The Most Disastrous of Defeats

Up until 1706 the War of the Spanish Succession in the Low Countries had been a frustrating affair; this changed dramatically following the battle of Ramillies that year. Despite it being the only time in his illustrious career that the Duke of Marlborough was in sole command during a major engagement, the entirety of the campaign has never before been the subject of an in-depth analysis. The stunning victory early in the short campaigning season, secured against a worthy opponent of equal strength, was achieved in just a few hours of combat and at a remarkably low cost in terms of casualties. Foreign sources translated into English for the first time, and newly uncovered material at home is heavily utilised to explain why Marshal Villeroi fought there at all, and what caused the splendid French army to disintegrate to such an extent that it was forced to cede vast areas of territory rather than risk fighting again. Its physical and psychological damage was such that other theatres of war had to be weakened to bolster its strength in the Spanish Netherlands. Strangely, this battle and it consequential aftermath has been largely neglected by historians.

This authoritative and insightful account is looking to plug this anomaly and to challenge some long-held, and I believe, erroneous assumptions.