had been faring
but badly there.

Matters had not gone there as Richelieu had calculated. The Duke of
Savoy remained true to his engagement with France, but he died in
October, 1637. The Spaniards had captured Vercelli, and the emperor had
bestowed the regency of the duchy on the Cardinal of Savoy and on Prince
Thomas, brother-in-law of the duchess. These, supported by the Duke of
Modena and the Governor of Milan, the Marquess of Leganez, declared that
they were determined to protect the people against the French and to
deliver the young duke from French domination. The duchess implored help
from France, and la Valette advanced to her aid.

While in Paris, Turenne had obtained from the cardinal permission to
raise a regiment of dragoons and also that a company of dragoons should
be attached to each regiment of cavalry. These troops were not intended
to fight on horseback, but were, in fact, mounted infantry, an arm
which, after being in disuse for many years, has lately been recognized
as a very valuable one, possessing as it does the mobility of cavalry
with the fighting power of infantry. It was at the head of this regiment
that the general started for Italy. The position of affairs in Savoy was
dark indeed, for the whole of Piedmont had risen against the duchess.
Many considerable towns had been captured by the Spanish, others,
including the city of Turin, had opened their gates to them, and with
the exception of Susa, Carignano, Chivasso, Casale, and the citadel
of Turin, the whole country was lost to her. The French forces were,
however, too weak to take the offensive, and the ill health of La
Valette deprived him of his former energy and rendered him unwilling
to undertake any offensive movement. Nevertheless, Turenne's counsels
infused a new spirit into the army, and indeed the news that the young
general, whose name was already known throughout Europe, had arrived,
and the belief that his coming would be followed by that of large
reinforcements from France, at once reanimated the remaining supporters
of the duchess and dispirited the Piedmontese, who began to fear that
they had been too hasty in siding with Spain.

But if, for the time, Turenne was not in a position to act in the field,
he began at once to take steps to prepare to meet the coming storm.
Early in October La Valette died. The general opinion was that Turenne
would have succeeded to the command, but his brother the Duc de Bouillon
had broken wit