James Falkner - Marlboroughs Wars

First published in Great Britain in 2005 by
Pen & Sword Military
an imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2AS

Copyright James Falkner 2005
Foreword The Duke of Marlborough 2005

ISBN 1-84415-170-0

eISBN: 9781844683314

The right of James Falkner to be identified as Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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Contents

Marlborough and his staff oversee the crossing of the Scheldt, 11 July 1708. (Oudenarde tapestry, Blenheim Palace, by kind permission of His Grace The Duke of Marlborough.)

Queen Anne of Great Britain. Loyal and stubborn, her close friendship with Marlborough was a great asset, but she dismissed him in the end.

Louis XIV, King of France. His ambitions brought war back to Europe, when he permitted his grandson to accept the throne of Spain in 1700.

Detail from the Blenheim Tapestry. Marlborough and his staff await the submission of Marshal Tallard on the field of battle, 13 August 1704. (Blenheim Tapestry, Blenheim Palace, by kind permission of His Grace the Duke of Marlborough.)

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Mezzotint by J. Smith after Godfrey Kneller. Queen Annes Captain-General 17021711.

Prince Eugene of Savoy. Marlboroughs close friend and comrade. Victor of the battle of Turin, 1706. Present at Blenheim, Oudenarde, Lille and Malplaquet.

James FitzJames, Duke of Berwick, Marlboroughs nephew. Marshal of France. One of Louis XIVs best field commanders, he defeated Allied efforts in Spain.

The Comte de Merode-Westerloo, Field-Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire. Author of entertaining and informative memoirs. Viewed Allied deployment at Blenheim from his camp bed.

Claude Louis-Hector Villars. Marshal of France. Held the line for France 17091713. Gravely wounded at Malplaquet. Victor of Denain 1713.

Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, Duc De Vendme. Cautious and cunning, he foiled Marlborough in 1707, but mishandled the battle at Oudenarde in 1708.

Louis-Franois Boufflers, Marshal of France. Failed to hold Marlborough 17021703, but conducted epic defence of Lille, August - December 1708.

George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney. Highly competent British infantry commander, fought at Schellenberg, Blenheim, Elixheim, Ramillies and Malplaquet.

Christian (Kit) Davis, Welsh etc. Adventurous female Dragoon who followed her man to war. Ended life as a Chelsea Pensioner.

William, 1st Earl of Cadogan. Marlboroughs Quartermaster-General and Chief of Staff. Pierced line of the Scheldt at Oudenarde 1708. Succeeded Marlborough as Master-General of the Ordnance.

The British Cavalry rout the Spanish Guards and the Bavarian Electoral Guards, near Autre-Eglise, late afternoon, 23 May 1706.

The Battle of Malplaquet. Marlboroughs massed cavalry move towards the French centre, early afternoon, 11 September 1709.

(Artist: H. Dupray)

Detail from the Wynendael Tapestry. Webbs infantry hold the French back as a vital supply convoy hurries on to the Allied camp before Lille, 28 September 1708. (Wynendael Tapestry, Blenheim Palace, by kind permission of His Grace the Duke of Marlborough.)

List of maps

Foreword by His Grace The Duke of Marlborough

It is the sense of realism in this book which strikes me. Not only does James Falkner give a detailed and accurate account of the progress of the War of the Spanish Succession but his frequent inclusion of eye-witness reports invests his account with a vividness, drama and humanity which at times verge on the painful. The events of 300 years ago seem to unfold before our eyes: