Battle of Fontenoy

The Battle of Fontenoy was a major military engagement during the War of the Austrian Succession. It took place on 11 May 1745 near Tournai in the Austrian Netherlands, which is now Belgium.

This conflict was part of a larger struggle for power in Europe. The war began after the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740. His daughter, Maria Theresa, became the heir to the Habsburg monarchy. However, Salic law technically barred women from inheriting. This led several leaders, like Charles of Bavaria, to challenge her rule.

France entered the battle with a specific strategic goal. The French treasury was close to bankruptcy. Marshal Saxe, the French commander, believed a decisive victory in the Austrian Netherlands could solve these financial problems. He sought to defeat the British, as their money funded much of the Allied war effort. Saxe planned to choose the ground for the battle. He wanted to force the Allies to fight before they could raise more funds. He also benefited from a unified command structure.

The Allied force was known as the Pragmatic Army. It was led by the 24-year-old Duke of Cumberland. This army was composed of many different groups. It included British, Hanoverian, and Dutch troops, along with some Austrians.

However, this diversity created many problems. The British and Hanoverians mistrusted each other. The Dutch commander, Prince Waldeck, was unpopular with his subordinates. These internal disputes and Cumberland's lack of experience made the Allied strategy very weak.

Saxe used the geography of Flanders to his advantage. This region is characterized by rivers and low-lying land. Control of waterways like the Scheldt River was vital for moving supplies. Saxe began by besieging the strategic town of Tournai in April 1745. This forced the Allies to march to its relief. Saxe positioned his 50,000 men along a high plateau. He fortified villages like Fontenoy and Antoing. He also used defensive works like the Redoubt d'Eu to protect his flanks.

The fighting began in the early hours of 11 May. The Allies attempted several attacks on the French flanks. Dutch troops tried to take Fontenoy but were pushed back by heavy fire. Meanwhile, a brigade under Richard Ingoldsby struggled to clear the Redoubt d'Eu. Because Cumberland had underestimated the French numbers, he did not realize how strong the French left was. This delay caused confusion in the Allied command.

The most famous moment occurred when a central column of 15,000 Allied infantry advanced up the slope. They reached the French position still in formation. A famous story suggests the French Guards invited the British to fire first. This was a tactic used by disciplined troops to absorb the impact of a volley. The British fire killed or wounded 700 to 800 men. However, the French line did not break completely. Saxe ordered cavalry attacks and brought up his artillery. The Allied column was forced into a defensive square to survive. Eventually, the column was driven back toward Brussels.

Although France won the battle, it did not end the war. France gained control of the Austrian Netherlands for a time. However, their economic situation continued to get worse. They won other battles in 1746 and 1747, but they remained near bankruptcy. The war finally ended in November 1748 with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Under this treaty, France had to give back the lands it had captured. The battle remains a key example of how difficult it is to coordinate large, multi-national armies.