Battle of La Marfée

Infobox Military Conflict


caption =
conflict = Bataille of La Marfée
partof = Thirty Years' War
date = 6 July 1641
place = Plateau of La Marfée, overlooking the town of Sedan
result = Sedanaise tactical victory,
French strategic victory
combatant1 = flagicon|France|royal Kingdom of France
combatant2 =
commander1 = Gaspard de Coligny
commander2 = Frédéric de la Tour d'Auvergne Louis de Bourbon-Soissons
strength1 = 11 000 soldiers 2 000 cavalry
strength2 = 4 000 'Sedanais' soldiers 7 000 Imperial mercenaries
casualties1 = 3 000 dead 600 captured
casualties2 = 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.

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.

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.

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.

ource

*Equivalent|French