Battles & Campaigns · 1674
Battle of Seneffe
Seneffe, Hainaut, Belgium
What happened
A French army under the Grand Condé fought an allied Dutch, Imperial and Spanish army under William of Orange. The allied army was marching through marshy ground in three columns. Condé attacked first and took Seneffe by midday, then made repeated costly attacks on the allied lines. Fighting went on until night, and both armies pulled back.
Why it matters
Losses were very heavy on both sides. The engineer Vauban argued it showed sieges were a better way to win than big battles.
What came next
The allies replaced their losses and besieged Oudenarde, but gave up when Condé came to relieve it.
Did you know?
Condé led the cavalry despite gout so bad he could not wear riding boots.
Timeline
- 11 Aug 1674Battle of Seneffe.
- Autumn 1674Allied siege of Oudenarde abandoned.
- 29 Oct 1674Grave surrenders to the Dutch.
- 1678Treaties of Nijmegen end the war.