Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne Turenne was one of the most celebrated war heroes of French history in its pre-Napoleonic era. Of noble birth, Turenne rejected much of the trappings of his station in life for the hardships of the battlefield. His courage under fire and the loyalty he inspired among his troops, helped France in several decisive military engagements during the era of Louis XIV.

Turenne was born on September 11, 1611 into a prominent family. His father, the Duke of Bouillon and Viscount de Turenne, was an ardent French Protestant, a scholar, and diplomat with close ties to the French royal court. He gained possession of an independent duchy called Sedan, near Verdun, from an advantageous first marriage. In 1602, widowed a year, the Duke married Elizabeth of Nassau, the intelligent, strongwilled daughter of an eminent Dutch prince. Turenne was the second son of this union.

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Turenne...