Siege of Le Catelet (1636)

The Siege of Le Catelet (1636) is a siege that took place from July 2 to the 5th of July. A Spanish army led by Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand would capture the fortress in only three days, the fastest siege within the 1636 campaign. This siege is a leadup to the Crossing of the Somme campaign led by Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand and his Imperial allies.

Le Catelet was one of the strongest fortresses in France. It had surrounding artillery batteries and a multitude of redoubts. It was an extremely well-fortified position with a large garrison, yet, it fell in Spanish hands within just three days. This would be largely accredited to the exploding shells used by the Spanish army, a recent innovation yet unfamiliar to the French. The garrison thereafter was forced into a surrender from heavy artillery fire submission. This siege would lead to a chain of events within the 1636 campaign which saw Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand succeed in a variety of areas and most importantly, help launch the upcoming Crossing of the Somme campaign.

The worrying advance of the Cardinal-Infante would alert Louis XIII, forcing him to return to Paris to face the Spanish threat.