Battle of the Spurs

Battle of the Spurs
Part of the War of the League of Cambrai
Triumphzug Kaiser Maximilians, Georg Lemberger
Date 16 August 1513 Location Guinegate, Kingdom of France 50°34′29″N 2°14′10″E / 50.57472°N 2.23611°E / 50.57472; 2.23611 Result Anglo-Imperial victory
Belligerents
England Holy Roman Empire	France
Commanders and leaders
Henry VIII Maximilian I Henry Bourchier George Talbot Lord Herbert	Jacques Palice (POW) Charles IV of Alençon Louis d'Orléans (POW) Chevalier de Bayard (POW)
Strength
30,000 overall, many fewer were engaged	7,000
Casualties and losses
Light	3,000 were killed, wounded, captured, or missing
class=notpageimage| Location within France Show map of France Battle of the Spurs (English Channel) Show map of English Channel

The Battle of the Spurs or (Second) Battle of Guinegate^[1] took place on 16 August 1513. It formed a part of the War of the League of Cambrai, during the Italian Wars. Henry VIII and Maximilian I were besieging the town of Thérouanne in Artois (now Pas-de-Calais). Henry's camp was at Guinegate, now called Enguinegatte.^[2] A large body of French heavy cavalry under Jacques de La Palice was covering an attempt by light cavalry to bring supplies to the besieged garrison. English and Imperial troops surprised and routed this force. The battle was characterised by the precipitate flight and extensive pursuit of the French. During the pursuit, a number of notable French leaders and knights were captured. After the fall of Thérouanne, Henry VIII besieged and took Tournai.