View source for Gustavo Mazè de la Roche

{{Short description|Italian general and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name= Gustavo Mazè de la Roche
|image = Gustavo Mazè de la Roche.JPG
|office = [[Minister of War (Italy)|Minister of War]]
|term_start = 19 December 1878
|term_end = 14 July 1879
|predecessor = [[Cesare Bonelli]]
|successor = [[Cesare Bonelli]]
|office2= [[Senate of the Kingdom of Italy|Senator]]
|term_start2= 22 December 1878
|term_end2= 29 March 1886
}}
Count '''Gustavo Mazè de la Roche''' (27 July 1824 in [[Turin]] – 29 March 1886 in Turin) was an Italian general and politician. He was a [[Senate of the Kingdom of Italy|senator of the Kingdom of Italy]] and [[Minister of War (Italy)|Minister of War]] in the [[third Depretis government]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cantù |first1=Cesare |title=Storia degli Italiani |date=1897 |publisher=Lauriel & Marghieri |location=Naples |page=110 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CXNAAAAAIAAJ&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA110 |access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
==Early life and career to 1860==
Gustavo was the son of count Luigi Mazè de la Roche and Albertina Carignani di Chianoc. His family was long established in Turin, despite erroneous accounts that claimed they had only moved from [[Savoie]] and opted for Italian citizenship after the [[Treaty of Turin (1860)| Treaty of Turin]].<ref name="Attilio"/>
He underwent military training at the [[:it:Accademia Reale di Torino]] from April 1834 to 1843, becoming a lieutenant in the infantry in 1847. During the [[First Italian War of Independence]] he fought under general [[Eusebio Bava]] in the 1st Army Corps, and was honourably mentioned for his part in the [[Battle of Goito]] where he earned his first silver [[Medal of Military Valor]]. Promoted to captain, he distinguished himself at the [[battle of Mortara]] where his horse was shot dead under him, he was wounded in the thigh by a musket ball and he was taken prisoner by the Austrians. After his release he was awarded a second silver Medal of Military Valor.<ref name="Attilio"/>
He took part in the [[Sardinian expeditionary corps in the Crimean War]] and was promoted to major in the first infantry regiment in 1856. During the [[Second Italian War of Independence]] he distinguished himself at the [[Battle of San Martino]] and was made a knight of the [[Military Order of Savoy]].<ref name="Attilio"/><ref>{{cite book |title=Da Montebello a Solferino. Guerra per l'indipendenza italiana, aprile-luglio, 1859. Relazione compendiata, etc. |date=1859 |publisher=Tipografia Arnaldi |location=Turin |page=223 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=912VCQVuucYC&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA223 |access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
==Military career 1860–1878==
In the 1860s Mazè de la Roche took part in the campaigns in the South against brigandage. In 1863 he was promoted to major general<ref name="Attilio"/> and made commander of the military subdivision of [[Foggia]]. Here he applied methods already tried out in [[Campobasso]], arresting family members to secure information about outlaws, and carrying out summary executions. Under the draconian [[:it: Legge Pica|Pica Law]] the actions of the field commanders were supported by military tribunals. As Mazè de la Roche himself commented “in the district I am mayor, judge and commander of the [[carabinieri]], exercising hear-total authority over fifteen communes including a provincial capital and its governor.”<ref name="Gigi">{{cite book |last1=Di Fiori |first1=Gigi |title=Briganti! |date=2017 |publisher=De Agostini Libri |location=Milan |isbn=9788851151157 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yGIkDwAAQBAJ&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PT262}}</ref> In 1866, now a major general, he commanded the [[Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo"|Pinerolo Brigade]] during the [[Third Italian War of Independence]].<ref name="Attilio"/><ref>{{cite web |title=I Comandanti |url=https://www.esercito.difesa.it/organizzazione/capo-di-sme/Comando-Forze-Operative-Sud/Brigata-Meccanizzata-Pinerolo/Pagine/I-Comandanti.aspx |website=esercito.difesa.it |publisher=Ministero della Difesa |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>
In 1870 Mazè de la Roche played an important role in the [[capture of Rome]]. Now a lieutenant general he commanded the 12th division of the 4th Army Corps that surrounded and captured the town of [[Civita Castellana]] as they advanced through the [[Papal States]]<ref name="Carr">{{cite book |last1=Carr |first1=John |title=The Pope's Army The Papacy in Diplomacy and War |date=2019 |publisher=Pen & Sword Books |location=Barnsley |isbn=9781526714916 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g04IEAAAQBAJ&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PR46 |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> On reaching Rome his division attacked the [[Porta Pia]], forcing their way into the city and compelling the Papal troops to surrender.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Pall Mall Budget Being a Weekly Collection of Articles Printed in the Pall Mall Gazette from Day to Day, with a Summary of News · Volume 5 |date=1871 |page=17 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qrk_AQAAMAAJ&dq=12+division+maze+de+la+roche&pg=PP23 |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Roma Capitale d'Italia: La Presa di Porta Pia |url=https://www.esercito.difesa.it/comunicazione/editoria/Rivista-Militare/Documents/2020/3/Roma-capitale-d-italia-n-3-2020.pdf |website=esercito.difesa.it |publisher=Ministero della Difesa |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>
==Ministerial and later career==
In 1878, Mazè de la Roche was invited to serve as Minister of War in the third Depretis government<ref>{{cite book |last1=Petruccelli della Gattina |first1=Ferdinando |title=Storia d'Italia dal 1866 al 1880 |date=1882 |publisher=V. Pasquale |location=Naples |page=402 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WuqYAybccbwC&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA402 |access-date=4 December 2023}}</ref> and was appointed senator at the same time.<ref>{{cite book |title=Atti parlamentari della Camera dei senatori discussioni Dal 21 novembre al 21 marzo |date=1878 |publisher=Forzani |location=Rome |page=1058 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ihbfbiE3iHwC&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA1058 |access-date=4 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="Senato">{{cite web |title=MAZÉ DE LA ROCHE Gustavo |url=http://notes9.senato.it/Web/senregno.NSF/e56bbbe8d7e9c734c125703d002f2a0c/7d7845393c5a64894125646f005d5244?OpenDocument |website=senato.it |publisher=Senato Della Repubblica}}</ref> The government fell only seven months later, whereupon he was made commander of the First Army Corps in Turin and dedicated himself to a study of how Italy's alpine borders could be defended.<ref>{{cite book |title=L'Illustrazione popolare Volume 23 |date=1887 |publisher=E. Treves |location=Milan |page=247 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Me0aAAAAYAAJ&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA247 |access-date=4 December 2023}}</ref>
He died on 29 March 1886 after he was thrown by a horse he was riding.<ref name="Attilio">{{cite book |last1=Brunialti |first1=Attilio |title=Annuario biografico universale raccolta delle biografie dei piu illustri contemporanei |date=1886 |publisher=Unione Tipografico-Editrice Torinese |location=Turin |pages=497–9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KsjrzZQwhUEC&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA497 |access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
==Honours==
{|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="width:60px; vertical-align:top;" | [[File:Grande ufficiale SSML Regno BAR.svg|60x30px|center|Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus - ribbon for ordinary uniform]] || [[Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus|Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]]<ref name="Senato"/>
|-
|
|}
{|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="width:60px; vertical-align:top;" | [[File:Grande ufficiale OCI Kingdom BAR.svg|60x30px|center|Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy - ribbon for ordinary uniform]] || [[Order of the Crown of Italy|Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy]]<ref name="Senato"/>
|-
|
|}
{|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="width:60px; vertical-align:top;" | [[File:Valor militare silver medal BAR.svg|60x30px|center|2 silver Medals of Military Valor - ribbon for ordinary uniform]] || [[Medal of Military Valor|2 silver Medals of Military Valor]]<ref name="Senato"/>
|-
|
|}
{|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="width:60px; vertical-align:top;" | [[File:Legion Honneur Chevalier ribbon.svg|60x30px|center|Knight of the Legion of Honour (France) - ribbon for ordinary uniform]] || [[Legion of Honour|Knight of the Legion of Honour (France)]]<ref name="Senato"/>
|-
|
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=_OAuAAAAYAAJ&dq=Gustavo+Maz%C3%A8+de+la+Roche&pg=PA144  ''Biografia del conte Gustavo Mazé de la Roche'',  Carlo Buffa di Perrero, 1888]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mazé de la Roche, Gustavo}}
[[Category:1824 births]]
[[Category:1886 deaths]]
[[Category:Italian Army generals]]
[[Category:19th-century Italian politicians]]
[[Category:Ministers of war of Italy]]
[[Category:Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy]]
[[Category:Deaths by horse-riding accident]]