The Battle of Malplaquet was fought on 11th September 1709. It was one of the most important battles of the War of the Spanish Succession. The French and Bavarian forces retreated from battle field making it a traditional victory for Great Britain, the Habsburgs, the United Provinces and Prussia but the allies had lost around 21,000 men in the battle which was double the losses experienced by their opposition. The cost of victory seen at the bloodiest battle of the eighteenth century was a strong influence on British politicians to negotiate with Spain and France to settle the war by readdressing the balance of powers in Europe.