Jean-Louis Raduit de Souches

Who was Jean-Louis Raduit de Souches?

Count Jean-Louis Raduit de Souches was a German Imperial Field marshal of French descent. He was the son of a Huguenot French nobleman, who left France after the Huguenot-war of 1629.

Jean-Louis entered the Imperial Army and participated in the Thirty Years' War, where he distinguished himself as defender of Brno against the Swedes in 1645.

Between 1657 and 1660, he fought in the Second Northern War where he invaded Swedish Pomerania in 1659. In the Austro-Turkish War, he commanded the Habsburg Northern Army operating in Upper Hungary. In 1664 he conquered Nitra and Levice. On July 19, 1664 he won the important Battle of Levice against the Ottomans.

De Souches became Kammerherr, member of the Hofkriegsrat and Fieldmarshal-Lieutenant. In 1674 he fought the French in the Low Countries, but suffered unnecessary casualties in the Battle of Seneffe due to his wilfulness. He was recalled after the battle and not given any further commands. He died in 1682.