Siege of Brussels
| date | January 29 - February 22, 1746 |
|---|---|
| place | Brussels (Austrian Netherlands) |
| output | French victory, capture of the city |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
|
Count Eugène de Lannoy de la Motterie |
|
| Troop strength | |
| 22,000 | 12,000 |
The siege of Brussels lasted from January to February 1746 and was part of the War of the Austrian Succession . A French army under the command of Lieutenant General Maurice de Saxe besieged and captured the capital of the Austrian Netherlands .
In 1745, much of the British mainland army had been called back to England to put down the Jacobite and Charles Edward Stuart revolt. So only a few troops could be opposed to the French. Encouraged by this fact, the Maréchal de Saxe moved in front of Brussels and enclosed the city. After just a few weeks, two breaches were made in the ramparts, and the Austrian defenders were forced to capitulate.
As a result, the governor of the Austrian Netherlands, Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg , had to withdraw with his administration to Antwerp . This siege brought about a serious change in the views of the Austrian allies, particularly Great Britain and the United Netherlands , who had considered themselves protectors of Brussels. As a late consequence of this, Kaunitz found himself a decade later as a negotiator in the Austro-French negotiations when Austria turned away from Great Britain and turned to France, making Austria an ally of France in the Seven Years War .
After Brussels, other cities and fortresses in the Austrian Netherlands were conquered by France, such as Mons and Namur .
Brussels remained in French hands until the Treaty of Aachen was signed in 1748 . In January 1749 the French left the city and returned it to Austria.
literature
- Reed Browning: The War of the Austrian Succession. Alan Sutton Publishing, 1994.
- Stephen Brumwell: Paths of Glory. The Life and Death of General James Wolfe. Continuum International Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-7735-3261-8 .
- John Manchip White: Marshal of France. The Life and Times of Maurice de Saxe. Rand McNally & Co., 1962.