Siege of Metz (1552–1553)
The Siege of Metz (1552–1553) was a significant military conflict during the Italian Wars, primarily involving the forces of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and those of King Henry II of France. The siege began on October 14, 1552, when Charles V's army encircled Metz, which had been captured by the French earlier that year. Duke Francis of Guise was tasked with defending the city and undertook extensive fortification efforts, transforming Metz into a stronghold. The siege escalated with intense bombardment starting on November 20, 1552, focusing on the city's vulnerable southern side. Despite suffering heavy losses, Charles V's forces faced a resilient French defense and adverse weather conditions. The siege concluded with the withdrawal of Charles’s army on January 1, 1553, after significant casualties—estimated up to 20,000—due to combat and disease, compared to around 500 French troops. The successful defense of Metz solidified French control over the region and had lasting implications for French territorial ambitions in Lorraine.
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Siege of Metz (1552–1553)
Type of action: Siege in the Valois-Habsburg War
Date: October 14, 1552-January 1, 1553
Location: Metz in northern Lorraine (northeastern France)
Combatants: 45,000 Imperialists (Habsburgs) vs. 6,000 French (Valois)
Principal commanders:Imperialist, Charles V (1500–1558); French, Duke Francis of Guise (1519–1563)
Result: French held Metz
On October 14, 1552, the first units of Charles V’s army reached Metz and began to establish siege lines. The French had captured Metz the previous April, and Henry II, expecting an imperial counterattack, had placed Duke Francis of Guise in command. Guise had energetically rebuilt the fortifications and strengthened the garrison, making Metz a formidable stronghold. Full-scale battering of the walls began only after Charles arrived on November 20. The attack concentrated on the south side of the city because the other three sides were well protected by rivers. On November 28, after being hammered by forty great guns, part of the wall collapsed, but the imperial assault was stopped by an eight-foot-high earthen wall, referred to as a double Pisan rampart, erected behind the curtain wall. The same device prevented a second breach from being exploited. Aided by the coldest and wettest weather in memory, the French held out until Charles admitted defeat and retreated from Metz on January 1. He lost as many as 20,000 men to the fighting and disease. The French lost about 500.
Significance
With their successful defense of Metz, the French had irrevocable control of the three bishoprics of Lorraine, giving them a foothold in the duchy that they would exploit to its complete takeover in the early eighteenth century.
Bibliography
Baumgartner, Frederic. Henry II King of France. 1988. Reprint. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1996.
Duffy, Christopher. Siege Warfare: The Fortress in the Early Modern World 1494–1660. New York: Routledge, 1979.
Knecht, R. J. French Renaissance Monarchy: Francis I and Henry II. New York: Longman, 1996.