simple, his tastes quiet and almost ascetic, and he cared little
for the amusements of the brilliant and corrupt court. When the
war with Lorraine broke out, Turenne at once sought for employment
with the French army.

He recognized that there was comparatively little to be done in
the war of sieges in Holland, and longed to enter a wider field.
His request was gladly granted, for the presence of the Duc de
Bouillon's brother in the French army was in itself some guarantee
of the duke's fidelity to his engagements with France, and Turenne
was at once appointed to the colonelcy of a regiment. He devoted
himself as assiduously to his work as he had done in Holland, and
it was not long before his regiment gained the reputation of being
the best disciplined in the king's service. He took part in a short
expedition in 1630, but there was on that occasion no fighting,
and he first saw real service under Marshal de la Force in 1634.
After the siege of La Motte, the success of which was due to the
storming of the breach by Turenne and his regiment, and for which
exploit he was promoted to the rank of Marechal de Camp, a rank
equivalent to that of major general, he took part in several
sieges, until Lorraine was completely conquered and its duke driven
to abdicate and retire to Austria.

The battle of Nordlingen showed Richelieu that if France did not
resolutely enter into the conflict the Austrians would become
absolute masters of all Germany. He at once signed a treaty with
the Swedes, agreeing to grant them large subsidies to carry on the
war. By a similar treaty he promised subsidies and the province of
Alsace to the Duke of Saxe-Weimar. He entered into an arrangement
with the Dutch, who were to aid France to conquer Flanders, which