Battle of La Marfée
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Bataille of La Marfée | |||||||
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Part of Thirty Years' War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Kingdom of France | Holy Roman Empire Sedan |
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Commanders | |||||||
Gaspard de Coligny | Frédéric de la Tour d'Auvergne Louis de Bourbon-Soissons |
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Strength | |||||||
11 000 soldiers 2 000 cavalry |
4 000 'Sedanais' soldiers 7 000 Imperial mercenaries |
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
3 000 dead 600 captured |
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The Battle of La Marfée was a battle of the Thirty Years' War near Sedan, France on 6 July 1641, between the troops of Louis XIII under Gaspard III de Coligny and those of the Holy Roman Empire under Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon.
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[edit] Causes
In 1640 Sedan formed an independent principality, whose prince, Frédéric de la Tour d'Auvergne, welcomed French Protestants and other factions hostile to France and Cardinal Richelieu. He also took part in the "Princes de la paix" conspiracy with the comte de Soissons and Henri II de Guise, aiming to re-establish the privileges of the great feudal lords. Louis XIII sent an army to put an end to his schemes, and so Frédéric asked for help from his personal friend Ferdinand III, the Holy Roman Emperor, who duly sent it.
[edit] Course
Delayed by bad weather and muddy roads, the royal army did not arrive on the plateau until around 11 o'clock on 6 July, where the Sedanaise army was waiting. Battle commenced and the Sedanais well withstand the first shock. The prince of Sedan, in personal command of the cavalry, bypassed the battlefield under the cover of the hills, and fell on the flank of the royal army. Thrown into utter disarray, Gaspard III's royal army abandoned its baggage. As early as noon, the battle was decided. The comte of Soissons , it seems, was killed during the battle when he raised the visor of his helmet using his pistol and it accidentally went off.
[edit] Results
Despite this defeat, the royal army began to besiege Sedan, and Frédéric-Maurice de la Tour d'Auvergne negotiated his submission to France by a treaty with Louis XIII (4 August), which also gave Frédéric command of the armée d'Italie. However, after getting involved in a new conspiracy in 1642, Frédéric's principality was annexed to France in exchange for sparing his life.
[edit] Source
- This page is a translation of its French equivalent.