Battle of Ramillies

The May 23rd 1706, during the War of succession of Spain, the battles of Ramillies opposes two strong armies each of approximately 60.000 men on the territory of the village of Ramillies (Belgium). It devotes the strategic genius of John Churchill, first duke of Marlborough, ordering allied forces which inflicts a heavy defeat with the Franco-Spanish troops of Louis XIV directed by the marshal of Villeroy.

Context

In 1700, Charles II, king of Spain and last descendant of Charles Quint, dies without leaving of heir. By will, it designates as successor Philippe of Anjou, small son of Louis XIV. The England sees the thing of an evil eye, because she fears, rightly, an alliance between the France and Spain, thus creating a super power which would dominate the European scene.

Faithful to its policy of European balance, England takes the head, with the Plain Provinces (current Netherlands), of a coalition of nations favorable to the establishment of Charles de Habsbourg on the Spanish throne.

In 1704, the anglo-Austrian coalition gained the victory with Höchstadt over France, putting a final term at inclinations of intervention of Louis XIV in Central Europe. Penetrating two years later in the Spanish Netherlands to drive out the French and to begin again of them, in the long term, of the places like Lille, Dunkirk and Bergues, the army of united is stopped close to Ramillies (in the Brabant Wallon) by the troops of the duke of Villeroy.

The battle

May 23rd, 1706, Whit Sunday, the two armies face, the Franco-Spanish ones occupying the heights. Benefitting from a fold of the ground, the Duc of Marlborough moves part of its troops to bring them on the French left side. It then starts a vigorous attack on the right side of its adversary. The Marshal of Villeroy falls into the trap: he dismantles his left side to reinforce the troops engaged against the allies. At this point in time Marlborough sends large its troops on the part of the face dismantled by its adversary, which it inserts at once. The battle turns quickly to its advantage. The Franco-Spanish army, completely disorganized is folded up in disorder, giving up close to 6 000 prisoners.

Consequences

This battle was a model of strategy of which, one, Napoleon say was inspired on several occasions.

Following this defeat, Maximilien-Emmanuel of Bavaria, governor of the Spanish Netherlands is constrained to give up Brussels definitively and to take refuge with Mons, then in France. After Höchstadt and Ramilies, the duke of Marlborough, assisted by the Austrian troops of the Prince Eugene, the victory of Audenaerde (1708) will gain, over the Duc of Vendôme, and will deliver the very disputed battle of Malplaquet (1709), against the marshal of Villars.

Anecdote

The duke of Marlborough become the pet peeve of French, those will invent the well-known song " Malbrouck is gone-T from there war, mironton mironton mirontaine… " in order to it die-diaboliser.

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