Battle of Speyerbach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Speyerbach
Part of the War of the Spanish Succession
Battle of Speyerbach
Date 15 November 1703 Location West of Speyer, present-day Germany Result French victory
Belligerents
Hesse-Kassel Electoral Palatinate	Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
Frederick of Hesse John of Nassau	Camille de Tallard
Strength
unknown	unknown
Casualties and losses
5,000 killed or wounded 4,000 prisoners 28 flags	800 killed or wounded

The Battle of Speyerbach was an important fight during the War of the Spanish Succession. It happened on November 15, 1703, near a town called Speyer in what is now Germany. A French army was trying to capture the city of Landau. They surprised and defeated a German army that was coming to help Landau. This battle was a big win for the French.

Setting the Stage for Battle

In October 1703, the armies fighting against France were getting ready for winter. They were planning to set up their camps along the Moselle River. But then, a French general named Tallard made a surprise move. He quickly surrounded the city of Landau and began to attack it on October 17. This was called a siege.

To stop the French, the allied armies gave an order. Crown Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel was told to move his troops south. His job was to break the French siege of Landau. He would work with Count John Ernst of Nassau-Weilburg. Count John was already on the other side of the Rhine River with many soldiers.

Both German armies met on November 13 near Speyer. They set up camp south of a small river called Speyerbach. They were waiting for more soldiers to join them. Their plan was to march to Landau on November 16.

However, General Tallard had a different idea. He decided not to wait for the German armies at Landau. Instead, he chose to march towards them and fight. He ordered another French general, Pracomtal, to bring his troops and meet him.

The Battle Begins

The German troops were not ready for a French attack. Their camp was not set up to defend against one. Also, their main leaders, including Prince Frederick and Count John, were in Speyer. They were celebrating the Emperor's name day on November 15.

At 7:00 AM, the French armies marched towards Speyer. They arrived around noon and spent an hour getting ready to fight. The German soldiers were slow to react because their leaders were not there. They were also very confused.

A German general named Vehlen tried his best to get the army into position. But there were large open spaces in their left side.

General Tallard ordered 14 groups of his cavalry (soldiers on horseback) to attack. This attack did not completely destroy the German left side. But it did manage to get through the open spaces in their lines. Around this time, Count Nassau-Weilburg arrived on the battlefield. He quickly joined the fight with his own cavalry.

This led to a defeat for the French cavalry. But instead of pulling back his troops, Count Nassau-Weilburg chased the French. He pursued them with his Palatine cavalry. However, the ground was not good for horses, which was a mistake.

Around 2:00 PM, the entire French army attacked. On the left side, the French cavalry was badly beaten by the German cavalry. The French lost 19 flags, and General Pracomtal was killed. In the middle, the German soldiers held their ground. But on their right side, the French were winning.

Six French groups of soldiers pushed back General Vehlen's cavalry. His cavalry lost its order and ran away. The French foot soldiers then attacked the Palatine foot soldiers, who also fled.

The French then started to surround the German soldiers in the middle. This caused a huge number of deaths among these troops. The remaining German soldiers retreated in an orderly way. The battle ended when they started to cross the Speyerbach river again around 5:00 PM. The French did not stop them from leaving.

What Happened Next

General Tallard achieved one of the biggest French victories of the war. Landau, the city they were besieging, surrendered on the same day.

This French victory was very important. However, it is often forgotten because of a much bigger French defeat. That defeat happened nine months later at the Battle of Blenheim.

More Information

• The Spanish Succession
• Die Schlacht bei Speyer (German)