# Battle of Fontenoy (1745)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/1745-battle-of-fontenoy
Location: Austrian Netherlands
Categories: battle

French forces under Maurice de Saxe won a major victory over an Allied army. Within the broader Bourbon & Ancien Régime period, Bourbon France became a leading European power through stronger royal government, global expansion, war and court culture. Fiscal strain, social privilege and Enlightenment criticism accumulated beneath the apparent strength of the Ancien Régime. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Louis XV (King of France). Battle of Fontenoy mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Battle of Fontenoy mattered because it changed the military or territorial balance and influenced the political choices that followed.

Ruler at the time: [Louis XV](https://history-france.com/rulers/louis-xv)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Battle of Fontenoy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Battle+of+Fontenoy&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Battle of Fontenoy](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Battle+of+Fontenoy)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of French history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_French_history)