The siege of Philippsburg was a siege of the fortress of

Philippsburg Philippsburg () is a town in the district of Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. History Before 1632, Philippsburg was known as "Udenheim". The city was a possession of the Bishop of Speyer from 1371–1718. The town is named after ...

during the

Franco-Dutch War The Franco-Dutch War, also known as the Dutch War (french: Guerre de Hollande; nl, Hollandse Oorlog), was fought between France and the Dutch Republic, supported by its allies the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Brandenburg-Prussia and Denmark-Nor ...

History

In French hands since 1644 - with

Breisach Breisach (formerly Altbreisach; Low Alemannic: ''Alt-Brisach'') is a town with approximately 16,500 inhabitants, situated along the Rhine in the Rhine Valley, in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about halfway ...

, it was then their only bridgehead on the east bank of the

River Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , sourc ...

and so Vauban had fortified it. This made it a constant threat to the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

's west flank and at the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War it became the jumping off point for several French incursions into the Palatinate and Neckar area. The garrisons of its outlying towns of Kißlau, Schwetzingen and Bruchsal were destroyed in spring 1676 and the Empire decided to lay siege to the fortress itself.

Charles V, Duke of Lorraine Charles V, Duke of Lorraine and Bar (french: Charles Léopold Nicolas Sixte; german: Karl V Leopold; 3 April 1643 – 18 April 1690) succeeded his uncle Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine as titular Duke of Lorraine and Bar in 1675; both duchies wer ...

began the siege with a 40,000 strong imperial force on 23 June. The French commander Charles de Faultrier du Fay had just under 2,800 men and a French relief effort failed, leading to du Fay's surrender on 17 September. Only 1,500 French troops survived but these were allowed to march out with full military honours. 3,000 imperial troops were put in place to garrison the fortress, which remained in Imperial hands until its French recapture in

1688 Events January–March * January 2 – Fleeing from the Spanish Navy, French pirate Raveneau de Lussan and his 70 men arrive on the west coast of Nicaragua, sink their boats, and make a difficult 10 day march to the city of Oco ...

Citations

References

External links

*http://www.club-rheingrafvonsalm.de/html/ab_1600.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Philippsburg, Siege of Conflicts in 1676 1676 in Europe