Bruno Kalbermatten

Sion, 22 February 1700 - Turin, 26 April 1762

Cavaliere dell’ordine del SS. Maurizio e Lazzaro

 Member of one of the most powerful family of the Valais, and of the city of Sion in particular,
he was the grandson of Nicolas Kalbermatten, Mayor of Sion, Bailiff of St. Maurice and the owner
of a Swiss regiment in the pay of the duke of Savoy in 1616. He was the son of Jacques-Arnold, yet
Knight of St. Michael, Mayor of Sion, Grand-Châtelain and Captain General of Dixain, anf
Pétronille Fabri de Sembrancher. Bruno was the second of five male sons, Franz Xaver, Bruno,
Franz-Anton, Gaspard Bernad, Franz Gregor and Gabriel. Bruno had served in the Regt. Hackbrett
in 1717 as Ensigne, and he was garrisoned in Sicily until 1719, becoming in the meantime, Sous
Leutenant in 1718, Leutenant 1719, Leutenant Captain in 1722 and Captain in 1724, Major the 29
April 1731, Leutenant Colonel the 15 October 1733. With this position he participated at the
campaigns of 1734 and 1735. His brother, Franz Anton Kalbermatten, was killed in action during
the battle of Parma in 1734. For his conduct in action at the battle of Parma he was awarded of the
Knight's Cross of the Order of SS. Maurice and Lazarus. After the withdrawal of Riedtmann in
January 1743 he was placed in command of the regiment renamed Kalbermatten.
He and his brother Franz Gregor fought extremely well during the War of Austrian Succession,
and the Regiment Kalbermatten became one of the most reable units of the sabaudian army. He was
present at Madonna dell’Olmo (30 september 1744), Bassignana (27 september 1745) and during
the Leutrum’s counter-offensive of the 1746. Contrary to the general opinion, he was not present at
the battle of Assietta, since he was under Leutrum command on the South-West sector of the front
(Authion Massive). On 14 May 1754 he was promoted to Brigadier General, the 24 February 1757
Major General and the 11 January 1761 he reached the rank of Leutenant General. He was married
with Costanza Lascaris, the daughter of the count Lascaris of Nice.
Bruno had meanwhile also become his friend and confidant of the king Charles Emmanuel of
Savoy. The king was very sad for the death of the General, given his extreme competence in matters
of war.