Wars of the age of Louis XIV

Een soort encyclopedie over de oorlogen van Lodewijk de XIV. Soms wel erg simplistisch. Vond dit stukje over Malborough wel grappig.

Marlborough remained in touch with leading Jacobites for several years, rebel inclinations or at least contacts for which he was briefly imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1692. The direct cause of his temporary fall from royal grace was a wrongful accusation that he had supported a plot against the king.

Restored to royal favor by 1700, he was appointed captain-general, and commanded the English and Dutch field armies in the United Provinces at the start of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714). In his accounts of battle and the war, Marlborough unfairly belittled the overall contribution of Dutch arms, a prejudice also reflected in many British histories of the conflict. This habit likely was born of a lifelong penchant for self-promotion and intrigue, to the great benefit of his fortune and career. In fact, the Dutch war effort on land Maritime Powers exceeded that of the British in terms of men, money, and matériel, though at sea the Royal Navy clearly pulled away from the Dutch Navy in the level of its contribution.

In addition, Marlborough enjoyed a remarkable and effective partnership with Prince Eugene of Savoy, who fought at his side as co-commander during three of Marlborough’s four great battlefield victories.


A kind of encyclopedia on warfare in the age of Louis XIV, well written lots of info also on Eastern Europe but sometimes rather simplistic as well. Rather pro-english as well (just five lines on the Raid on the Medway...)

The above quote comes from the lemma 'Marlborough', and the literature on Marlborough are the books of Chandler. Go figure.