Battle Confirms French Battlefield Strength
Saxe’s army demonstrated the effectiveness of its coordinated assault on allied positions.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1746 in France
Explore 36 historical events and records for France in 1746.
Historical records for France in 1746
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 36 of 36 unique records.
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October
French Win Battle of Rocourt
Maurice de Saxe defeated the allied army near Liège on 11 October 1746.
Capture of Madras
Captures Madras on behalf of the French
Other events (month unknown)
Allied Army Avoids Destruction
The allied army withdrew from Rocourt without being completely destroyed.
Allied Centre Faces Heavy Pressure
French attacks increasingly challenged the allied position in the centre.
Allied Command Orders Retreat
Allied commanders withdrew their army rather than continue the increasingly unfavourable battle.
Allied Defenders Fire From Houses
Allied infantry used village buildings and enclosed positions to resist the French attack.
Allied Left Faces French Advance
The allied left flank came under pressure as French troops prepared their attack.
Allied Line Contests Village Ground
The allied army resisted French attacks amid the cluster of settlements on the battlefield.
Allied Withdrawal Becomes Necessary
The loss of forward positions made the allied line increasingly difficult to hold.
Allies Assemble Against French
The allied army brought together British, Dutch, Hanoverian and Austrian troops to oppose France.
Arrest of Louis-Joseph Montcalm-Gozon
Serves at the Battle of Plaisance where he is captured by the Austrians
Battle of Plaisance
Serves at the Battle of Plaisance where he is captured by the Austrians
Battle of Rocoux
Frances Marshal Saxe defeats Austria for control of The Netherlands
Both Armies Record Casualties
The battle inflicted losses on the attackers and defenders during the fight for the villages.
British Troops Support Allied Position
British units took part in the allied resistance against the French offensive.
Discovery of Nebulae
Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux compiles a list of 20 nebulae (including eight not previously known)
Dutch Troops Face French Assault
Dutch formations were among the allied troops attacked by the advancing French army.
Essay on the Origin of Human Knowledge
Condillac publishes Essay on the Origin of Human Knowledge, developing an empiricist account of cognition.
Exile from France
Controversy surrounding his medical satires and materialist philosophy leads La Mettrie to leave France.
French Advance Continues in Netherlands
The victory formed part of France’s wider successful campaigns in the Austrian Netherlands.
French Army Campaigns In Flanders
Marshal Maurice de Saxe led French operations in the Austrian Netherlands during 1746.
French Artillery Supports Assault
French guns supported the infantry as it approached the fortified allied positions.
French Assault Targets Rocourt
French troops fought to drive the allied defenders out of Rocourt.
French Capture Contested Positions
French troops seized important village positions despite the defenders’ resistance.
French Infantry Advances On Villages
French infantry under Saxe attacked the allied village positions on 11 October 1746.
French Outnumber Allied Forces
Maurice de Saxe commanded a numerically superior army at the battle of Rocourt.
French Pressure Breaks Allied Defence
Saxe’s sustained attacks forced allied troops back from their defensive positions.
French Reinforcements Press Forward
Saxe maintained pressure by committing further troops to contested positions.
French Retain Campaign Initiative
The victory allowed Saxe to maintain French military initiative in the Austrian Netherlands.
Hanoverian Units Serve With Allies
Hanoverian troops fought alongside other contingents in the allied army.
Philosophical Thoughts
Diderot anonymously publishes Philosophical Thoughts, challenging religious dogmatism.
Rocourt Precedes Further Allied Fighting
The conflict continued after Rocourt, including another major battle at Lauffeld in 1747.
Rocourt Villages Become Strongpoints
Allied defenders occupied villages and built up their local positions before the French attack.
Saxe Advances Toward Liege
Maurice de Saxe manoeuvred his army toward the allied position near Liège.
Village Fighting Inflicts Losses
Close fighting around the villages produced casualties among both French and allied soldiers.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.