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Siege of Metz
From October to December 1552, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V besieged French-held Metz but was forced to withdraw due to supply failure, winter, and p…
Timeline
- 1552Metz · FranceAfter France allied with the Ottomans to attack Habsburg lands in 1552, Charles V personally led some 40,000 troops to besiege Metz, seeking to recapture the fortress guarding the gateway to Lorraine.
- 1552Metz defenses · FranceDuke François of Guise organized some 6,000 defenders, reinforced the works, and repelled repeated assaults. Though the besiegers dug mines and mounted heavy artillery, they could not break the strong defenses, and both sides fell into a war of attrition.
- 1552Metz · FranceWinter, stretched supply lines, and plague in the camp forced Charles V to order the siege lifted at the end of December, losing large numbers of men and cannon. The defense of Metz became France's landmark victory in the later Italian Wars.
Sources
- Siege of Metz (1552) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Metz_(1552)
- Metz https://www.britannica.com/place/Metz