Michael Friedrich Benedikt Baron von Melas (12 May 1729 – 31 May 1806) was a Transylvanian-born field marshal of Greek descent for the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.
He was born in Radeln, Transylvania (nowadays Roadeș, part of Bunești commune, Brașov County, Romania) 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.
Von Melas 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, Novi, Genola, and the Siege of Genoa, and came near to another victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo before making the mistake of handing over command to a subordinate for what he thought was the pursuit from the field of a beaten foe. A stand made by the French forces further down the road, and a subsequent counter-attack by the French General Louis Desaix led to a defeat for von Melas' forces. The day after the battle he was compelled to sign the Convention of Alessandria, which gave the rule of Italy up to the Mincio River to Napoleon, the Habsburg Crown's authority being in consequence forced out of Italy.
Von Melas was later a Habsburg commander in Bohemia. He retired in 1803. He died in 1806 at Týnec nad Labem, in Bohemia.
Michael Friedrich Benedikt Baron vonMelas (12 May 1729 – 31 May 1806) was a Transylvanian-born field marshal of Greek descent for the Austrian Empire...
Piedmont, Italy. Near the end of the day, the French overcame General MichaelvonMelas' surprise attack, drove the Austrians out of Italy and consolidated...
General der Kavallerie MichaelvonMelas. With Napoleon's army lying across the Habsburg army's line of communications to the west, Melas resolved to attack...
Habsburg Austrian army commanded by MichaelvonMelas and a Republican French army under Jean Étienne Championnet. Melas directed his troops with more skill...
Alessandria, where Melas was, apparently doing nothing. Convinced that Melas was about to retreat, Napoleon sent strong detachments to block Melas's routes northwards...
Look up melas, mêlas, mēļas, or mēļās in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Melas may refer to: Plural of melaMelas (mythology), a number of different characters...
Alessandria, where Melas was, apparently doing nothing. Convinced that Melas was about to retreat, Napoleon sent strong detachments to block Melas's routes northwards...
Alps through the Great St Bernard Pass. The Austrian forces, under MichaelvonMelas, were laying siege to Masséna in Genoa and Napoleon hoped to gain...
small detachment of 8,000 in several forts. The Austrian commander, MichaelvonMelas, was slow to pursue the retreating French and was soon replaced as...
captured Milan on 2 June. The French confronted an Austrian army under MichaelvonMelas at Marengo on 14 June. The Austrians fielded about 30,000 soldiers...
finally convinced the Austrian army commander General der Kavallerie MichaelvonMelas that the main French threat was coming from the Aosta Valley. By the...
was chief of staff to MichaelvonMelas, the Austrian army commander. Late in the afternoon when victory seemed assured, Melas retired to the rear. Two...
covered the Rivalta bridge. In the center, Feldmarschall-Leutnants MichaelvonMelas and Karl Philipp Sebottendorf jointly commanded 8,169 infantry and...
Masséna is surrounded by 40,000 Austrian troops under Field Marshal MichaelvonMelas and blockaded by a strong British squadron under Lord Keith. April...
withdraw to the Adda River. Nevertheless, Kray was replaced when MichaelvonMelas arrived to take command of the Austrian forces. While the field army...
mid-morning they were in control of the field of battle. Their commander, MichaelvonMelas, sent this news south towards Rome. However, fresh French troops arrived...
Abercromby could create a distraction from the activities of General MichaelvonMelas in North Italy by landing at various points on the Italian coast....
over the two central columns. Leading the Right-Center (2nd) Column, MichaelvonMelas struck south with 14,000 soldiers down the west bank of the Adige...
made almost before the passes were open, threatened Austrian General MichaelvonMelas' lines of communications in northern Italy. The French army then seized...
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