Battle of Turckeim
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Turckheim was a confrontation of the Franco-Dutch War
fought on January 5, 1675 between the towns of Colmar
and Turckheim
in Alsace
. Involved the French armies commanded by the Viscount of Turenne against the armies of Austria
and Brandenburg
, led by Frederick William
.
The aggressive campaign of Louis XIV against the Netherlands
, since 1672, has just launched against France the hostility of other European states like Austria
(who controlled the Holy Roman Empire
) and Brandenburg
. This intervention has spread the war into the upper Rhine
and a new threat to French territory. In 1674 Marshal Turenne, French commander in that sector, failed to prevent the invasion of Alsace
by a part of the imperial army
. With the arrival of year's end, the Imperials
made their winter quarters om the region of Colmar
, a few miles south of the French winter barracks, situated in Haguenau
.
According to the war of the time, the military operations should be halted during the colder season and the generals kept their armies just to return in the spring. Turenne, however, decided not to follow this custom. Using the line of the Vosges mountains
as a curtain of protection, he came west and then south, skirting that massive surprise to reappear in Belfort
, south of the opponent, on December 27, 1674. Finding no resistance, reached Mulhouse
on the 29th. The imperials surprised, hastily sought to focus on Turckheim
. Turenne found the imperial army
, very well positioned on the afternoon of January 5, 1675. The ensuing battle did not follow the standards of the 17th century. In front of only a third of his army and marching with the left flank glued to the mountains, Turenne fell against the extreme right of the device enemy. The imperial presence set by the rest of the French force in front, did not affect your device. The speed of the attack (who was not carrying artillery) and the numerical superiority that came from a single point, disrupted and demoralized the defenders, putting them to flight, without many casualties. Now, with their winter quarters threatened, Frederick William of Brandenburg was forced to leave Alsace
, come to cross the Rhine River, back to Germany
next week. This campaign is considered one of the brightest of the 17th century. Here the Vicomte de Turenne, through two indirect maneuvers (one strategic and one tactical) got rid France of an invasion, suffering casualties negligible.
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
fought on January 5, 1675 between the towns of Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
and Turckheim
Turckheim
Turckheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It lies west of Colmar, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains.-Places of interest:...
in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. Involved the French armies commanded by the Viscount of Turenne against the armies of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, led by Frederick William
Frederick William
The name Frederick William usually refers to several monarchs and princes of the Hohenzollern dynasty:*Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg *Frederick William I , King of Prussia*Frederick William II , King of Prussia...
.
The aggressive campaign of Louis XIV against the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, since 1672, has just launched against France the hostility of other European states like Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(who controlled the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
) and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. This intervention has spread the war into the upper Rhine
Upper Rhine
The Upper Rhine is the section of the Rhine in the Upper Rhine Plain between Basel, Switzerland and Bingen, Germany. The river is marked by Rhine-kilometers 170 to 529 ....
and a new threat to French territory. In 1674 Marshal Turenne, French commander in that sector, failed to prevent the invasion of Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
by a part of the imperial army
Imperial Army
An Imperial Army is literally an army of any empire. However, only some empires in history and in fiction have actually referred to their armies as "The Imperial Army."-In Europe:* The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire...
. With the arrival of year's end, the Imperials
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
made their winter quarters om the region of Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
, a few miles south of the French winter barracks, situated in Haguenau
Haguenau
-Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the...
.
According to the war of the time, the military operations should be halted during the colder season and the generals kept their armies just to return in the spring. Turenne, however, decided not to follow this custom. Using the line of the Vosges mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
as a curtain of protection, he came west and then south, skirting that massive surprise to reappear in Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
, south of the opponent, on December 27, 1674. Finding no resistance, reached Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
on the 29th. The imperials surprised, hastily sought to focus on Turckheim
Turckheim
Turckheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It lies west of Colmar, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains.-Places of interest:...
. Turenne found the imperial army
Imperial Army
An Imperial Army is literally an army of any empire. However, only some empires in history and in fiction have actually referred to their armies as "The Imperial Army."-In Europe:* The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire...
, very well positioned on the afternoon of January 5, 1675. The ensuing battle did not follow the standards of the 17th century. In front of only a third of his army and marching with the left flank glued to the mountains, Turenne fell against the extreme right of the device enemy. The imperial presence set by the rest of the French force in front, did not affect your device. The speed of the attack (who was not carrying artillery) and the numerical superiority that came from a single point, disrupted and demoralized the defenders, putting them to flight, without many casualties. Now, with their winter quarters threatened, Frederick William of Brandenburg was forced to leave Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, come to cross the Rhine River, back to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
next week. This campaign is considered one of the brightest of the 17th century. Here the Vicomte de Turenne, through two indirect maneuvers (one strategic and one tactical) got rid France of an invasion, suffering casualties negligible.