Battle of Friedlingen

Battle of Friedlingen
Part of the War of the Spanish Succession
The Battle of Friedlingen, unknown author
Date 14 October 1702 Location Weil am Rhein, Baden-Württemberg Result French victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	Holy Roman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Claude Louis Hector de Villars Lt General Desbordes † Comte de Magnac	Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden Karl von Fürstenberg-Möskirch  † Margrave of Ansbach Margrave of Baden-Durlach Count Hohenzollern † Count Prosper Fürstenberg †
Strength
17,000 men,[1] 35 cannons[2]	14,000 men[1]
Casualties and losses
2,700 [2]	2,900 [2]

The Battle of Friedlingen took place on 14 October 1702, during the War of the Spanish Succession. Most of the fighting centred around Friedlingen, now a suburb of Weil am Rhein, on the current border between Baden-Württemberg in Germany, and Switzerland. A French force under Villars defeated an Imperial army commanded by Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden.

The capture of Landau in September allowed Louis William to threaten the French border region of Alsace. Shortly afterwards, Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria joined the French alliance, and Villars was ordered to cross the Rhine at Huningue near the Swiss border, then link up with him. Although Louis William was initially able to block the advance, he was outflanked when French troops crossed the Rhine further north, and began retreating early on the morning of 14 October.

Hoping to take advantage, Villars promptly attacked, but Louis William drove him off and fell back in good order. Although neither side was able to gain a clear advantage, it is generally considered a French victory since Villars prevented an Imperial invasion of Alsace. However, he was unable to link up with the Bavarian army before winter, leaving the immediate strategic position largely unchanged.