Prince Eugene had made himself master of Milan, but he could not be
sure of keeping it without occupying the citadel. The marquis de
la Florida was the governor of it. Prince Eugene summoned him to
surrender, at the same time threatening to grant no quarter if he
did not capitulate within four-and-twenty hours. “I have defended
twenty-four places for my masters, the kings of Spain,” replied the
governor, “and I have made up my mind to be killed on the breach of the
twenty-fifth.” This bold reply, which was known to be the expression of
a strong mind, caused the prince to renounce the project of attacking
the castle by force, and he was satisfied with blockading it.
Milan was besieged by the king of Sardinia in 1733, by Don Philip of
Spain in 1745, by Buonaparte in 1796, by Suwarrow in 1799, and by
Buonaparte in 1800; but there is nothing interesting in the details of
any of these sieges.