Battle of Ramillies
Channel: 宇宙のすべての知識 プリンシピア
Date: 2019-01-19

Battle of Ramillies, by Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=4050 / CC BY SA 3.0

#Conflicts in 1706
#Battles of the War of the Spanish Succession
#Battles involving Bavaria
#Battles involving France
#Battles involving England
#Battles involving the Dutch Republic
#1706 in France
#Ramillies, Belgium
Battle of Ramillies

The Battle of Ramillies (), fought on 23 May 1706, was a battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. For the Grand Alliance – Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic – the battle had followed an indecisive campaign against the Bourbon armies of King Louis XIV of France in 1705. Although the Allies had captured Barcelona that year, they had been forced to abandon their campaign on the Moselle, had stalled in the Spanish Netherlands and suffered defeat in northern Italy. Yet despite his opponents' setbacks Louis XIV wanted peace, but on reasonable terms. Because of this, as well as to maintain their momentum, the French and their allies took the offensive in 1706.

The campaign began well for Louis XIV's generals: in Italy Marshal Vendôme defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Calcinato in April, while in Alsace Marshal Villars forced the Margrave of Baden back across the Rhine. Encouraged by these early gains Louis XIV urged Marshal Villeroi to go over to the offensive in the Spanish Netherlands and, with victory, gain a 'fair' peace. Accordingly, the French Marshal set off from Leuven ("Louvain") at the head of 60,000 men and marched towards Tienen ("Tirlemont"), as if to threaten Zoutleeuw ("Léau"). Also determined to fight a major engagement, the Duke of Marlborough, commander-in-chief of Anglo-Dutch forces, assembled his army – some 62,000 men – near Maastricht, and marched past Zoutleeuw. With both sides seeking battle, they soon encountered each other on the dry ground between the Mehaigne and Petite Gheete rivers, close to the small village of Ramillies.

In less than four hours Marlborough's Dutch, English, and Danish forces overwh...