1743 – 1748
From the first clashes in 1743 to the final fighting in 1748, find the full chronology of this conflict below, with the forces engaged, commanders and consequences for France in each battle.
Era : Classical Era
The Battle of Dettingen is one of the first major confrontations of the War of the Austrian Succession. French forces attack the Allied army attempting to raise the siege of Dettingen. After intense fighting, the French are finally repulsed and must retreat. It is the last battle in which a British king personally participated, George II.
On 11 May 1745 at Fontenoy in Flanders, Marshal de Saxe won a famous victory over the Anglo-Hanoverian-Austrian army of the Duke of Cumberland. Louis XV and the dauphin watched from a redoubt. Despite allied numerical superiority (about 50,000 to 45,000), the French broke the enemy center after a memorable exchange between the Comte d'Auteroche and Lord Charles Hay, then repelled counterattacks on the flanks.
The Battle of Rocourt is a major strategic victory for France. Maurice de Saxe manages to repulse the Allied army attempting to regain the initiative in Belgium. The battle is characterized by solid defense and effective counterattacks by French forces, who hold fortified positions while inflicting heavy losses on the Allies.
The Battle of Lauffeld is a decisive French victory in the War of the Austrian Succession. Maurice de Saxe brilliantly uses a combination of offensive and defensive manoeuvres to defeat a well-equipped and experienced Allied army. This victory confirms French supremacy in the Austrian Netherlands and allows France to consolidate control over several strategic fortresses.
The Battle of Val is a notable tactical victory for France during the War of the Austrian Succession. Maurice de Saxe, despite a slightly inferior army in numbers, succeeds in repulsing Allied troops attempting to regain the initiative on the Austrian Netherlands front. Fighting is marked by strong resistance and skillful use of French artillery and cavalry.
The siege of Maastricht was a decisive French operation to seize a strategic strong place in the Austrian Netherlands. Under Marshal Maurice de Saxe, French forces besieged the town for several weeks before forcing surrender of the Dutch defenses. This victory consolidated the French position in the region and weakened the Allied coalition.
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Bande dessinée historique consacrée à la bataille d'Austerlitz (1805), deuxième tome de la collection « Les grandes batailles de l'histoire de France ».
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