PHILIPPSBURG, a small town of the grand-duchy of Baden, situated on a sluggish arm of the Rhine, 15 miles to the north of Carlsruhe, was formerly an important fortress of the German empire, and played a somewhat conspicuous part in the wars of the 17th century. It originally belonged to the ecclesiastical principality of Spires, and was named Udenheim, but in 1618 it was fortified and re-christened by Bishop Philip von Sötern. At the peace of Westphalia (1648) the French remained in military possession of Philippsburg, but in 1679 it was restored to Germany, and though again captured by the French in 1688 it was once more restored in 1697. In 1734 the dilapidated fortress fell an easy prey to the French under Marshal Berwick, who, however, lost his life beneath its walls, and in 1800 the works were razed. The town was assigned to Baden in 1803. The population in 1880 was 2549.