Siege of Landau (1702)

Siege of Landau (1702)
Part of War of the Spanish Succession
Parts of Landau's defenses from the 1680s still exist.
Date 16 June – 12 September 1702 Location Landau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Result Imperial victory
Belligerents
Holy Roman Empire	Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
Louis of Baden Archduke Joseph Louis Thomas of Savoy †	Comte de Mélac Nicolas Catinat
Strength
46,000	4,335
Casualties and losses
2,865	At least 1,700

The siege of Landau took place from 16 June to 12 September 1702, during the War of the Spanish Succession. An Imperial army led by Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden captured Landau, a fortress town in the Rhineland-Palatinate held by a French garrison commanded by the Comte de Mélac.

The earliest actions from the war were focused in northern Italy in 1701, but military activity began in the Electoral Palatinate the following year. In the Palatinate, Louis of Baden and an Imperial army crossed the Rhine River at Speyer and moved south to invest Landau. Unwilling to challenge his stronger foes, Nicolas Catinat with his French army watched from a distance as the Landau defenses were methodically reduced by siege artillery, mining and infantry attacks. After losing a key defensive position, Mélac and his garrison were forced to capitulate. At this time, the Electorate of Bavaria became a French ally, tipping the balance of power and causing Louis of Baden to withdraw. The next clash was the Battle of Friedlingen on 14 October 1702.