Battle of Blenheim: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:54, 29 April 2013

Important battle in the War of Spanish Succession. It took place 13 August 1704, close to Höchstädt in Bavaria as well as close to the village of Blindheim from which the battle's English name derives. The belligerents were France and Bavaria on the one side and an alliance of England, Austria, Prussia and the Netherlands on the other, the latter being victorious.

The Battle

More than 100,000 people took part in the battle. Compared to the allied troops, the French/Bavarian army had a slight superiority by force of numbers and, as they had occupied Blindheim (which was surrounded by swamps and waters, not least the Danube) they actually had the better starting point. The allied troops won nevertheless, due to the superior battle tactics of John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough, commander of the English forces, as well as due to several fatal misjudgements of the French commanders. Fights went on for about ten hours, until the remaining French troops surrendered in the centre of Blindheim. During the battle, around half of the French soldiers were either killed or wounded or taken prisoner, while the losses on the side of the allied troops were considerably smaller.

Aftermath and relevance

The Battle of Blenheim was a turning point in the War of Spanish Succession for two reasons: First, Bavaria was occupied afterwards, which meant that France lost its influence over the whole area and its only ally was severely weakened. Second, beforehand many considered the French troops to be invincible. The news of their defeat was an important motivator for the allied troops in following battles.

Sources

Churchill, Winston: A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. 4 vols. London: Cassell, 1956.
Churchill, Winston: Marlborough (translated edition). 2 vols. Munich: Callwey, 1968.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The Battle of Blenheim took place on the 13th of August in 1704, close to the city of [[Höchstädt]] in Bavaria, Germany, as well as close to the village of Blindheim from which the battle's English name derives. It was part of the [[War of the Spanish Succession]] and is one of the most important battles of this conflict. The belligerents were France and Bavaria on the one side and an alliance of England, Austria, Prussia and the Netherlands on the other, the latter being victorious in the battle.
+Important battle in the [[War of the Spanish Succession|War of Spanish Succession]]. It took place 13 August 1704, close to [[Höchstädt]] in Bavaria as well as close to the village of Blindheim from which the battle's English name derives. The belligerents were France and Bavaria on the one side and an alliance of England, Austria, Prussia and the Netherlands on the other, the latter being victorious.
 ==The Battle==
-More than 100,000 people took part in the battle. Compared to the allied troops, the French/Bavarian army had a slight superiority by force of numbers and, as they had occupied Blindheim (which was surrounded by swamps and waters, not least the Danube) they actually had the better starting point. The allied troops were victorious nevertheless, due to the superior battle tactics of [[John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough]], commander of the English forces, as well as due to several fatal misjudgements of the French commanders. Fights went on for about ten hours, until the remaining French troops surrendered in the centre of Blindheim. During the battle, around half of the French soldiers were either killed or wounded or taken prisoner, while the losses on the side of the allied troops were considerably smaller.
+More than 100,000 people took part in the battle. Compared to the allied troops, the French/Bavarian army had a slight superiority by force of numbers and, as they had occupied Blindheim (which was surrounded by swamps and waters, not least the Danube) they actually had the better starting point. The allied troops won nevertheless, due to the superior battle tactics of [[John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough]], commander of the English forces, as well as due to several fatal misjudgements of the French commanders. Fights went on for about ten hours, until the remaining French troops surrendered in the centre of Blindheim. During the battle, around half of the French soldiers were either killed or wounded or taken prisoner, while the losses on the side of the allied troops were considerably smaller.
 ==Aftermath and relevance==
-The Battle of Blenheim was a turning point in the War of the Spanish Succession for two reasons: First, Bavaria was occupied afterwards, which meant that France lost its influence over the whole area and its only ally was severely weakened.
+The Battle of Blenheim was a turning point in the War of Spanish Succession for two reasons: First, Bavaria was occupied afterwards, which meant that France lost its influence over the whole area and its only ally was severely weakened.
 Second, beforehand many considered the French troops to be invincible. The news of their defeat was an important motivator for the allied troops in following battles.