Malplaquet, Battle of

During the War of the Spanish Succession, victory of the British, Dutch, and Austrian forces over the French forces on 11 September 1709 at Malplaquet, in Nord département, France. No other battle during this war approached Malplaquet for ferocity and losses sustained by both sides – the joint Imperial force lost over 20,000 troops and the French 12,000, both having begun with about 90,000.

The Imperial army was under the command of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugène of Savoy while the French were under Marshal Claude de Villars.

The battle began on 11 September at 9 a.m. with an attack by the Austrian contingents of the Imperial army. This attack was repulsed and Marlborough sent three English battalions into the battle; the additional pressure of these fresh forces forced the French back. The Royal Irish Brigade then charged the Irish contingent of the French army and routed them, after which the battle spread to involve all units. The Prince of Orange, on the left of the Imperial forces, was driven back by the French. Eugène and Marlborough retaliated with a powerful assault on the French centre and right flank, and after a prolonged struggle the French were forced back and the Imperial forces began advancing. However, the losses on the Imperial side were so great and the troops so fatigued, that they were unable to pursue the French as they retreated.