How Spanish troops surrounded Geneva in 1743

The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) broke out as a result of opposition from several countries to the Pragmatic Sanction of 19 April 1713, which stipulated that the daughter of Emperor Charles VI, Maria Theresa of Austria, should inherit the Habsburg lands upon the death of her father fell.

Prussia was the first country to oppose Austria, followed by Bavaria, before France and Spain under Philip V also intervened. In 1741, Spanish and Sicilian troops invaded northern Italy, mainly targeting Milan, then part of Austria. This invasion led the king of Sardinia to sign the Treaty of Turin of February 1, 1742 with Austria, which led to the conflict with Spain.

In March 1742, Louis XV. the passage of the Spanish troops waiting in Barcelona through France. But as soon as they reached Nice, the Sardinians blocked their further advance. The Spaniards therefore chose a different goal and turned to Chambéry. The Sardinian counter-offensive in the autumn of 1742 failed against the Spanish regiments of the Margrave de la Mina, who now controlled the area.

Philip, Infante of Spain, son of the Spanish King and future Duke of Parma, thus moved to Chambéry and settled in the castle on January 5, 1743, where the oath of allegiance from the nobility and the Savoy authorities was not long in coming to wait .

In the fall of 1742, the deteriorating international political situation and the military operations of the Spanish king prompted the Geneva government to step up diplomatic efforts in France and Spain, as well as with their allied allies. The humble city of Calvin could not resist the mighty forces and, as on previous occasions, had to rely on diplomacy to survive.

In December 1742, after receiving news of the conquest of Chambéry by Spain, Geneva hopefully sent the Councilor François Jean Turrettin to Zenón de Somodevilla y Bengoechea, the Margrave de la Ensenada and secretary to the Infante of Spain, Philip I. The the latter assured the diplomat of his good intentions Spain and that the city on Lake Geneva will not be harassed.

However, the arrival of an army of nearly 20,000 men, made up of the regiments of Galicia and Asturias, did little to appease the people of Geneva. They were concerned not only about the sovereignty of their territory, but also about the inevitable problems that the presence of an army of this size entailed. As early as January 7, 1743, the Spanish staff banned the export of wheat from Savoy and ordered the various regions, especially the parish of Lancy, to provide the dragoons with the fodder they asked for.

Gradually, the army corps occupied the entire Geneva area and the officers demanded and obtained exemption from the pont d’Arve toll.

On January 18, 1743, 500 dragoons of the Seville regiment reached the village of Carouge and were distributed among the neighboring villages. A few days later, six infantry battalions with 300 men reached Annecy. While 60 dragoons were billeted in Chêne, Saint-Julien was occupied the same day by more than a hundred infantry. At the same time, two companies settled in Compesières and two others in Bernex and Confignon.

The Geneva government struggled to keep up with the number of Spanish soldiers that appeared to be surrounding the city, and came under further pressure in February when France’s governor urged them to take all necessary precautions in the event of a Spanish invasion. Events seemed to prove him right as the reports grew increasingly disturbing.

In February, Spanish dragoons, in pursuit of deserters, made a detour into Geneva territory on the Rhone and attacked the skipper of the hamlet of Peney. They put the gun to his chest to get information from him and forced the resident lord of the manor and officer of Geneva to house several men under his roof.

Elsewhere the Spaniards took pleasure in harassing and provoking the Genevans. At Carouge and Presinge, they lodged a company of infantry in the homes of Genevans who owned property there. They levied war contributions indiscriminately between Savoyards and Genevans and advanced to Jussy, where they mistreated peasants. The commander of the Colonel Corps of the Spanish troops even tried to take the Spanish troops’ mansion Syndica de la Garde in Carra to take shelter there, which led to a sharp reaction from the Resident of France in Geneva.

Reading this year’s minutes, one can feel the fear of the Geneva authorities, faced with what was then classified as criticism. Security measures, symbolic as they were, were tightened. Suspicious persons were arrested, fortifications reinforced – in 1743 Geneva spent 346,777 guilders on the repair of the walls – the number of sentries was increased tenfold and the peasants were given the task of guarding the countryside.

The Syndica de la Garde sent men in modest dress to Savoy, Annecy and the Chablais and the mountains to collect information on the Spanish forces and to see if any coup d’état facilities were being built in the city. Because according to the information collected at the time, which came to the city in particular via the Dutch ambassador Frans Van der Meer, a siege was not to be expected, but rather a lightning strike like that of 1602, which then escalate remained in the memory of Geneva.

The perceptive lieutenant of justice who sniffed out all the rumors even reported a plan to invade the city through the Cornavin Gate on a Sunday while the populace was at church.

On February 21, 1743, Geneva received reinforcements from Allied troops from Zurich, leading to several proposals from the councilors regarding warfare. Some wanted to build a new war building to maintain dominion over the waters, while others suggested strengthening the entrenchments. Despite the military reinforcements, the daring of the Spanish dragoons did not diminish.

Some went into town to negotiate, as on February 26, when two boasters argued with the hospital doorman; or on March 4, when five dragoons billeted in Roche arrived in Jussy after midnight, and broke down Jacques Guillard’s door to rob him of his belongings. This led to a firefight between the soldiers and the peasants, who rushed to help their neighbour.

However, the Genevans continued their diplomatic efforts and, in late March, began negotiations with the Infante of Spain at Chambéry to demand compliance with the 1603 Treaty of Saint-Julien. This was urgently needed as the situation was rapidly deteriorating: on March 22, a company of dragoons in search of food seized Avusy and beat to death a rebellious Genevan peasant. This led to the mobilization of the villagers, who were able to defeat the warhorses.

But victory did not last long. Only a few hours later, sixteen dragoons raided the village and arrested nine unfortunates who took them to Thoiry. Due to a lack of food supplies, the Spanish soldiers also used the glory in the fields. In June they mowed a captain’s pastures in Geneva, then stopped grain carts in Carouge by order of the Marquis de la Mina.

However, the Spaniards promised to abide by the Treaty of Saint-Julien, allowing the Genevans to breathe a sigh of relief despite some minor violations of the treaties. For even though the officers practiced strict discipline, hunger caused some soldiers to break it. In December 1743, two of them were arrested by the constable of the Pont d’Arve while extorting and assaulting peasants, and a few days later dragoons ambushed a shipment of grain near Bougeries. As late as January 1744, Spanish soldiers stationed at Vésenaz plundered peasant women on their way to Jussy, leading to a complaint to the Margrave de la Mina at Chambéry, who approved them and punished the guilty.

It was important for the Infante to keep the treaties with the city of Geneva, as he wanted to ensure their cooperation. Thus, on January 15, 1744, full and unrestricted freedom of trade between Savoy and Geneva was restored and the city’s sovereignty was respected from then on. In February 1744, the commander de la Vega requested permission to take his regiment Calatrava by the shortest route from Andalusia to Saint-Julien through the fortifications of Geneva. Geneva refused him for security reasons, without any response from the Spanish commanders.

It could only be a good thing for Philip I that an apparent calm and cooperation returned to the city, which was allied with the French king. In addition, numerous war profiteers helped Spanish deserters escape to Switzerland for a few piastres and bought weapons and even horses at low prices.

In April 1746, a case caused great commotion when farmers from Dardagny stopped a Spanish force stopping at the village inn and freed the deserters about to be taken back to Chambéry. Some Genevans even managed to poach and employ dragoons, using them to blockade and steal supplies for the city.

For six years, Geneva managed to overcome the horror of a renewal escalate escape, but without being able to spare its immediate neighbors the undoubtedly ruthless military occupation. In Savoy, the attacks of the military contingents were particularly brutal. This explains the particularly violent reactions of the local population to the Spaniards, despite the recognition of the Treaty of Saint-Julien in 1743.

The Genevan government was no doubt relieved when the war was over and they were able to approach the various belligerents to participate in the peace concluded at Aachen on October 18, 1748.