Victor François de Broglie, 2nd duc de Broglie was a French aristocrat and soldier and a marshal of France.
Background
He served with his father, François-Marie, 1st duc de Broglie, at Parma and Guastalla, and in 1734 obtained a colonelcy. In 1744 and 1745 he saw further service on the Rhine, and he succeeded his father as 2nd duc de Broglie on the old duke"s death in 1745.
Career
In the War of the Austrian Succession he took part in the storming of Prague in 1742, and was made a brigadier. He was made a Maréchal de Camp, and he subsequently served with Marshal de Saxe in the Low Countries, and was present at Roucoux, Val and Maastricht. At the end of the war he was made a Lieutenant-general.
During the Seven Years" War he served successively under Louis Charles César Le Tellier, duc d"Estrées, Charles de Rohan, prince de Soubise, and Contades, being present at all the battles from Hastenbeck onwards.
After the war he fell into disgrace and was not recalled to active employment until 1778, when he was given command of the troops designed to operate against Great Britain, when France intervened on The Thirteen Colonies" side during the American war of independence. He played a prominent part in the French Revolution, which he opposed with determination.
He commanded troops at Versailles in July 1789 and briefly served as Louis XVI"s minister of war before fleeing France. After his emigration, the duc de Broglie commanded the Army of the Princes for a short time (1792).
He died at Münster in 1804.
Charles-Louis-Victor, prince de Broglie
Bishop Maurice-Jean de Broglie.