Battle of Honnecourt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Honnecourt |
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| Part of Franco-Spanish War (1635–59) Related conflict of the Thirty Years' War |
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.jpeg) The Battle of Honnecourt, by Peter Snayers. Perspective from the Spanish positions; note Abbey on left, and River Escaut directly behind |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spain |
 France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Francisco de Melo Jean de Beck Conde de Bucquoy Marquis de Velada |
Comte de Guiche Puységur-Chastenet (POW) Josias von Rantzau (POW) |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 10,000 plus 20 guns | 10,000 plus 10 guns | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 400 dead 1,500 killed or wounded |
-1,400 killed or wounded, 3,000 captured -2,000 killed or wounded, 2,500 captured |
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The Battle of Honnecourt happened on May 26, 1642. It was a major fight during the Franco-Spanish War, which lasted from 1635 to 1659. In this battle, a Spanish army, led by Francisco de Melo, won a big victory. They defeated a French army, led by the Comte de Guiche, almost completely destroying it.
Most of the French soldiers were busy fighting in Catalonia, trying to capture Perpignan. So, Melo, the Spanish commander, launched an attack into Artois. Artois was a region that was then part of the Spanish Netherlands. In early May, he took back the towns of Lens and La Bassée. After these victories, he moved to attack the French "Army of Champagne". This army was based near Honnecourt-sur-Escaut.
The French commander, Guiche, placed his troops in a very strong defensive spot. However, his army was no match for the experienced Army of Flanders (the Spanish army). Both sides of the French army collapsed after seven hours of fighting. The French soldiers found their escape route blocked by the Scheldt River right behind them. There was only one bridge to cross. Because of this, most of the French soldiers were either killed or captured. Guiche was one of the last to leave the battlefield. Only about 1,600 of his soldiers managed to escape.
This battle was one of the few truly decisive moments in the war. The war was mostly a long, tiring conflict that lasted 24 years. The Spanish were very happy about their victory. In Paris, the French capital, people panicked. It seemed like the Spanish might invade. But Melo decided to face a combined French and Dutch attack in the Rhineland instead. So, in the end, the Battle of Honnecourt didn't change the overall war much.
Contents
Why Did the Battle Happen?
By 1642, the Franco-Spanish War had been going on for seven years. Neither side had been able to win a clear victory. In 1640, a revolt started in Catalonia (a region in Spain). This gave France a chance to weaken Spain. France also wanted to expand its border in a region called Roussillon.
The French chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, and King Louis XIII decided on their main goal for 1642. They wanted to capture Perpignan. They planned to play defense in other areas.
In 1640, the French had captured much of Artois. This area is now in modern France. At that time, it was part of the Spanish Netherlands. They took Arras, Lens, and La Bassée. Francisco de Melo, the new Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, wanted to get these places back. He hoped this would make France send fewer soldiers to Catalonia. He planned an attack using 30,000 soldiers from the Army of Flanders. This was the most experienced army in the Spanish Empire.
The French had two armies against him. The Army of Picardy, led by the Comte d'Harcourt, had 18,000 men near Saint-Quentin. The Army of Champagne, led by the Comte de Guiche, had 11,000 men in Péronne.
In early May, Melo captured Lens. Then he moved to La Bassée. Guiche and Harcourt joined their forces near Arras to help La Bassée. But they didn't attack the strong Spanish defenses around the siege lines. They pulled back instead. Harcourt marched to the Boulonnais to stop an attack on Calais. Guiche stayed near Le Catelet. His job was to stop the Spanish soldiers from Cambrai from raiding into Champagne.
The Battle of Honnecourt
After La Bassée surrendered on May 13, Melo decided to attack Guiche. He used 8,000 infantry (foot soldiers) and 2,000 cavalry (horse soldiers). By May 25, he was close to Honnecourt-sur-Escaut. Guiche had his troops in a strong spot north of Le Catelet. They were on high ground, along the edge of a steep ravine (a deep, narrow valley).
His right side was protected by Honnecourt Abbey and a forest called Bois Maillard. On the left side, there were fewer natural barriers. So, Guiche built several strong earthworks (defensive walls made of earth). These were still visible in the mid-1800s. The army's supplies were placed right behind the abbey. This was next to the only bridge over the Scheldt River, which the French called the "Escaut".
Puységur-Chastenet, one of Guiche's three Maréchal de camps (senior officers), suggested something important. He thought they should take control of two hills on the other side of the ravine. These hills overlooked their defenses. If they did this, the Spanish couldn't use them for their artillery (cannons). However, Josias von Rantzau and other officers felt they didn't have enough soldiers for this. So, Guiche decided to stay in his current positions and wait for the Spanish to attack. Rantzau also suggested building another bridge over the river. But the French didn't have enough men or time to do it. Both of these decisions played a big part in what happened next.
Spanish Attack and French Collapse
Just as Puységur-Chastenet predicted, the Spanish placed their artillery on the two hills. This happened early on the morning of May 26. They started firing at the French defenses, focusing their cannons on the abbey. Most of the French cavalry was near the Bois Maillard. Melo worried they might try to go around his army. So, he sent most of his soldiers to Jean de Beck, who commanded the left side of the Spanish army.
Beck's infantry moved quickly through the woods. They were supported by Walloon cavalry led by Bucquoy. They caught the French soldiers while they were still getting into formation. The French cavalry fled in a panic. Guiche managed to rally them (get them back in order). But they chased Bucquoy too far. This left them open to close-range fire from the Spanish artillery. After losing many soldiers, the French cavalry retreated across the Escaut River. Most of them didn't take part in the rest of the battle.
Meanwhile, Beck's infantry attacked the abbey. The French defenses were very weak after three hours of constant shelling. The French defenders started to lose ground. At the same time, Velada attacked the French left side with about 3,000 soldiers. Their first attack was pushed back. But their second attack successfully took over the earthworks.
After seven hours of fighting, the French positions on both the left and right sides collapsed. Most of the French soldiers were either killed or captured. This included the elite Compagnie de Dauphin (a special French unit). Guiche only left the battlefield when Puységur-Chastenet convinced him to. Puységur-Chastenet was captured along with the rest of his regiment. He barely escaped being killed by his captors in a fight over his ransom (money paid for his release).
Casualties and Losses
The French lost nearly 4,000 prisoners of war (POWs). They also lost between 1,200 and 3,000 soldiers who were killed. Many of these drowned trying to cross the river. During their retreat, a large group of French soldiers made a final stand. They gathered around a church in the nearby village of Bantouzelle. Their remains were still being found two centuries later.
The Spanish also captured the French cannons and all their supplies. They took 400,000 livres (French money) in cash. The Spanish themselves lost between 400 and 500 soldiers killed. Most of the French prisoners were later exchanged. They were traded for Spanish soldiers captured at the Battle of Rocroi in July 1643.
What Happened Next?
In a war where both sides rarely won big victories, Honnecourt was a huge success for Spain. Guiche reached Saint-Quentin with fewer than 1,600 men, mostly cavalry. The main French army was with King Louis XIII at Perpignan. So, the road to Paris seemed open. This caused panic in the capital city.
However, Melo turned his army towards the North Rhineland instead. This area had been controlled by French general Guébriant. Guébriant had defeated an Imperial army there at the Battle of Kempen in January.
Guébriant and his French-Weimarian soldiers planned to join up with a Dutch force. This Dutch force was led by the Prince of Orange. Together, they wanted to attack the important Spanish town of Geldern. Some people criticized Melo for being too careful. But he was right to see this as a bigger threat. The Dutch army pulled back when Melo advanced. They stopped their siege of Geldern. By the end of 1642, the Spanish had taken back most of northern Artois. Their position in Flanders seemed as strong as ever.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Honnecourt para niños
