BOUFFLERS, LOUIS FRANcOIS, Due DE, comte de Cagny (1644-171 marshal of France, was born on Jan. 10 He served in all the important French campaigns from 1663 onwards. In 168i he became lieutenant-general. He commanded the French army on the Moselle, which opened the war of the League of Augsburg with a series of victories; then he led a corps to the Sambre, and reinforced Luxembourg on the eve of the battle of Fleurus. In 1691 he acted as lieutenant-general under the king in person; and was present with the king at the siege of Namur in 1692, and took part in the victory of Steinkirk. He was raised in 1692 to the rank of marshal of France, and in 1694 was made a duke. His chief later exploits were the heroic defence of Namur against William III. (1695), and the equally skilful defence of Lille (1708) against Prince Eugene, for which he was made a peer of France. He chose to serve under his junior, Villars, at Maiplaquet (1709), and executed a safe retreat for the army. He died at Fontainebleau on Aug. 22 I 7 I 1.
See "M.F.," Vie du Mal. de Boufflers (Lille, 186o), and Pere Delarue's and Pere Poisson's Oraisons f unebres du Mal. B. (1712) .