Summary: Raimund Count Montecuccoli and the Battle of St. Gotthard/Mogersdorf of 1664: Europe’s Acid Test
Hubert Michael Mader
The battle of St. Gotthard/Mogersdorf has been the only military encounter in modern history in the course of which almost all of Europe under common command opposed the threat by a non-European power - the Osmanic Empire. Raimund Count Montecuccoli, the commander-in-chief of an alliance consisting of imperial forces, Rhine-alliance and French troops, and Hungary, was able to defeat the superior Turkish army commanded by Grand Wesir Ahmed Köprili.
This military success, however, could not be made use of in the peace treaty that followed between Emperor Leopold I. and Turkey. The fortresses of Neuhäusel and Großwardein were handed over to the Gate, and the emperor had to accept Michael Apafi, who had been promoted by the Turks, as Prince of Transylvania. On the other hand, this peace treaty became a sign of a change in the balance of power, as from that moment on the emperor took up a position equal to the sultan.
Decisive for the battle were the facts that Montecuccoli always was in the centre of events whereas his adversary tried wanted to control the battle from a distance, that training and arms of the Turkish army were out-of-date, and that the river Raab, which was swollen at that time, prevented the Turks from bringing to bear their superiority. Montecuccoli played an active part going beyond his trimmed responsibilities and thus became "spiritual head” of multinational forces.
Montecuccoli was one of the most meritorious and outstanding generals of the Austrian forces; his fame, however, was soon outshined by Prince Eugene. His outstanding services to the reforming of the imperial forces are beyond doubt, and his strategic-tactical plannings earned a great deal of praise as well. Both as a general and as a soldier Montecuccoli, who had been born in Modena, showed personal bravery and, as an adversary, chivalry. In addition, he was a brilliant diplomat and advisor. He always was a loyal supporter of the emperor, considering his authority unimpeachable.
In 1625, at the age of 16, Montecuccoli had offered his services to the imperial dynasty. Despite his noble descent, he had to work his way up systematically in the imperial army, until he finally got to the top as a lieutenant field marshal. Montecuccoli died in 1680 in Linz as a leading general and as one of the founders of the modern art of war.
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