In a masterpiece of cooperation and coordination, Marlborough and Eugene shattered Tallard’s army, killing, wounding, or capturing some 38,600 men, over half of the Franco-Bavarian force, for a combined allied loss of 13,000 killed and wounded. Having united his army with the forces of Prince Eugene, the two generals simultaneously attacked Marshal Tallard’s Franco-Bavarian army at Blenheim. On four separate occasions, Marlborough’s attempts to bring the French Army to battle were frustrated by Dutch governmental deputies attached to his headquarters who held veto power over his using Dutch troops in battle.įinally, on August 13, 1704, Marlborough was able to demonstrate what allies who work together could accomplish. In June Marlborough invaded the Spanish Netherlands, where for the next two years he maneuvered against superior French armies in the field and recalcitrant Dutch officials from The Hague. With the sides chosen and the conflict already under way, England escalated the situation by declaring war on May 15, 1702, and sending to Holland John Churchill, Earl of Marlborough and recently appointed captain general of combined English and Dutch forces. Marlborough’s First Victory is Followed by Frustration At a critical point in the battle Marlborough set himself at the head of the cavalry and charged the French. France’s allies were Spain, Mantua, Cologne, and later Bavaria. The Alliance consisted of Austria, England, Holland, Brandenburg-Prussia, Denmark, most of the German states, and later Portugal and eventually Savoy, which changed sides during the conflict. By September 1701, the Grand Alliance against France had been formed. England and Holland immediately prepared for war, as did Austria, because Leopold still maintained his claim over the Spanish Netherlands. Thus on November 1, 1700, Philip was proclaimed Philip V and ascended the throne of Spain. In his will, Charles II had declared Philip of Anjou as his rightful heir. Because neither England nor Holland wanted a Spain allied to either France or Austria, Louis opted to claim the throne in the name of his second grandson, Philip of Anjou, while Leopold claimed it in the name of his second son, the Archduke Charles. Louis’s claim was based on the fact that he was the son of the eldest daughter of Philip III of Spain and the husband of the eldest daughter of Philip IV of Spain, while Leopold’s claim stemmed from his being the son of the youngest daughter of Philip III and husband of the youngest daughter of Philip IV. ![]() Two claimants to the throne emerged, Louis XIV of France and Leopold I, Hapsburg Emperor of Austria. When Charles II, the last of the Spanish Hapsburg line, died childless, he left a major European throne without a legitimate heir. Choosing an Heir and Choosing SidesĪs its name suggests, the War of Spanish Succession was fought over who would ascend the throne of Spain. They turned small, often nondescript villages and towns into household words that would forever mark the annals of a period of military history often known as the “Lace Wars.” This period also witnessed another type of conflict, one that was conducted in the salons and courts of the great capitals of Europe, that of diplomacy and international coalitions. ![]() Men such as England’s John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, Austria’s Prince Eugene of Savoy, and France’s Marshal Claude-Louis Hector, Duc de Villars, led their resplendently uniformed troops across the fields of Europe, demonstrating their skill and genius for warfare. The War of Spanish Succession, fought between 17, witnessed the emergence of some of Europe’s greatest military commanders.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |