September 11, 1709 · Spanish Netherlands Theater
September 11, 1709
The bloodiest battle of the war and one of the bloodiest of the century. Allied forces attacked Villars's entrenched French army in woodland near the village of Malplaquet. Though the Allies ultimately broke the French position and Villars himself was wounded, the cost was staggering — over 24,000 Allied casualties against approximately 12,000 French. The French retreated in good order, having inflicted terrible punishment.
Commanders