Battle of Oudenarde

Quick Facts: Who was Battle of Oudenarde?

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Battle of Oudenarde

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Major battle in the War of the Spanish Succession (1708) leading to a decisive victory for the Grand Alliance.

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Origins & Early Life

The Battle of Oudenarde, also known as the Battle of Oudenaarde, was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession, pitting an Anglo-Dutch force consisting of eighty thousand men under the command of the Duke of Marlborough, Lord Overkirk and Prince Eugene of Savoy against a French force of eighty-five thousand men under the command of the Duc de Bourgogne and the Duc de Vendôme, the battle resulting in a great victory for the Grand Alliance. The battle was fought near the city of Oudenaarde, at the time part of the Spanish Netherlands, on 11 July 1708. With this victory, the Grand Alliance ensured the fall of various French territories, giving them a significant strategic and tactical advantage during this stage of the war. The battle was fought in the later years of the war, a conflict that had come about as a result of English, Dutch and Habsburg apprehension at the possibility of a Bourbon succeeding the deceased King of Spain, Charles II, and combining their two nations and empires into one. The engagement itself came about after a series of offensive and defensive manoeuvres between an Allied army under the command of Marlborough and a French army under the command of the Duc de Bourgogne.

Career & Major Achievements

The two French commanders quarrelled about the direction their army should take, although roughly a month before the battle, the French army moved westwards and captured the Allied-held fortresses of Bruges and Ghent. This proved to be an unexpected and worrying action to Marlborough, who waited until Eugene had joined his army before he decided to undertake any offensive operations. The French moved to attack again, aiming to capture the city of Oudenaarde, which would cut off communication and supply routes between Marlborough and England and thus allow for a significant victory over the Grand Alliance. Marlborough managed to figure out the French plan of action, and forced marched his men towards Oudenaarde to defend it from the expected French attack. On 11 July, the two forces met near the city.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

During the engagement, Allied cavalry moved to engage the French forward positions, killing or capturing many soldiers and pushing them back. For unknown reasons, a significant portion of the French army kept in reserve was never ordered to move up and engage, thus leading to a significantly weakened force facing the Allies. The infantry battalions on both sides moved to engage each other, with skilled deployment of cavalry by Cadogan ensuring the rout of many of the French infantry battalions, weakening their positions. Both sides settled into an engagement on opposing sides of the river, with several further mostly fruitless cavalry charges attempted by both sides. Marlborough initiated a flanking manoeuvre, gaining the allies a significant tactical and strategic advantage.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1708: 1708 Milestone — The battle was fought near the city of Oudenaarde, at the time part of the Spanish Netherlands, on 11 July 1708.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Battle of Oudenarde

True or False: “The Battle of Oudenarde was fought primarily because the French intended to capture the city of Bruges, thereby cutting off all Allied supply lines.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While capturing key cities was a goal, the immediate threat that prompted Marlborough's defense was the potential loss of communication and supply routes via Oudenaarde.

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