Siege of Namur (1695)
Français: Siège_de_Namur_(1695)
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Siege of Namur (1695) Part of the Nine Years' War
Siege of Namur (1695) by Jan van Huchtenburg. In the foreground King William III, dressed in grey, confers with the Elector of Bavaria. Date 2 July–1 September, 1695 Location Namur, Spanish Netherlands
(Present-day Belgium)
Result Allied victory Belligerents France Holy Roman Empire
England
Dutch Republic Commanders Duc de Boufflers
Duke of Villeroi King William III
Menno van Coehoorn
Maximilian II Emanuel Strength 13,000[1] 34,000 infantry
24,000 cavalry[1] Casualties and losses 8,000 12,000 Theatres of the
Nine Years' War Mainland Europe – Ireland – North America v • d • Nine Year's War (1688–1697) Bantry Bay – Walcourt – Fleurus – Beachy Head – Staffarda – Mons – Cuneo – Leuze – 1st Namur – Barfleur – La Hogue – Steenkirk – Lagos – Landen – Marsaglia – Charleroi – Brest – Torroella – 2nd Namur – Brussels - Barcelona
The Siege of Namur, 2 July–1 September 1695, was the second siege of the city of Namur in the Nine Years' War. The Allied forces of the Grand Alliance retook the city from the French, who had captured it in the first siege in 1692. The recapture of Namur has been called the most important event in the Nine Years' War.[2]
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//The French captured in the city of Namur in the first siege in 1692, under the command of the Duc de Luxembourg, with King Louis XIV of France present. Namur's defensive works had been designed by Menno van Coehoorn, who oversaw the citadel's defence during the first siege. His French counterpart, Vauban improved the defensive works significantly after the city was taken. Given its strategic position at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, the Citadel of Namur became the most strategically important fortress in the Spanish Netherlands.
As France was on the defensive, the Allied army of the Grand Alliance under the command of King William III of England and Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria, governor of the Spanish Netherlands, laid siege to the city beginning on July 2, 1695. By July 3, they had invested the city.[3] Menno van Coehoorn, in a reversal of roles, directed the siege works against the city.[1][4]
By July 18, Allied forces had overcome the outer fortifications that Vauban had built. Five battalions of English and Dutch troops launched an assault on the Brussels Gate of Namur. The general assault began on August 3, and the Duc de Boufflers, the French commander, offered the surrender of the city.[4] The offer was accepted, and the following day as part of the terms of surrender a six day truce was granted to attend to the wounded and withdraw to the citadel. The truce was guaranteed by an exchange of high ranking officers as hostages; after the six days had expired, the hostages returned to their camps and the siege of the citadel was renewed.
The Duke of Villeroi made an attempt to draw the attackers away from Namur by bombing the militarily unimportant target of Brussels, with the goal only of causing destruction to the city. The bombardment lasted from August 13–15, and did not divert any Allied troops from the siege of Namur. Villeroi's army later attempted to lift the Allied siege of Namur, but it was blocked in the field by an army under the Prince of Vaudemont.[3]
In Laurence Sterne's novel Tristram Shandy, Tristram's uncle Toby injured his groin at the Siege of Namur. A major subplot of the novel involves his obsession with war and reenacting battles from the War of Austrian Succession with his trusty sidekick, Corporal Trim.[5]