Battle of Höchstädt

Part of the War of the Spanish Succession

Date	30 September 1703
Location	Höchstädt in Bavaria 48°36′N 10°35′E / 48.600°N 10.583°E / 48.600; 10.583Coordinates: 48°36′N 10°35′E / 48.600°N 10.583°E / 48.600; 10.583
Result	French victory

Belligerents

Austria

Kingdom of France

Electorate of Bavaria

Commanders and leaders

Limburg Styrum

Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

Claude de Villars

Maximilian II Emanuel

Strength

20,000

35,000

Casualties and losses

11,000 dead, wounded and prisoners

1,000 dead and wounded

The First Battle of Höchstädt was fought on 20 September 1703, near Höchstädt in Bavaria, and resulted in a French-Bavarian victory under Marshal Villars against the Austrians under General Hermann Otto of Limburg Styrum. The battle was part of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) over who had the right to succeed Charles II as king of Spain.

On 15 September, the main force of the Imperial Army under Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden had taken the free city of Augsburg, threatening Bavaria from the west. A force of men under Count Styrum, which Baden had left north of the Danube river, moved east and reached Höchstädt on 19 September. Villars and Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, moved their army to intercept this force, ordering another French force of 7,000 men under d'Usson near Dillingen to attack from the rear.

The French plan almost failed as d'Usson attacked too soon, and his army, inferior in numbers, was pushed back by Limburg Styrum. However, Villars and Maximilian Emanuel arrived just in time, falling upon the Imperial army before it could adjust its positions. It was only thanks to the tremendous resistance of the rearguard under Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau that Limburg Styrum managed to save his army and reach Nordlingen.

The Austrians lost 11,000 men, many of them taken prisoner, 37 cannons, and the entire supply train. The French and Bavarians lost 1,000 men.

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