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Battle of Malplaquet

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Battle of Malplaquet
Part of the War of the Spanish Succession
The Battle of Malplaquet, 1709.png
The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene Entering the French Entrenchments, Louis Laguerre
Date11 September 1709
Location50°20′10″N 3°52′35″E / 50.33611°N 3.87639°E / 50.33611; 3.87639Coordinates: 50°20′10″N 3°52′35″E / 50.33611°N 3.87639°E / 50.33611; 3.87639
Result See Aftermath
Belligerents
 Great Britain
Habsburg monarchy
 Dutch Republic
 Prussia
 France
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Great Britain Marlborough
Habsburg monarchy Eugene of Savoy
Dutch Republic Tilly
Dutch Republic Prince of Orange
Dutch Republic Fagel
Kingdom of Prussia Lottum
Kingdom of Prussia Schulenburg
Kingdom of Great Britain Earl of Orkney
Kingdom of France Villars (WIA)
Kingdom of France Boufflers
Kingdom of France Puységur
Kingdom of France De la Colonie
Strength
86,000 men, 80 guns [1] 75,000 men, 80 guns [2]
Casualties and losses
20,000-24,500 killed or wounded[3][4][5][6]
c. 20,000 to 30,000 casualties[7]
8,000 killed or wounded [8]
11,000-12,000 killed or wounded, 14 guns[3][4][5]
17,000 killed or wounded[9][10]

The Battle of Malplaquet took place on 11 September 1709 during the War of the Spanish Succession and was fought between a French army commanded by the Duke of Villars and a Grand Alliance force under John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough. In one of the bloodiest battles of the 18th century, the Allies won a narrow victory but suffered heavy casualties, while the French were able to withdraw in good order.

At the start of 1709, the French state seemed on the verge of collapse, its treasury empty and food scarce while Allied advances in 1708 left the kingdom open to an invasion. These factors made the Allies overconfident and their excessive demands led to the collapse of peace talks in April. Villars had been instructed to avoid battle but after the capture of Tournai in early September, the Allies moved against Mons and Louis XIV of France ordered him to prevent its loss. Although the two armies made contact on 10 September, Marlborough delayed his attack until the next day, giving Villars the opportunity to strengthen his defensive positions.

When the battle began on 11 September, Marlborough used his standard tactic of simultaneous infantry attacks on the flanks, forcing Villars to move troops from the centre, which would then be broken by a mass cavalry charge. While successful in other battles, at Malplaquet the French were better led, held stronger positions and were highly motivated; as a result, the flank attacks incurred heavy casualties, particularly on the left where the Dutch lost over 5,000 men in less than thirty minutes and nearly 8,500 in all. Although the overall plan worked, the French cavalry ensured their centre did not collapse as on previous occasions, while the Allied infantry was too weakened by their losses to conduct a pursuit, allowing the French to withdraw intact.

The Allies lost over 20,000 men in the battle, the French no less than 8,000, casualties which shocked contemporaries and heightened internal divisions within the Grand Alliance over the wisdom of continuing the war. It has been argued Malplaquet was a French strategic victory, since by saving his army and preventing an invasion of France, Villars ultimately enabled Louis to negotiate far better peace terms in 1713 than those available in 1709. While there is some truth to this, it did little to change the immediate strategic situation; Mons surrendered shortly afterward and the Allies resumed their advance in 1710. Some historians suggest the biggest impact of the battle was in restoring French military confidence after years of defeat.

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War of the Spanish Succession

War of the Spanish Succession

The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1715. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Philip of Anjou and Charles of Austria, and their respective supporters, among them Spain, Austria, France, the Dutch Republic, Savoy and Great Britain. Related conflicts include the 1700–1721 Great Northern War, Rákóczi's War of Independence in Hungary, the Camisards revolt in southern France, Queen Anne's War in North America and minor trade wars in India and South America.

Claude Louis Hector de Villars

Claude Louis Hector de Villars

Claude Louis Hector de Villars, Prince de Martigues, Marquis then Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun was a French military commander and an illustrious general of Louis XIV of France. He was one of only six Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France.

Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)

Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)

The Grand Alliance was the anti-French coalition formed on 20 December 1689 between the Dutch Republic, England and the Holy Roman Empire. It was signed by the two leading opponents of France: William III, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and King of England, and Emperor Leopold I, on behalf of the Archduchy of Austria.

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough

General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs. From a gentry family, he served first as a page at the court of the House of Stuart under James, Duke of York, through the 1670s and early 1680s, earning military and political advancement through his courage and diplomatic skill.

Tournai

Tournai

Tournai or Tournay is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies 89 km (55 mi) by road southwest of the centre of Brussels on the river Scheldt, and is part of Eurometropolis Lille–Kortrijk–Tournai, In 2022, the municipality of Tournai had an estimated population of 68,518 people.

Mons

Mons

Mons is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.

Peace of Utrecht

Peace of Utrecht

The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vacant throne of Spain, and involved much of Europe for over a decade. The main action saw France as the defender of Spain against a multinational coalition. The war was very expensive and bloody and finally stalemated. Essentially, the treaties allowed Philip V to keep the Spanish throne in return for permanently renouncing his claim to the French throne, along with other necessary guarantees that would ensure that France and Spain should not merge, thus preserving the balance of power in Europe.

Background

The start of the campaign was delayed by the severe winter of 1708/1709 which made gathering supplies difficult, combined with peace talks in The Hague. Although Louis XIV was willing to accept most of the terms offered, the demand he provide troops to oust his own grandson, Philip V of Spain, was a humiliation he could not agree to and talks broke down at the end of April.[11] For both sides, strategy was dictated by these negotiations; the French state was bankrupt, and in early 1709 the garrisons of Tournai, Arras, St Omer, Valenciennes and Cambrai mutinied over lack of food and pay.[12] To prevent any further deterioration in his bargaining position, Louis ordered Villars to avoid battle at all costs; ordinarily an extremely aggressive general, he instead built a series of defensive lines running from Saint-Venant to Douai on the River Scarpe.[13]

DouaiTournaiMonsYpresMalplaquetSaint-VenantBoussuclass=notpageimage| 1709 campaign; key locations (light green=Modern Belgium, dark=France)
Douai
Douai
Tournai
Tournai
Mons
Mons
Ypres
Ypres
Malplaquet
Malplaquet
Saint-Venant
Saint-Venant
Boussu
Boussu
1709 campaign; key locations (light green=Modern Belgium, dark=France)

Convinced France was on the verge of collapse, the Grand Alliance looked to keep up the pressure by advancing through the line of fortresses known as the "Pré carré". While French strategy was decided by Louis, the Allies' had to be approved by the British, Dutch and Austrian governments, and often required compromise. Since he considered the positions held by Villars too strong for a frontal assault, and the Dutch opposed his preferred option of Ypres, Marlborough agreed to make Tournai the main objective for 1709.[14]

Although persistent heavy rain caused further delays, the Siege of Tournai commenced on 15 June; one of the strongest fortresses in France and held by a garrison of 7,700, it surrendered on 3 September and Marlborough immediately marched on Mons.[15] Having assumed Tournai would hold out until October and thus consume the entire 1709 campaign season, shortly before its fall Louis ordered Villars to prevent the loss of Mons "at all costs...the salvation of France is at stake".[2] The main Allied army arrived east of the town on 7 September, awaiting the arrival of their siege artillery from Tournai; Villars took up positions to the southwest on 9th, leaving the two forces facing each other across the gap of Malplaquet.[16]

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Philip V of Spain

Philip V of Spain

Philip V was King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724, and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign of 44 years is the longest in the history of the Spanish monarchy surpassing Philip II. Philip instigated many important reforms in Spain, most especially the centralization of power of the monarchy and the suppression of regional privileges, via the Nueva Planta decrees, and restructuring of the administration of the Spanish Empire on the Iberian peninsula and its overseas regions.

Arras

Arras

Arras is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a Baroque town square, Arras is in northern France at the confluence of the rivers Scarpe and Crinchon.

Cambrai

Cambrai

Cambrai, formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river.

Claude Louis Hector de Villars

Claude Louis Hector de Villars

Claude Louis Hector de Villars, Prince de Martigues, Marquis then Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun was a French military commander and an illustrious general of Louis XIV of France. He was one of only six Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France.

Douai

Douai

Douai is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some 40 kilometres from Lille and 25 km (16 mi) from Arras, Douai is home to one of the region's most impressive belfries.

Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)

Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)

The Grand Alliance was the anti-French coalition formed on 20 December 1689 between the Dutch Republic, England and the Holy Roman Empire. It was signed by the two leading opponents of France: William III, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and King of England, and Emperor Leopold I, on behalf of the Archduchy of Austria.

Kingdom of Great Britain

Kingdom of Great Britain

The Kingdom of Great Britain, officially known as Great Britain, was a sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of Union 1707, which united the kingdoms of England and Scotland to form a single kingdom encompassing the whole island of Great Britain and its outlying islands, with the exception of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The unitary state was governed by a single parliament at the Palace of Westminster, but distinct legal systems—English law and Scots law—remained in use.

Dutch Republic

Dutch Republic

The United Provinces of the Netherlands, officially the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, and commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands. The republic was established after seven Dutch provinces in the Spanish Netherlands revolted against Spanish rule, forming a mutual alliance against Spain in 1579 and declaring their independence in 1581. It comprised Groningen, Frisia, Overijssel, Guelders, Utrecht, Holland and Zeeland.

Habsburg monarchy

Habsburg monarchy

The Habsburg monarchy, also known as the Danubian monarchy, or Habsburg Empire, was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities that were ruled by the House of Habsburg, especially the dynasty's Austrian branch.

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough

General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs. From a gentry family, he served first as a page at the court of the House of Stuart under James, Duke of York, through the 1670s and early 1680s, earning military and political advancement through his courage and diplomatic skill.

Mons

Mons

Mons is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.

Battle

Disposition of forces; Allied (upper right), French (lower left)
Disposition of forces; Allied (upper right), French (lower left)

Marlborough and his deputy Prince Eugene of Savoy knew Villars had been instructed to fight for Mons and tried to tempt him into the open, hoping to gain a decisive victory. Too experienced to make this mistake, Villars spent 10 September strengthening his defensive positions; largely undisturbed by the Allies, his troops constructed earthworks covering the open ground in the centre, with additional entrenchments extending into the woods on either side (see map). Marlborough delayed his attack until the arrival of reinforcements from Tournai under Henry Withers, a decision criticised then and later, one analyst arguing "the battle should have taken place on the 10th or not at all".[17]

The Allied battle plan was the same as that successfully employed at Blenheim, Ramillies and Oudenarde. On each occasion, frontal assaults on the French flanks forced them to move troops from the centre, which was then broken by mass cavalry attacks; although the leading units took heavy casualties, overall losses were substantially less than those suffered by the defeated. The differences at Malplaquet were more decisive French leadership, well prepared defensive positions and a far better performance by their men.[18] [a] The restricted ground also prevented Marlborough quickly shifting troops from one wing to another as the battle developed, an approach he often used to keep his opponents off balance.[20]

Villars had 80 guns and between 75,000 to 80,000 men, most of whom were French with significant numbers of Bavarian and Swiss mercenaries, as well as the Irish Brigade. He commanded the left, de la Colonie the centre, with the right led by 67 year old Marshal Boufflers, who was senior to Villars in rank but volunteered to serve under him. The infantry held a continuous line of entrenchments supported by artillery, with the cavalry massed in the rear.[1] The Allied force on the battlefield was roughly 86,000 men and 100 guns; on the right, around 30,000 German and Danish infantry under Prince Eugene, with the Prince of Orange and 18,000 Dutch infantry on the left and their cavalry stationed immediately behind. Count Tilly, who had succeeded Lord Overkirk as the senior Dutch commander, led the entire left wing,[21][22] at least in name; for he supported the anti-orangist party, while his officers were largely on the side of the Prince of Orange, and obeyed him more than they obeyed Tilly.[23] The centre was held by 8,000 mostly British infantry, commanded by the experienced Earl of Orkney, with the bulk of the 30,000 cavalry positioned immediately behind.[24]

Dutch troops led by the Prince of Orange assault the French left
Dutch troops led by the Prince of Orange assault the French left

Battle commenced around 07:00 on 11 September, when the Allied right under Count Finckenstein, Lottum and Schulenburg moved against French positions in Sars Wood. Three hours of hand to hand combat ensued, both sides taking heavy losses, while Prince Eugene was wounded in the neck but refused to leave the field. At 07:30, led by François Nicolas Fagel, 13 Dutch battalions on the Allied far left, under which Swiss troops and the Scots Brigade, assaulted the French entrenchments. While making progress initially, they were pushed back with heavy losses. Seeing this, the Prince of Orange and Sicco van Goslinga, who had 17 battalions at their disposal, decided to come to the aid of Fagel's troops by attacking the French positions close to the Farm of Blairon.[25][26] The Dutch suffered over 5,000 casualties in less than 30 minutes, including many senior officers.[27] They persisted with incredible fortitude until Marlborough told the Prince of Orange to stop. Some British commentators claim the Dutch attack was supposed to be a "demonstration" rather than a full scale assault, but this appears unlikely and Marlborough took full responsibility for the failure.[28] Orkney later wrote the Dutch dead lay "as thick as ever you saw a flock of sheep."[29]

Despite their losses, Prince Eugene's attacks forced Villars to reinforce his left with troops taken from the centre to prevent its collapse. Although Withers and his detachment from Tournai were supposed to have supported the Dutch, they arrived too late and were instructed instead to make a flanking move north of the French lines in Sars Wood. It took over two hours to complete this manoeuvre, by which time the fighting had largely ended, but their presence was another factor for Villars to consider. By midday, he had taken over 77 battalions from the centre, allowing Orkney to finally over-run their positions; soon after, Villars' knee was smashed by a musket ball and he transferred command to Boufflers, with Puységur taking over the left.[30]

Battle of Maplaquet by Louis Laguerre; Allied troops enter the French positions
Battle of Maplaquet by Louis Laguerre; Allied troops enter the French positions

Orkney's advance in the centre enabled the Allied horse to move past the captured earthworks and form up on the other side, where they were attacked by the elite Maison du Roi cavalry under Boufflers. Orkney was driven back, before the French in turn were repulsed by massed fire from the Allied infantry; with the French left finally crumbling under pressure from Withers and Schulenburg,[4] the Prince of Orange, reinforced by troops from Marlborough, ordered a last mass assault on the French right. At last a few Dutch cavalry squadrons broke through the French positions. Followed by 30,000 Allied horsemen, under Prince of Hesse and the Prince d'Auvergne, they then attacked the French cavalry in what would prove to be the biggest cavalry engagement of the 18th century.[31] Puységur began to withdraw, and at 15:00, Boufflers ordered a general retreat. An effective Allied pursuit was prevented by exhaustion and casualties totalling around 20,000 to 30,000 killed or wounded, 8,462 of which were suffered by the Dutch infantry.[4] [b] General consensus is that French losses ranged between 8,000 to 12,000 killed or wounded, plus 500 prisoners,[5][6][3] although some Dutch historians argue they may have been closer to 17,000 in total.[29] [10]

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Henry Withers

Henry Withers

Henry Withers was a British army officer and politician, who began his career in 1674 during the Franco-Dutch War and reached the rank of Lieutenant General in 1707. A close associate of the Duke of Marlborough during the War of the Spanish Succession, he served in a number of actions, including the 1704 battles of Schellenberg, Blenheim, and Malplaquet in 1709.

Battle of Blenheim

Battle of Blenheim

The Battle of Blenheim fought on 13 August [O.S. 2 August] 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. The overwhelming Allied victory ensured the safety of Vienna from the Franco-Bavarian army, thus preventing the collapse of the reconstituted Grand Alliance.

Battle of Ramillies

Battle of Ramillies

The Battle of Ramillies, fought on 23 May 1706, was a battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. For the Grand Alliance – Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic – the battle had followed an indecisive campaign against the Bourbon armies of King Louis XIV of France in 1705. Although the Allies had captured Barcelona that year, they had been forced to abandon their campaign on the Moselle, had stalled in the Spanish Netherlands and suffered defeat in northern Italy. Yet despite his opponents' setbacks Louis XIV wanted peace, but on reasonable terms. Because of this, as well as to maintain their momentum, the French and their allies took the offensive in 1706.

Battle of Oudenarde

Battle of Oudenarde

The Battle of Oudenarde, also known as the Battle of Oudenaarde, was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession, pitting a Grand Alliance force consisting of eighty thousand men under the command of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy against a French force of eighty-five thousand men under the command of the Duc de Bourgogne and the Duc de Vendôme, the battle resulting in a great victory for the Grand Alliance. The battle was fought near the city of Oudenaarde, at the time part of the Spanish Netherlands, on 11 July 1708. With this victory, the Grand Alliance ensured the fall of various French territories, giving them a significant strategic and tactical advantage during this stage of the war. The battle was fought in the later years of the war, a conflict that had come about as a result of English, Dutch and Habsburg apprehension at the possibility of a Bourbon succeeding the deceased King of Spain, Charles II, and combining their two nations and empires into one.

Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of 70,550.19 km2 (27,239.58 sq mi), Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total land area of Germany. With over 13 million inhabitants, it is the second largest German state in terms of population only to North Rhine-Westphalia, but due to its large size its population density is below the German average. Bavaria's main cities are Munich, Nuremberg, and Augsburg.

Irish Brigade (France)

Irish Brigade (France)

The Irish Brigade was a brigade in the French Royal Army composed of Irish exiles, led by Lord Mountcashel. It was formed in May 1690 when five Jacobite regiments were sent from Ireland to France in exchange for a larger force of French infantry who were sent to fight in the Williamite War in Ireland. The regiments comprising the Irish Brigade retained their special status as foreign units in the French Army until nationalised in 1791.

Claude Frédéric t'Serclaes, Count of Tilly

Claude Frédéric t'Serclaes, Count of Tilly

Claude Frederic T'Serclaes, Count of Tilly, was a soldier and later general in the Dutch States Army.

Henry de Nassau, Lord Overkirk

Henry de Nassau, Lord Overkirk

Henry, Count of Nassau, Lord of Overkirk was a Dutch military general and second cousin of King William III of England and his Master of the Horse. Lord of Ouwerkerk and Woudenberg in the Netherlands, he was called by the English "Lord Overkirk" or "Count Overkirk".

Dutch States Party

Dutch States Party

The Dutch States Party was a political faction of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. This republican faction is usually (negatively) defined as the opponents of the Orangist, or Prinsgezinde faction, who supported the monarchical aspirations of the stadtholders, who were usually members of the House of Orange-Nassau. The two factions existed during the entire history of the Republic since the Twelve Years' Truce, be it that the role of "usual opposition party" of the States party was taken over by the Patriots after the Orangist revolution of 1747. The States party was in the ascendancy during the First Stadtholderless Period and the Second Stadtholderless Period.

George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney

George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney

Field Marshal George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, KT, styled Lord George Hamilton from 1666 to 1696, was a British soldier and Scottish nobleman and the first British Army officer to be promoted to the rank of field marshal. After commanding a regiment for the cause of William of Orange during the Williamite War in Ireland, he commanded a regiment in the Low Countries during the Nine Years' War. He then led the final assault at the Battle of Blenheim attacking the village churchyard with eight battalions of men and then receiving the surrender of its French defenders during the War of the Spanish Succession. He also led the charge of fifteen infantry battalions in an extremely bloody assault on the French entrenchments at the Battle of Malplaquet. In later life, he became a Lord of the Bedchamber to George I and was installed as Governor of Edinburgh Castle.

Carl Philipp, Reichsgraf von Wylich und Lottum

Carl Philipp, Reichsgraf von Wylich und Lottum

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Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg

Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg

Marshal Johann Matthias Reichsgraf von der Schulenburg was a German aristocrat and general of Brandenburg-Prussian background who served in the Saxon and Venetian armies in the early 18th century and found a second career in retirement in Venice, as a grand collector and patron. His sister was Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal. His father was Gustavus Adolphus, Baron von der Schulenburg.

Aftermath

The Pré carré line on the French northern border, defended by a line of fortresses known as the Ceinture de fer (marked in red and green); by the end of 1710, this line was badly compromised
The Pré carré line on the French northern border, defended by a line of fortresses known as the Ceinture de fer (marked in red and green); by the end of 1710, this line was badly compromised

Although horrified by the casualties, contemporaries generally considered Malplaquet an Allied victory since they retained possession of the battlefield, while Mons surrendered on 21 October.[33] [34] With Villars incapacitated by his wounds, Boufflers opened his report on the battle to Louis XIV by saying "...misfortune compels me to announce the loss of another battle, but I can assure your Majesty that misfortune has never been accompanied by greater glory".[35] In a similar vein, Villars later wrote: "Si Dieu nous fait la grâce de perdre encore une pareille bataille, Votre Majesté peut compter que tous ses ennemis seront détruits". ["If God grants us the grace to lose such a battle again, Your Majesty can count on all of his enemies being destroyed".] [36]

Leaving aside the question of relative casualties, there are grounds for viewing Malplaquet as a French strategic victory. Despite losing Mons, keeping his army largely intact meant Louis was able to negotiate far better peace terms in 1713 than those available in 1709.[37][38] It certainly highlighted Allied divisions over war aims and concerns over the cost, [c] but these issues predated Malplaquet; even before the 1709 campaign, Marlborough was among those who felt Whig demands of "No Peace Without Spain" were excessive.[40] In that respect, Malplaquet had less impact on British government policy than Spanish successes at Alicante and La Gudina.[41]

At the beginning of the war, the French army was viewed as the best in Europe, a reputation shattered by a series of defeats between 1704 and 1708.[42] French historian André Corvisier suggests the importance of Malplaquet in French military history lies primarily in its psychological effect; despite being a narrow defeat which did little to change the immediate strategic situation, it is seen as more significant than their victory at Denain in 1712. He argues 18th century authors viewed it as marking the point at which the French army regained its confidence, while for those writing after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, it provided proof of French resilience and ability to recover from catastrophic defeat.[43]

Prior to the resumption of peace talks in 1710, Marlborough wrote to the Allied negotiators that 'thanks to our victory..., you may have what peace you want'.[44] His reasoning was that as well as losing the key fortress of Mons, after Malplaquet the French army could only act on the defensive and remained short of men and money, while crop failures and another harsh winter caused widespread famine.[45] In spring 1710, the Allies resumed their advance almost unopposed; by September they had broken through the secondary line of the "Pré carré", capturing Douai, Béthune, Aire and Saint-Venant. Short of supplies and with many of his regiments reduced to less than half their official size, Villars could not risk the last significant French field army in another battle.[46]

Victory at Villaviciosa in December 1710 signalled the collapse of Allied ambitions in Spain and accelerated peace talks
Victory at Villaviciosa in December 1710 signalled the collapse of Allied ambitions in Spain and accelerated peace talks

The immediate impact of Malplaquet was political rather than military and when peace negotiations resumed in March 1710 at Geertruidenberg, it was clear the mood in Britain had changed.[47] Marlborough's domestic opponents used the heavy casualties to attack him, arguing they could have been avoided, and Queen Anne failed to congratulate him as she had on his previous victories.[48] Reluctance to continue fighting for what seemed marginal gains resulted in a landslide victory for the Tories in the October 1710 British general election, although they confirmed their commitment to the war to prevent a credit crisis.[49] [d] Despite success in France, British opposition to continuing the war was strengthened by defeats at Brihuega and Villaviciosa in December 1710 which confirmed Philip V as king of Spain, the ostensible cause of the war in the first place.[51]

In contrast, many Dutch politicians blamed their losses on Marlborough's tactics, Withers for allegedly failing to support their attack, and the Prince of Orange for continuing the assault after it became clear the French positions were too strong.[52] The young prince was nevertheless entrusted with leading the siege of Mons, which fell into his hands at the end of October.[53] Although Grand Pensionary Anthonie Heinsius congratulated the Allied army on their victory, he and others felt the price paid in Dutch casualties required more than simply the capture of Mons, and insisted on more stringent peace terms. Sicco van Goslinga, the Dutch envoy attached to Marlborough's staff, considered such demands unrealistic, arguing such casualties were to be expected given they had taken Lille and Mons, "two of the strongest fortresses in Europe" and won "one of the hardest battles ever fought".[52]

Portraits of Eugene of Savoy, Marlborough and the Prince of Orange, by Pieter Tanjé
Portraits of Eugene of Savoy, Marlborough and the Prince of Orange, by Pieter Tanjé

In April 1711, the Habsburg candidate for the Spanish throne, Archduke Charles, succeeded his brother Joseph as Holy Roman Emperor, making the continuation of the war pointless since the union of Spain with Austria was as unwelcome to Britain as one with France.[54] While the capture of Bouchain in September 1711 left the road to Paris open, the British bypassed their allies and secretly negotiated peace terms directly with Louis XIV, signing the Preliminary Articles of London on 8 October 1711.[55] At the end of 1711, Marlborough was replaced by the Tory Duke of Ormonde with orders to prevent any further offensive action by British troops.[56]

Swiss mercenaries fought on both sides in the battle, six battalions with the French, including two of Swiss Guards, and another eight with the Dutch. Two were commanded by members of the von May family from Bern, Gabriel for the Dutch and Hans Rudolf for the French. With more than 8,000 Swiss casualties, the battle caused heavy controversy in the Swiss Diet. Malplaquet was the last action where Swiss mercenaries directly engaged one another until Bailén in 1808.[57][58]

Written many years later, a firsthand account of the battle is given in the book Amiable Renegade: The Memoirs of Peter Drake (1671–1753).[59] An Irishman who served in various European armies, Drake fought with the Maison du Roi at Malplaquet and was captured after being wounded several times.[60] Another notable Irish émigré, Féilim Ó Néill, was among those killed serving with the Irish Brigade.[61]

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Peace of Utrecht

Peace of Utrecht

The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vacant throne of Spain, and involved much of Europe for over a decade. The main action saw France as the defender of Spain against a multinational coalition. The war was very expensive and bloody and finally stalemated. Essentially, the treaties allowed Philip V to keep the Spanish throne in return for permanently renouncing his claim to the French throne, along with other necessary guarantees that would ensure that France and Spain should not merge, thus preserving the balance of power in Europe.

No Peace Without Spain

No Peace Without Spain

No Peace Without Spain was a popular British political slogan of the early eighteenth century. It referred to the ongoing War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) in which Britain was a leading participant. It implied that no peace treaty could be agreed with Britain's principal enemy Louis XIV of France that allowed Philip, the French candidate, to retain the Spanish crown. The term became a rallying cry for opposition to the Tory government of Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford and the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht.

Battle of Denain

Battle of Denain

The Battle of Denain was fought on 24 July 1712 as part of the War of the Spanish Succession. It resulted in a French victory, under Marshal Villars, against Dutch and Austrian forces, under Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Franco-Prussian War

Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 January 1871, the conflict was caused primarily by France's determination to reassert its dominant position in continental Europe, which appeared in question following the decisive Prussian victory over Austria in 1866. According to some historians, Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck deliberately provoked the French into declaring war on Prussia in order to induce four independent southern German states—Baden, Württemberg, Bavaria and Hesse-Darmstadt—to join the North German Confederation; other historians contend that Bismarck exploited the circumstances as they unfolded. All agree that Bismarck recognized the potential for new German alliances, given the situation as a whole.

Béthune

Béthune

Béthune is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.

Aire, Ardennes

Aire, Ardennes

Aire is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Grand Est region of northern France.

Battle of Villaviciosa

Battle of Villaviciosa

The Battle of Villaviciosa was a battle between a Franco-Spanish army led by Louis Joseph, Duke of Vendôme and Philip V of Spain and a Habsburg-allied army commanded by Austrian Guido Starhemberg. The battle took place during the War of the Spanish Succession, one day after a Franco-Spanish victory at Brihuega against the British army under James Stanhope. Both Philip V of Spain and the Archduke Charles of Austria claimed victory, but the number of dead and wounded, the number of artillery and other weapons abandoned by the Allied army and the battle's strategic consequences for the war confirmed victory for Philip.

Geertruidenberg

Geertruidenberg

Geertruidenberg is a city and municipality in the province North Brabant in the south of the Netherlands. The city, named after Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, received city rights in 1213 from the count of Holland. The fortified city prospered until the 15th century.

Anne, Queen of Great Britain

Anne, Queen of Great Britain

Anne was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 8 March 1702 until 1 May 1707. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, the kingdoms of England and Scotland united as a single sovereign state known as Great Britain. Anne continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death in 1714.

1710 British general election

1710 British general election

The 1710 British general election produced a landslide victory for the Tories. The election came in the wake of the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell, which had led to the collapse of the previous government led by Godolphin and the Whig Junto.

Battle of Brihuega

Battle of Brihuega

The Battle of Brihuega took place on 8 December 1710 in the War of the Spanish Succession, during the allied retreat from Madrid to Barcelona. The British rearguard under Lord Stanhope was cut off within the town of Brihuega and overwhelmed by a Franco-Spanish army under the duc de Vendôme. Brihuega with other events brought an end to the British participation in the war.

Anthonie Heinsius

Anthonie Heinsius

Anthonie Heinsius was a Dutch statesman who served as Grand Pensionary of Holland from 1689 to his death in 1720.

Source: "Battle of Malplaquet", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 22nd), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Malplaquet.

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Notes
  1. ^ One suggestion is that this was partly due to the mixing of regular troops with militia units who had not been demoralised by past defeats.[19]
  2. ^ The British lost 1,800 killed or wounded, although this excludes those serving in the Dutch Scots Brigade[32]
  3. ^ In 1709, Parliament approved expenditures of £6.4 million, up from £5.0 million in 1706; by the end of 1710, these had doubled to £12.9 million.[39]
  4. ^ Tory opposition to the war originated in foreign policy differences going back to the 1690s; Whigs viewed a Continental strategy as essential, while Tories favoured using the Royal Navy to attack foreign trade, with European commitments seen as overly expensive and primarily of benefit to others.[50]
References
  1. ^ a b Lynn 1999, p. 332.
  2. ^ a b Lynn 1999, p. 331.
  3. ^ a b c Lynn 1999, p. 334.
  4. ^ a b c d Holmes 2008, p. 433.
  5. ^ a b c Corvisier 1997, p. 1.
  6. ^ a b Clodfelter 2017, p. 72.
  7. ^ Garrison 1970, p. 141.
  8. ^ Nicholson 1916, p. 168.
  9. ^ Van Nimwegen 2020, p. 20.
  10. ^ a b Van Alphen et al. 2019, p. 95.
  11. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 412.
  12. ^ Lynn 1999, p. 328.
  13. ^ Lynn 1999, p. 330.
  14. ^ Holmes 2008, pp. 417–418.
  15. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 422.
  16. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 423.
  17. ^ Burton 1968, pp. 134–135.
  18. ^ Bergin 2001, pp. 138–139.
  19. ^ Drévillon & Fonck 2017, p. 36.
  20. ^ Burton 1968, p. 135.
  21. ^ Van Nimwegen 2020, p. 313.
  22. ^ MacDowall 2020, p. 20.
  23. ^ Van Lennep 1880, p. 280.
  24. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 426.
  25. ^ De Graaf 2021, p. 159-174.
  26. ^ Van Nimwegen 2020, p. 314-315.
  27. ^ Chandler 1996, p. 294.
  28. ^ Chandler 1996, p. 261.
  29. ^ a b Van Nimwegen 2020, p. 318.
  30. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 431.
  31. ^ De Graaf 2021, p. 173-174.
  32. ^ MacDowall 2020, p. 84.
  33. ^ Lynn 1999, pp. 334–335.
  34. ^ Delbrück 1985, p. 325.
  35. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 434.
  36. ^ Anquetil 1819, p. 241.
  37. ^ MacDowall 2020, p. 89.
  38. ^ Parrott 2001, p. 125.
  39. ^ Hattendorf 1987, p. 304.
  40. ^ Bergin 2001, pp. 125–126, 140.
  41. ^ Gregg 1980, p. 289.
  42. ^ MacDowall 2020, p. 23.
  43. ^ Corvisier 1997, pp. 2–4.
  44. ^ Lynn 1999, p. 336.
  45. ^ Lynn 1999, p. 337.
  46. ^ Lynn 1999, p. 338.
  47. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 435.
  48. ^ Somerset 2012, pp. 386–387.
  49. ^ Simms 2008, pp. 60–64.
  50. ^ Shinsuke 2013, pp. 37–40.
  51. ^ Kamen 2001, p. 101.
  52. ^ a b Van Nimwegen 2020, p. 319-320.
  53. ^ De Graaf 2021, p. 186-187.
  54. ^ Somerset 2012, p. 445.
  55. ^ Bromley 1979, pp. 459–460.
  56. ^ Somerset 2012, p. 471.
  57. ^ Z'Graggen 2018, p. 51.
  58. ^ Braun 2009
  59. ^ Drake 1960, pp. 163–170.
  60. ^ Holmes 2008, p. 432.
  61. ^ Instituto Português de Heráldica 2006, p. 391.
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