MARSHALL OF FRANCE, The Life and Times of Mourice, Comte de Saxe

Eighteenth-century Europe was an age of public brilliance - bequeathed by the military geniuses like Prince Eugene and Marlborough -- and personal eccentricity, nobly practiced by Louis XV and Friedrich I of Saxony and Poland. Maurice de Saxe (1696-1750) nursed his martial prowess in the regiments of the former and his voluptuary tendencies in the French and German courts of the latter. From his tenuous status as Friedrich's illegitimate son to his exalted appointment as Marechal-General of France, Maurice displayed his acumen in the art of war and his attraction for beautiful women like the actress, Adrinne Couvrur, for whose favors he vied with Voltaire. E the fame and folbl of the age, he was at the time a powerful, intriguing who received glory and recognition for his military success, but never a long principall of his own. White chronle the life and accomplishments of the Quixote with scholarly accuracy and refined objectivity. The first complete biography of Maurice, this well-written, compelling work is of genuine value for its historical data and perspective and matches its price with sustained interest for the general reader.