Battle of Oudenarde
The Battle of Oudenarde, fought on July 11, 1708, during the War of the Spanish Succession, was a significant military engagement between French forces led by Duke Louis-Joseph de Bourbon and an allied army under the command of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy. After successfully capturing Bruges and Ghent, the French advanced toward Oudenarde, prompting the allied forces to cover a remarkable fifty miles in a short time to intercept them. Utilizing a strategic surprise attack, the allies targeted the French flanks, effectively enveloping a substantial portion of their forces by the end of the day. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the allies, with the French suffering heavy losses of around 6,000 casualties and 7,000 prisoners, while the allies incurred approximately 3,000 casualties. The battle demonstrated Marlborough's effective command and the successful collaboration between the allied leaders, which were crucial to their triumph. Although the victory at Oudenarde temporarily regained strategic advantages for the allies in Flanders, the broader conflict continued with varying outcomes, eventually leading to treaties that restored the balance of power in Europe by 1714. This battle remains an important event in the context of early 18th-century European warfare.
On this Page
Battle of Oudenarde
Type of action: Ground battle in the War of the Spanish Succession
Date: July 11, 1708
Location: Near Oudenarde
Combatants: 80,000 Allies (English, Dutch, and Imperialists) vs. 100,000 French
Principal commanders:Allied, John Churchill, first duke of Marlborough (1650–1722), Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736); French, Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, duke of Vendôme (1654–1712)
Result: Major Allied victory over the French
Having captured Bruges and Ghent, the French under Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, duke of Vendôme, marched toward the Flemish weaving town of Oudenarde, thirty-two miles west of Brussels. This movement led John Churchill, first duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy to march fifty miles in sixty-five hours to meet Vendôme in the hilly country immediately northeast of Oudenarde. Crossing the Scheldt below the town, the allies caught the French by surprise. Prince Eugene moved against the French left, as Dutch field marshal Hendrik van Nassau, lord of Ouwerkerk, flanked the French on the right. With Marlborough’s forces holding the center of the field, the allies’ wings were able to envelop half of the French force by sundown. Vendôme withdrew to Ghent having suffered 6,000 casualties and lost 7,000 prisoners; the allies suffered about 3,000 casualties. Marlborough’s high degree of operational control, platoon firing system, and harmonious relationship with Prince Eugene contributed significantly to this victory.
Significance
Although the Battle of Oudenarde and subsequent Battle of Malplaquet regained the allies’ strategic advantage in Flanders, the War of the Spanish Succession continued less advantageously elsewhere, leading England to quit the war in 1711 and forcing Austria in 1714 to sign treaties restoring the prewar balance of power.
Bibliography
Henderson, Nicholas. Prince Eugene of Savoy. New York: Praeger, 1965.
Livesey, Anthony. Great Commanders and Their Battles. Philadelphia: Courage, 1993.
Parker, Robert. Military Memoirs of Marlborough’s Campaigns, 1702–1712. Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 1998.
Taylor, Frank. The Wars of Marlborough, 1702–1709. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1921.
Weigley, R. F. The Age of Battles. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1991.