Siege of Cambrai (1677)

Siege of Cambrai

Location

Franco–Dutch War and Third Anglo–Dutch War

Solebay Groenlo Schooneveld Groningen Maastricht Texel Bonn Besançon Sinsheim Seneffe Entzheim Mulhouse Turckheim Fehrbellin Salzbach Konzer Brücke Stromboli Augusta Palermo Valenciennes Cambrai Tobago Cassel Ypres Saint-Denis

The Siege of Cambrai took place from March 20 to April 19, 1677 during the Franco-Dutch War.

Background

As a Principality dependent on the Holy Roman Empire and close to the border of the Kingdom of France, submitted to Spain since 1543, Cambrai was besieged several times by the kings of France (in 1477 by Louis XI of France and, between 1581 and 1595, by Henry III of France and Henry IV of France).

Sully and Richelieu had established a national policy of "putting [France] in its first strength and its former splendor", and "put France in all places where was ancient Gaul", which included Artois, Hainaut and the provinces of the Netherlands. During the reign of Louis XIV, Cambrai was besieged unsuccessfully by the French in 1649 and again in 1657.