Siege of Maastricht | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Franco-Dutch War | |||||||
Louis XIV in front of the besieged city | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France | Dutch Republic | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Louis XIV Sebastien Vauban Marquis de Montbrun Comte de Montal Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan † | Jacques de Fariaux | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
24,000 infantry 16,000 cavalry 58 guns |
5,000 infantry 1,200 cavalry | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,300+ | 1,700 |
The siege of Maastricht took place from 15 to 30 June 1673 during the Franco-Dutch War of 1672 to 1678, when a French army captured the Dutch fortress of Maastricht. The city occupied a key strategic position on the Meuse river and its capture was the main French objective for 1673; it was returned to the Dutch under the terms of the 1678 Treaty of Nijmegen.[1]
The siege was conducted by the French military engineer Vauban and is thought to be the first use of a technique known as the "siege parallel", a concept that remained in use until the mid-20th century. Casualties included Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, reputedly the inspiration for the central character in Alexandre Dumas' historical novel The Three Musketeers.[1]