Battle of Speyerbach
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Speyerbach took place on 15 November 1703 in the War of the Spanish Succession
. A French army besieging Landau
surprised and defeated a German relief army near Speyer
.
On 28 October the allies ordered the Crown-Prince of Hessen-Kassel, the future King Frederick I of Sweden
, to move south to lift the siege of Landau. Hessen-Kassel would have to cooperate with the Count of Nassau-Weilburg
, who was on the right bank of the Rhine with 24 battalions and 18 squadrons.
Both armies met on 13 November near Speyer
and made camp south of the river Speyerbach, where Nassau-Weilburg and Hessen-Kassel waited for reinforcements to march to Landau on 16 November.
Tallard had meanwhile decided not to wait for the enemy at Landau, but to march towards them and deliver battle. He ordered troops under Armand, marquis de Pracomtal at Saarbrücken, to join him at Essingen.
Furthermore, the command, including both Hessen-Kassel and Nassau-Weilburg, was gathered in Speyer
on 15 November, in order to celebrate the Emperor's birthday.
At 07:00 the united French armies marched towards Speyer, where they arrived at 12:00 and deployed until 13:00. The German troops, in absence of their leaders reacted slowly and in confusion. General Vehlen did his best to position the army, but large gaps were left in the left wing.
Tallard ordered 14 squadrons of his right wing to attack. This attack failed to destroy the allied left wing but succeeded in passing through the gaps in their line. At about this moment Nassau-Weilburg arrived on the field and intervened with his cavalry. This led to a defeat of the French cavalry. Instead of disengaging his troops and reforming a line, Nassau-Weilburg pursued the French with his Palatine cavalry on a terrain which was not suitable for horses.
About 14:00 the whole French army attacked. On the left wing the French cavalry was decisively beaten by the allied cavalry. The French lost 19 standards and Pracontal was killed. In the center the allies held, but on their right wing the French were successful. On the utter right 6 battalions started by driving Vehlen's cavalry back. It lost its cohesion and fled. The French infantry attacked the Palatine infantry and this fled too.
The French then started to envelop the enemy center. This caused an enormous amount of casualties amongst these troops. The remaining German troops retreated in good order and the battle ended when they started to recross the Speyerbach at about 17:00. The French did not hinder them in this operation.
This French victory has been overshadowed in history by their colossal defeat in the Battle of Blenheim
nine months later.
RhinelandPalatinate°N conflict=yes°W
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. A French army besieging Landau
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
surprised and defeated a German relief army near Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
.
Prelude
In mid October 1703, the allied armies prepared to go into winter camp along the Moselle, when Tallard by surprise closed in on Landau and started the siege on 17 October.On 28 October the allies ordered the Crown-Prince of Hessen-Kassel, the future King Frederick I of Sweden
Frederick I of Sweden
Frederick I, , was a prince consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720, and a King of Sweden from 1720 until his death and also Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730...
, to move south to lift the siege of Landau. Hessen-Kassel would have to cooperate with the Count of Nassau-Weilburg
John Ernst of Nassau-Weilburg
Johann Ernst von Nassau-Weilburg was an Imperial Generalfeldmarschall, from 1675 to 1688 Count and from 1688 till his death Prince of Nassau-Weilburg....
, who was on the right bank of the Rhine with 24 battalions and 18 squadrons.
Both armies met on 13 November near Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
and made camp south of the river Speyerbach, where Nassau-Weilburg and Hessen-Kassel waited for reinforcements to march to Landau on 16 November.
Tallard had meanwhile decided not to wait for the enemy at Landau, but to march towards them and deliver battle. He ordered troops under Armand, marquis de Pracomtal at Saarbrücken, to join him at Essingen.
The battle
The German troops were not expecting a French attack and their camp was not planned for defence.Furthermore, the command, including both Hessen-Kassel and Nassau-Weilburg, was gathered in Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
on 15 November, in order to celebrate the Emperor's birthday.
At 07:00 the united French armies marched towards Speyer, where they arrived at 12:00 and deployed until 13:00. The German troops, in absence of their leaders reacted slowly and in confusion. General Vehlen did his best to position the army, but large gaps were left in the left wing.
Tallard ordered 14 squadrons of his right wing to attack. This attack failed to destroy the allied left wing but succeeded in passing through the gaps in their line. At about this moment Nassau-Weilburg arrived on the field and intervened with his cavalry. This led to a defeat of the French cavalry. Instead of disengaging his troops and reforming a line, Nassau-Weilburg pursued the French with his Palatine cavalry on a terrain which was not suitable for horses.
About 14:00 the whole French army attacked. On the left wing the French cavalry was decisively beaten by the allied cavalry. The French lost 19 standards and Pracontal was killed. In the center the allies held, but on their right wing the French were successful. On the utter right 6 battalions started by driving Vehlen's cavalry back. It lost its cohesion and fled. The French infantry attacked the Palatine infantry and this fled too.
The French then started to envelop the enemy center. This caused an enormous amount of casualties amongst these troops. The remaining German troops retreated in good order and the battle ended when they started to recross the Speyerbach at about 17:00. The French did not hinder them in this operation.
Aftermath
Tallard achieved one of the biggest French victories of the war. Landau capitulated the same day.This French victory has been overshadowed in history by their colossal defeat in the Battle of Blenheim
Battle of Blenheim
The Battle of Blenheim , fought on 13 August 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis XIV of France sought to knock Emperor Leopold out of the war by seizing Vienna, the Habsburg capital, and gain a favourable peace settlement...
nine months later.
Source
RhinelandPalatinate°N conflict=yes°W