Battle of Saint-Denis (1678)

The Battle of Saint-Denis was fought on August 14–15, 1678 between a French army commanded by the Marshal Luxembourg and a Dutch army under William III near Saint-Denis, a village outside Mons, then part of the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium). It was the last battle of the Franco-Dutch War (1672–1678), fought after the peace was signed between France and the Netherlands in the Treaty of Nijmegen on August 10.

The treaty between France and Spain was not yet signed, and it was the intention of the French to make further pretexts for delay, in the hope that Mons meanwhile would fall. The report of the conclusion of peace reached the stadholder in his camp on August 13, but unofficially. On the morning of August 14 D’Estrades came personally to bring the news to Luxemburg; and the French marshal was on the point of forwarding the message to the Dutch camp, when he heard that Orange was advancing with his army to attack him, and he felt that honour compelled him to accept the challenge. A sanguinary fight took place at Saint-Denis, a short distance from Mons. William exposed his life freely, and though the result was nominally a drawn battle, he achieved his purpose. Luxembourg raised the siege of Mons, and the negotiations with Spain were pressed forward. The treaty between France and Spain was signed on September 17, 1678.

The battle was one of the most fiercely contested of the whole war. Each side had about 2,000 soldiers killed.

Present at the battle
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II of England, was present at the battle as commander of the Anglo-Dutch brigade, and distinguished himself.

Also present were Menno van Coehoorn (the “Dutch Vauban”), and the future Marshall Hendrik Overkirk, who is said to have saved the life of William III during the battle by cutting down an attacker who already had his pistol against the Prince’s chest.