Siege of Groningen

Overview

The siege of Groningen was a battle that took place in 1672 during the Franco-Dutch War. It was a Dutch victory that ended all hope of the Bishop of Münster to push deeper into the Netherlands. The Münster army was so weakened by the defeat that the Dutch army successfully reconquered much of the land that Münster had conquered just weeks earlier. Every year, the city of Groningen celebrates its victory as a local holiday on 28 August.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Siege of Groningen, fought on 9 July 1672, saw a Münsterite force of between 13,000 and 24,000 troops under Bernhard von Galen attempt to reduce the city against a Dutch garrison of roughly 2,500 under Carl von Rabenhaupt. Münsterite casualties of between 5,000 and 10,000 against so small a defending force indicate that the siege imposed severe losses on the attacking army. The engagement took place during the broader Franco-Dutch War, in which the Bishopric of Münster acted as an allied belligerent alongside France in its assault on the Dutch Republic.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)