Siege of Lille ( 1667 ) The Siege of Lille took place during the War of Devolution . Louis XIV ' s forces besieged Lille from August 10 to August 28 , 1667 . It was the only major engagement of the war . Lille was the first major victory for Vauban ’ s siege techniques . Louis XIV , arguing that the Spanish dowry of his wife Maria Theresa of Austria had not been paid , began to expand French borders to the north and east , invading the Spanish Netherlands . This began a conflict with Spain that became the War of Devolution . After taking Charleroi , Tournai and Douai , French troops laid siege to Lille , at that time part of the county of Flanders under Spanish rule . Siege techniques applied by the French military engineer Vauban were instrumental in their capture . After the capture of Lille in 1304 by Philip IV the Fair , Lille , Douai and Bethune remained in the possession of Flanders , but had to pay an annual rent to France . Louis XIV was intent on the final incorporation of Lille in France . On 2 May 1667 , comte de Bruay , the governor of the province , told the magistrate of Lille , that it was necessary to increase the custody of Lille and rejuvenate its composition ; increase military reserves , fix and enhance capacity ; and organize the outskirts Lille facilities for poor people . The magistrate fulfilled these requirements . At this time , French troops laid siege to Armentieres and on 28 May took it . Bruges resigned between 6 and June 12 . The King and the troops approached Hainault . On 16 June he gave up Tours , Douai and Kurtre . Udenard also consistently capitulated . Louis XIV made a demonstrative attack on the Dendermonde and the Margrave Gyumer followed with a cavalry corps . On 10 August the vanguard of the king came to Lille and immediately proceeded to the siege works . The work was done on the eastern edge of the river Becquerel , at the Thebes gate to the bastion Nobltur . The king personally led the siege . On 11 August Lunette , located in front of the gate Thebes , was taken by storm . On the night of 19 August preparations were completed . The attack was carried out simultaneously on the right by the Guard against the gates of Thebes and on the left by Picardy Orleans shelves at Bastion Nobltur . On 21 August 21 the battery was finished . Their fire soon destroyed the battery door at Thebes , leading the defenders to build batteries on the bastions of St . Maurice and St . Mary Magdalene . In the latter was a famous battery Meunier that shelled longitudinal approaches to the position of the besieged . During this time , many fires were set . On 23 August besiegers built 4 - gun batteries against Becquerel . The besieged had gunpowder only for 8 – 10 days , and the town bell began to light fires to signal the Spanish general Count Marzenu that the city was in danger . The response lights on the hills near Kemmel Iperna were supposed to mean the expulsion of aid , not light . French corps openly went on the attack and took possession of kontreskarpom Ravelin Thebes gate . Over the next 2 days the French intensified their fire and took the palisade . On 26 August the besieged made a sortie and their cavalry raided the camp of the besiegers . The following night , when the besieged rested after the attacks , the French Guard , supported by two companies of musketeers , quietly attacked , rushing the gates of Thebes at half moon and seized them . At the same time , the Auvergne Karamini mastered Ravelin Nobltur . The attackers ' lossed were great , but the situation became critical . The magistrate asked the Bruhat to enter into negotiations with the king for an honorable surrender . Bruay gathered senior commanders who insisted on a counter - attack to retake both Ravelin , but the latter asked him to abandon this idea , as the troops were unprepared . Bruay entered into negotiations for the surrender of Lille on 28 August . King entered the city and took an oath to protect the city ' s privileges . According to the agreement Aachen 1668 Lille was finally annexed to France .