Battle of St. Quentin (1557) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of St. Quentin
Part of the Italian War of 1551–1559
French surrender to the Duke of Savoy Emanuele Filiberto
Date 10 August 1557 Location Saint-Quentin, France Result Habsburg Spanish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	Spanish Empire Seventeen Provinces  Duchy of Savoy Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Duke of Nevers Anne de Montmorency  (POW)	Duke Emmanuel Philibert Ferrante I Gonzaga Count of Egmont Julián Romero
Strength
26,000	50,000–80,000
Casualties and losses
10,000 casualties (3,000 killed and 7,000 captured) or 14,000	1,000

The Battle of Saint-Quentin in 1557 was a very important battle. It was part of the Italian War of 1551–1559. This war was fought between the Kingdom of France and the Spanish Empire. The battle happened near Saint-Quentin in France. A Spanish army, led by Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, won against the French army. The French army was led by Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers and Anne de Montmorency.

The Battle Begins

The battle took place on August 10, 1557. This day is known as the Feast Day of St. Lawrence. Duke Philibert and his English allies had surrounded the city of Saint-Quentin. This is called a siege.

The French commander, Montmorency, led about 26,000 soldiers. His goal was to reach Saint-Quentin and help the people inside. The Spanish and English forces were much larger, with 50,000 to 80,000 soldiers.

Montmorency tried to get his troops into the city through a marshy area. But his army was slow to pull back. This gave the Spanish army a chance to attack. They defeated the French and captured Montmorency. During the fighting, the Saint-Quentin collegiate church was badly damaged by fire.

What Happened After

After the Spanish victory at Saint-Quentin, King Philip II of Spain decided not to continue fighting. He had seen how terrible the battlefield was. He moved his army to the Spanish Netherlands in the north. He had been the governor there since 1555.

In 1558, the Spanish won another battle at Gravelines. The war finally ended in 1559 with the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis. This treaty helped to bring peace between France and Spain.

Famous People in the Battle

A French soldier named Martin Guerre fought for the Spanish side. He was badly injured and his leg had to be removed. He was away for a long time. During his absence, another soldier pretended to be him in Guerre's village. Martin Guerre returned in 1560.

The Feast of Saint Lawrence

King Philip II was a very religious person. He knew that August 10 was the Feast of St Lawrence. St. Lawrence was a Roman deacon who was burned on a grill for his Christian beliefs.

To remember his great victory on St. Lawrence's Day, Philip ordered a huge palace to be built. It was shaped like a grill. This palace was built in the Guadarrama Mountains near Madrid, Spain. It is known as El Escorial. The palace was finished in 1584.

In Culture

There is a Spanish saying, "Se armó la de San Quintín". This phrase means "It became the one of St. Quentin." People use it to describe a very big argument or dispute.

See also

Learn more in Spanish

In Spanish: Batalla de San Quintín (1557) para niños