VILLARS. Louts IlEcron, Duke de (1653-173-1). A French marshal. Ile was horn in Moulins, Department of Allier, May 8, 1653; became a Court page, and entered the army in Holland as a volmiteer in 1672. He served in many important campaigns under Tit renne, Condo. and Luxembourg. and in 1686, and again from 1698 to 1701, represented France at the Court of Vienna. In 1702 he was given an independent command and sent to aid the Elector of Bavaria, who had taken up arms on the side of Franee. Ile defeated the imper ialists at Friedlingen and in the following year gained the victory of iloehstfidt (September 20, 1703). In 1704 he suppressed the insurrection of the Ca misards Ile opposed Marlborough for a time, and, entering Germany, out generated the Imperialists under the Mar grave of Baden. In 1708 with a comparatively small force he foiled the attempts of Prince Eugene to penetrate into France from Italy. In the following year he commanded in Flanders and was defeated by Marlborough and Prince Eugene at ZNIalplaquet (q.v.). He was severely wounded at the beginning of the battle, and the reopening of his wound in the autumn of 1710 forced him again to resign the command. But in
1711 lie returned to his post, defeated the Eng lish and Dutch at Denain, July 24, 1712, and gained a success over Prince Eugene near Landre ey. These victories hastened the conclusion of the Peace of Rastadt, which Villars signed as pleni potentiary, in March. 1714. He was after this the chief adviser of the Court on military and foreign affairs. In 1733 as marshal-general he took command of the French forces in Italy, but, on account of inharmonious relations with the King of Sardinia, the ally of France, he resigned. He died at Turin, June 17, 1734. Villars was the last of the great military leaders of the French monarchy. He was humane, sincere, and as a leader prompt. bold, and skillful. Ilis .Th'moires were edited by Vogiie and published by the So ei6t4 de l'llistoire de France (Paris, 1884-91). Consult: Anquetil, lie du. llar&hul de Pillars (Paris, 1784) ; Pillars d'opres sa respondunce (Paris, 1888).