Battle of Landen
The Battle of Landen, took place on 29 July 1693, during the Nine Years' War near Landen, then in the Spanish Netherlands, now part of Belgium. A French army under Marshal Luxembourg defeated an Allied force led by William III.
| Battle of Landen | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Nine Years' War | |||||||
William III at the Battle of Landen, by Ernest Crofts | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| France |
Dutch Republic England Holy Roman Empire Spain Scotland | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Luxembourg Berwick (POW) Villeroy Conti |
William III Henry Casimir II Nassau-Usingen Maximilian | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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70,000 70 guns |
50,000 80-100 guns | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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8,000 to 10,000 killed or wounded 15,000 killed or wounded |
9,500 killed, wounded or captured, plus 80 guns 12,000 to 14,000 killed, wounded or captured plus 60 guns 16,500 killed, wounded or captured, plus 84 guns 18,000 to 20,000 killed, wounded or captured, plus 80 guns | ||||||
By 1693, all combatants were struggling with the financial and material costs of the conflict. Hoping to end the war with a favourable negotiated peace, Louis XIV of France decided first to improve his position by taking the offensive. Having achieved local superiority in numbers, Luxembourg attacked the main Allied army, which was holding positions around Landen.
Most of the fighting took place on the Allied right, which the French assaulted three times before finally breaking through. Although forced to abandon their guns, most of the Allied army retreated in good order as the French were too exhausted to initiate a pursuit.
Although the French forced the Allies from the field, as with the Battle of Steenkerque the previous year, both sides suffered heavy casualties and Louis failed to achieve the decisive result that would force the Allies to negotiate peace. William quickly replaced his losses and in 1694 achieved numerical superiority in Flanders for the first time in the war.