs'. Voltaire said 'he shook the greatness of Louis XIV and the Ottoman power; he ruled the Empire and during all his victories and his ministry he scorned alike the temptations of pomp and wealth' Nicholas Henderson's biography of the man who devoted his life to the greater glory of the House of Habsburg is not only a lucid account of the public achievements of this remarkable man but it also delves into his uncertain and mysterious private life. 'I not only esteem but really love that Prince' said the Duke of Marlborough - and many others, including his life-long opponent Marshal Villars, felt the same. First published in 1964.
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About the Author
Nicholas Henderson was born in London, 1 April 1919. Member of the Diplomatic Service 1946-79; served in Chanceries in the USA, Greece, Austria and Chile; Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary 1963-65; Minister in Spain 1965-69; Ambassador to Poland 1969-72, Germany 1972-75, and France 1975-79 and was Ambassador to Washington after retirement 1979-82. Chairman Channel Tunnel Group 1985-86. Trustee of the National Gallery 1985-89. Lord Warden of the Stannaries of the Duchy of Cornwall and vice-chairman of the Prince of Wales' council 1985-90. Former or present director of a number of companies including Hambros, Tarmac, Sotheby's and Foreign and Colonial Investment Trust.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By M. Baerends
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is recommended for anyone interested in the wars that the Habsburgs fought against the French and the Turks, from the Great Turkish War to the War of Polish Succession.
Particular strong points of the book are that it is well-written, quite witty here & there, and that it covers things from the Habsburg perspective which is interesting as most english-language books about this period tend to be a bit too anglo-centric. I also liked that the author is sometimes very opiniated, e.g. about the less than glorious way the British government withdrew from the War of Spanish Succession.
On the other hand, it would have been nice if the book would have included more detail on the battles that Eugene fought. Whereas some battles are treated in at least some detail, most others are only sort of mentioned in passing (sometimes merely mentioning the outcome of a battle) and that is too bad since Eugene's life was really about warfare. The reason for his enduring fame was his battle winning skill. The book is quite compact and could have easily been expanded a bit, with more extensive descriptions of his main battles, without becoming overweight.
Overall, high marks.
Particular strong points of the book are that it is well-written, quite witty here & there, and that it covers things from the Habsburg perspective which is interesting as most english-language books about this period tend to be a bit too anglo-centric. I also liked that the author is sometimes very opiniated, e.g. about the less than glorious way the British government withdrew from the War of Spanish Succession.
On the other hand, it would have been nice if the book would have included more detail on the battles that Eugene fought. Whereas some battles are treated in at least some detail, most others are only sort of mentioned in passing (sometimes merely mentioning the outcome of a battle) and that is too bad since Eugene's life was really about warfare. The reason for his enduring fame was his battle winning skill. The book is quite compact and could have easily been expanded a bit, with more extensive descriptions of his main battles, without becoming overweight.
Overall, high marks.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars
4 reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thank god for Henderson
1 Oct 2004
By C. Falzone
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Thank god for N. Henderson. Finding a book, any book written about the Prince are extremely hard to come by. Additionally the book is excellent. Fluid, easy reading, well done period atmosphere outline, the "times" of Eugene right up to his passing, personal anecdotes that really give you the flavor of his personality, overall balance and depth of subject all make this a 5 star selection. Now, if I can just find something like this on Turenne , I'll be set. LOL.
As a social aside, any person looking to emulate a man with integrity, loyalty, who is personally brave and honest, will be hard pressed to find one better than Eugene.
As a social aside, any person looking to emulate a man with integrity, loyalty, who is personally brave and honest, will be hard pressed to find one better than Eugene.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good on Eugen's character, but military skills remain mysterious
7 July 2005
By Arthur Digbee
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Henderson has written a traditional historical biography of Eugen (Eugene) of Savoy. At the time of his writing, this was the only such biography in English. This still seems to be true.
Henderson's book is much more readable than most traditional biographies, and it is even a page-turner at times. He provides good coverage of Eugen's character, and gives significant attention to his interests in architecture, art, and bibliophilia. As you might expect from a book written in the 1960s, Henderson dances around Eugen's apparent homosexuality but provides enough facts for your own evaluation.
The book's major weakness is that it lacks any explanation of Eugen's military successes. Since Henderson is not a military professional, he shied away from any analysis, and the battles mostly rest on Eugen's "brilliance" and "courage." Since Eugen's rise was predicated on his military abilities, this is an unfortunate (and glaring) omission.
Nonetheless, if you're interested in the period or the place (Austria-Hungary), this is a very useful biography of an important figure who is all too often forgotten today.
Henderson's book is much more readable than most traditional biographies, and it is even a page-turner at times. He provides good coverage of Eugen's character, and gives significant attention to his interests in architecture, art, and bibliophilia. As you might expect from a book written in the 1960s, Henderson dances around Eugen's apparent homosexuality but provides enough facts for your own evaluation.
The book's major weakness is that it lacks any explanation of Eugen's military successes. Since Henderson is not a military professional, he shied away from any analysis, and the battles mostly rest on Eugen's "brilliance" and "courage." Since Eugen's rise was predicated on his military abilities, this is an unfortunate (and glaring) omission.
Nonetheless, if you're interested in the period or the place (Austria-Hungary), this is a very useful biography of an important figure who is all too often forgotten today.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hey Sun King, want a do-over?
1 Nov 2008
By William S. Grass
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was introduced to Eugen the same way as perhaps most history enthusiasts in the Anglophone world--as Marlborough's great ally in the War of Spanish Succession. Also, Napoleon had given him favorable mention, placing him in the same pantheon as Alexander, Hannibal, Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick the Great and others.
Setting out to find out what more I could about Eugen, I found Henderson's biography, and little else. As one reviewer has already pointed out, Henderson focuses broadly on Eugen's whole life and does not give perceptive analysis concerning Eugen's military exploits. Hopefully someday a military historian will write a book on Eugen's generalship, or such an existing work will be translated into English.
Eugen's early years near the court of Louis XIV, his rejection by the Sun King in wanting to join his army, and subsequent service with the Hapsburgs is the stuff of a great historical novel. One of the great what-ifs of that era must be what if Louis would have said yes to Eugen.
In the employ of the Hapsburgs, Eugen worked on interior lines of sorts against the Ottoman's expansion on one side, and Louis XIV's ambitions on the other. His status as a great independent commander was secured by the rout of the Turks at Zenta in 1697. Later, with Marlborough, he helped frustrate Louis' designs at the battles of Blenheim, Oudenarde and Malplaquet.
Not just a great general, Eugen also had intense interests in architecture, art and books. He built Belvedere, the baroque palace in Vienna, and possessed thousands of works of art and books. It is a pity that at his death he was intestate, and never having married, his estate went to a niece he barely knew and who had little affection for her uncle. Even if Eugen wasn't into the ladies, as some have suggested, he should have bitten the bullet and produced an heir, as most like-minded aristocrats were wont to do.
Setting out to find out what more I could about Eugen, I found Henderson's biography, and little else. As one reviewer has already pointed out, Henderson focuses broadly on Eugen's whole life and does not give perceptive analysis concerning Eugen's military exploits. Hopefully someday a military historian will write a book on Eugen's generalship, or such an existing work will be translated into English.
Eugen's early years near the court of Louis XIV, his rejection by the Sun King in wanting to join his army, and subsequent service with the Hapsburgs is the stuff of a great historical novel. One of the great what-ifs of that era must be what if Louis would have said yes to Eugen.
In the employ of the Hapsburgs, Eugen worked on interior lines of sorts against the Ottoman's expansion on one side, and Louis XIV's ambitions on the other. His status as a great independent commander was secured by the rout of the Turks at Zenta in 1697. Later, with Marlborough, he helped frustrate Louis' designs at the battles of Blenheim, Oudenarde and Malplaquet.
Not just a great general, Eugen also had intense interests in architecture, art and books. He built Belvedere, the baroque palace in Vienna, and possessed thousands of works of art and books. It is a pity that at his death he was intestate, and never having married, his estate went to a niece he barely knew and who had little affection for her uncle. Even if Eugen wasn't into the ladies, as some have suggested, he should have bitten the bullet and produced an heir, as most like-minded aristocrats were wont to do.
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