On This Day

Battle at Malplaquet during War of the Spanish Succession: English, Austrian and Dutch Great Alliance defeat France

The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession, near Taisnières-sur-Hon in France, then part of the Spanish Netherlands.

The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession, near Taisnières-sur-Hon in France, then part of the Spanish Netherlands. A French army of around 75,000 men, commanded by the Duke of Villars, engaged a Grand Alliance force of 86,000 under the Duke of Marlborough. In one of the bloodiest battles of the 18th century, the latter won a narrow victory, but suffered heavy casualties.

Allied advances in 1708 led to the renewal of peace talks, which collapsed in April 1709. After taking Tournai in early September, the Allies besieged Mons, whose capture would allow them to enter France itself, and Louis XIV ordered Villars to prevent its loss.

Historical Significance

The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession, near Taisnières-sur-Hon in France, then part of the Spanish Netherlands.

Events Before

  1. Future Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (32) marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (16) at the church of Sa

    Future Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (32) marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (16) at the church of Santa María del Mar, Barcelona

  2. Great Northern War: Charles XII of Sweden stops his march to conquer Moscow outside Smolensk, the turning point in the w

    Great Northern War: Charles XII of Sweden stops his march to conquer Moscow outside Smolensk, the turning point in the war

  3. Spanish treasure fleet led by the San José and loaded with gold, sinks after a British squadron attacks off the coast of

    Spanish treasure fleet led by the San José and loaded with gold, sinks after a British squadron attacks off the coast of Colombia (rediscovered in 2015)

  4. Slave revolt in Newton, Long Island NY results in 11 deaths

    Slave revolt in Newton, Long Island NY results in 11 deaths

  5. James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, attempts to land at Firth of Forth, Scotland, but is turned away by the Br

    James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, attempts to land at Firth of Forth, Scotland, but is turned away by the British Royal Navy

Events After

  1. Parisian merchant Jean Marius obtains a five-year royal privilege for his invention of a folding umbrella, the first in

    Parisian merchant Jean Marius obtains a five-year royal privilege for his invention of a folding umbrella, the first in Europe

  2. In the Battle of Helsingborg, 14,000 Danish invaders under Jørgen Rantzau are decisively defeated by an equally sized Sw

    In the Battle of Helsingborg, 14,000 Danish invaders under Jørgen Rantzau are decisively defeated by an equally sized Swedish force under Magnus Stenbock

  3. Anna Ivanovna (future Empress of Russia) (17) marries Frederick William, Duke of Courland (18). Frederick dies two month

    Anna Ivanovna (future Empress of Russia) (17) marries Frederick William, Duke of Courland (18). Frederick dies two months later.

  4. The first law regulating copyright is issued in Great Britain

    A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive legal right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time.

  5. Sidney, 1st Earl of Godolphin, resigns as English Minister of Finance

    Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, (15 June 1645 – 15 September 1712) was a British Tory statesman.

More from the 1700s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 11, 1709?
The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession, near Taisnières-sur-Hon in France, then part of the Spanish Netherlands. A French army of around 75,000 men, commanded by the Duke of Villars, engaged a Grand Alliance force of 86,000 under the Duke of Marlborough. In one of the bloodiest battles of the 18th century, the latter won a narrow victory, but suffered heavy casualties.
Why is Battle at Malplaquet during War of the Spanish Succession: English, Austrian ... significant?
The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession, near Taisnières-sur-Hon in France, then part of the Spanish Netherlands.

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