The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) Read online

  First published in Great Britain in 2015 by

  PEN & SWORD MILITARY

  an imprint of

  Pen & Sword Books Ltd

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  Barnsley

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  Copyright © James Falkner, 2015

  ISBN: 978 1 78159 031 7

  PDF ISBN: 978 1 47387 290 5

  EPUB ISBN: 978 1 47387 289 9

  PRC ISBN: 978 1 47387 288 2

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

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  Contents

  List of Maps

  List of Illustrations

  Introduction

  The Line of Succession to the Throne of Spain

  Chronology: The Principal Events of the War of the Spanish Succession

  Chapter 1. This is the King of Spain

  Chapter 2. The Grand Alliance

  Chapter 3. The French Offensive

  Chapter 4. Campaigning in the Low Countries

  Chapter 5. Adventures in Southern Germany

  Chapter 6. Enter the Duke of Berwick

  Chapter 7. Year of Miracles

  Chapter 8. Over the Seas to Spain

  Chapter 9. Vexatious Distractions

  Chapter 10. France at Bay

  Chapter 11. Unattainable Peace

  Chapter 12. An End to a Weary Journey

  Chapter 13. A Balance of Power

  Appendix 1: The Main Terms of the 1702 Treaty of Grand Alliance

  Appendix 2: The Main Terms of the Treaties of Utrecht, Baden and Rastadt, and Madrid (1713–15)

  Appendix 3: Key Military Figures in the War of the Spanish Succession

  Notes

  Bibliography

  List of Maps

  Map 1: Spain in the early eighteenth century

  Map 2: The Netherlands in the late seventeenth century

  Map 3: The Duke of Marlborough’s famous march to the Danube in 1704

  Map 4: France in the early eighteenth century

  Map 5: Prince Eugene’s march to relieve Turin, May–September 1706

  Map 6: The march by Prince Eugene and Victor-Amadeus of Savoy to attack Toulon, July 1707

  List of Illustrations

  Louis XIV, King of France. The Sun King.

  William of Orange, King William III of England.

  Emperor Leopold of Austria.

  King Carlos II of Spain. His death brought on the war.

  Phillipe, Duc D’Anjou, the Bourbon claimant to the throne of Spain.

  Archduke Charles of Austria, the Habsburg claimant.

  Victor-Amadeus II of Savoy.

  Queen Anne of Great Britain.

  Louis-Guillaume, Margrave of Baden.

  Maximillien-Emmanuel von Wittelsbach, Elector of Bavaria.

  George, Elector of Hanover and later King George I of Great Britain.

  The famous comrades-in-arms: Prince Eugene of Savoy and the Duke of Marlborough.

  Henry of Nassau, Count Overkirk.

  James, Earl Stanhope.

  Nicolas de Catinat, Marshal of France.

  Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Torcy.

  Claude-Louis-Hector, Duc de Villars, Marshal of France.

  James Fitzjames, Duke of Berwick, Marshal of France.

  A contemporary depiction of the allied siege of Barcelona in September 1705.

  The layout of a siege battery, c.1710.

  Austrian soldiers, c.1700.

  The siege of Tournai, 1709, just before the battle of Malplaquet.

  The bitterly contested fighting in the woods at Malplaquet, 11 September 1709.

  Introduction

  ‘Isolated and remote. A country divided within itself …

  Fragmented, disparate, a complex of different races, languages and civilizations.’1

  Whatever natural disadvantages Spain may have had to endure at the close of the seventeenth century, it was the object of much envy in European capitals and, while weakened by a lack of strong central government, was still potentially a force to be reckoned with. In particular the world-wide Spanish Empire, and the rich trading opportunities that went with it, was a prize of huge value that attracted the ill-concealed ambitions of other states, none of whom would view the advancement of the others with complacency. As a consequence, for thirty years or more one of the most burning issues that was discussed in council chambers across western Europe had been the matter of – ‘What was to be done about Spain’ – more particularly ‘what was to be done if the king in Madrid died having no legitimate heir’.

  The awkward question would have to be answered once the ailing King Carlos II went to his grave; there was no obvious immediate successor, for that invalid and enfeebled monarch had no children or younger brother or sister, and yet the vast and immensely wealthy Spanish Empire, stretching from the Iberian peninsula across wide swathes of the Mediterranean and Italy, the Low Countries, enclaves in North Africa, across the high seas to the Americas, and even the far-off Philippines, plainly had to have a firm ruler. Yet, with so much at stake, who was that ruler to be?

  In the second half of the 17th Century and the early decades of the 18th Century the most important single theme in European politics was the rivalry between the two hegemonal powers of Austria and France. Among the smaller states the neighbours of France inclined to Austria, and those of the Austrians to France.2

  France and Austria had arguably good hereditary claims for their princes – that was evident – but there were others, most notably the Duke of Savoy on the one hand, and that of the house of Wittelsbach, the Electors of Bavaria, on the other. The prolific descendants of King Philip II of Spain had sown a devil’s harvest for a later generation, but these lesser claimants could hardly expect to make progress unless it was with the connivance and blessing of one or other, or perhaps a little optimistically of both, of the main contenders. Such an approach was not out of the question, for it would suit everyone to avoid outright war over the issue, as the closing decade of the seventeenth century had already been one of ruinously expensive conflict for western Europe.

  The question over the succession was complex, and made more so because the aims and ambitions of the contenders, whether large or small, were hedged about by the needs and aspirations of their near neighbours, states that had also every reason to avoid war as long as their interests could be assured. Such assurances would be sought, over such diverse matters as the Protestant succession to the throne in London, the sec
urity of the southern border of Holland against any fresh French attack, and opportunities for English and Dutch merchants of the ‘Maritime Powers’ to trade in the wide Spanish empire, markets hitherto closed to them; guarantees needed to be given, or else they might have to be enforced.3 When matters came to a head in the late autumn of 1700, at first it seemed that King Louis XIV of France had got what he wanted without fighting, and hoped to retain the same without provoking a war. However, largely due to the king’s untypical clumsy mistakes, it proved impossible to avoid war – a conflict that no-one sought but perhaps, given the complexity of the principal question of the succession to the throne in Madrid, it was not to be avoided.

  Once embarked upon, the conflict itself was on an almost unprecedented scale, covering wide regions of western and northwestern Europe, southern Germany, the Balearic islands of the Mediterranean, much of Italy, briefly an incursion into Scotland, the West Indies, battle-fleet naval actions and wide-scale privateering on the high seas, and even an attack on French-held parts of Canada. In Scandinavia, the Great Northern War would have its effect, at one distant but briefly dangerous remove, and rebellion against imperial rule in Hungary would sap the efforts of the Austrians to press home their claim. A war no one sought but which had to be – sometimes these matters had to be put to the crucial test, and so it proved, but it is far easier to start a war than to stop one.

  Great issues, both dynastic and national, were at stake but there was little apparent animosity between the belligerents, and despite the cruelties inevitably involved in warfare, barbarism was almost entirely absent from the conflict; prisoners of war were generally well treated (the exceptions at places like Calcinato in early 1706, and Brihuega four years later, were so uncommon as to attract wide comment and criticism). Commanding generals were in many cases well acquainted with their opponents, often listing them as friends and even, as with the Duke of Marlborough and the Duke of Berwick, close relations. The misfortunes of the common people who endured campaigning armies crossing their lands hardly need stating for such things, sadly, must be in warfare. Still, there was little of a fervent or religious nature about the conduct of the war, with all the attendant horrors common in such conflicts, even though the presence of large numbers of Protestant soldiers in staunchly Catholic Spain did the allied cause no good, and the assurance of a Protestant succession to the throne in London was one of the main planks of the Grand Alliance.

  The allies ranged against Louis XIV and his grandson did attempt to foment rebellion amongst the Protestants in southern France, but this unhelpful distraction for the king was limited, while his own support for the largely Protestant rebels in Hungary hampered the efforts of Catholic Vienna in the war. The rebellion in the Cevennes region was suppressed with some rigour, as were those Catalans who declared for the Habsburg claimant, but that was the way that rebels were dealt with, then and since. In fact, what each participant sought could have been achieved with judicious negotiation and an element of compromise, and this was proved to be so with the terms belatedly agreed in 1713. In particular, after the lavish expenditure in treasure, effort and blood, the end result would see the Spanish people, whose opinion in the matter had never been sought, on the whole quite content with a king who, contrary to expectation, had proved himself to be worthy of his calling and earned their trust and respect, and perhaps also their love. By a strange irony, when peace came at last, and given a dispassionate judgement, it appeared that everyone had achieved what they originally sought, but no-one was able to say so.

  Dating, Grammar and Nomenclature

  In the early eighteenth century the Julian Calendar was in use in the British Isles, while on the Continent the newer Gregorian Calendar was in use. From 1700 onwards the new system (N.S.) was eleven days ahead of the old system (O.S.). So, the declaration of war by the Grand Alliance on France is sometimes given as being made on 4 May 1702 in London, but this was regarded as being on 15 May in The Hague and Vienna. As most of the events described in this book take place in mainland Europe, (N.S.) has been used throughout for dating, unless otherwise stated. The often idiosyncratic and inconsistent grammar and spelling in many of the contemporary accounts quoted in this book have been corrected for greater clarity, sensitively it is hoped, with additional explanatory comments, where these seem to be appropriate, inserted in square brackets. Of the two active claimants for the throne of Spain, Philippe Duc d’Anjou and Archduke Charles, both were proclaimed as king, but only the young French prince made good his claim, after many years of war. Therefore I have referred to the Austrian Charles as Archduke as throughout, until he eventually ascended the imperial throne in Vienna, while according to Philippe the regal title eventually secured as King of Spain.

  The Line of Succession to the Throne of Spain.

  (The two main contenders only)*1

  Chronology

  The Principal Events of the War of the Spanish Succession

  1700

  7 October

  King Carlos II of Spain signs a new will, naming Philippe, Duc d’Anjou, as his successor

  1 November

  Death of Carlos II in Madrid

  8 November

  News of the late king’s will reaches the French court

  16 November

  Louis XIV recognises his second grandson as Philip V of Spain

  Emperor Leopold I recognises the Elector of Brandenburg as King in Prussia

  4 December

  Philip V leaves Versailles for Madrid

  1701

  6 February

  French troops begin to occupy the Barrier Towns in the Spanish Netherlands

  18 February

  Philip V enters Madrid

  April

  King William III, and the Dutch States-General, recognise Philip V as king of Spain

  20 May

  Prince Eugene of Savoy takes command of imperial troops in northern Italy

  18 June

  King Pedro II of Portugal concludes treaty with France and Spain

  9 July

  Prince Eugene forces Marshal Catinat’s position at Carpi

  1 September

  Eugene defeats the French and Savoyards at the battle of Chiari

  7 September

  Treaty of Grand Alliance agreed between Austria, Holland and England

  11 September

  Philip V marries Marie-Louise of Savoy

  16 September

  Death of exiled James II: Louis XIV acknowledges James Stuart as King of England

  1702

  31 January

  French defeat at Cremona, Marshal Villeroi captured

  18 March

  Death of King William III. Queen Anne succeeds to the throne in London

  12 May

  Negotiations open to bring Portugal into the Grand Alliance

  15 May

  Grand Alliance declares war on France and her allies

  1 July

  Marlborough assumes command of the Anglo-Dutch army

  18 August

  Benbow’s naval action against Ducasse off Santa Maria

  26 August

  Allied landings near to Cadiz

  1 September

  French defeated at battle of Chiari

  September

  Electors of Bavaria and Liège ally themselves to France

  26 September

  Allied expedition to take Cadiz abandoned

  22 October

  Spanish treasure fleet captured or sunk in Vigo Bay

  26 October

  Allies capture Liège

  December

  Anglo-Dutch treaty with Portugal agreed.

  1703

  4 March

  Imperial army defeated at battle of Heyzempirne

  9 May

  French capture Kehl

  15 May

  Allies capture Bonn

  16 May

  Anglo-Dutch-Portuguese treaty signed

  30 June

  Dutch defeated at Eckere
n near Antwerp

  26 August

  Allies take Huy

  13 September

  Archduke Charles of Austria proclaimed as King Carlos III of Spain

  19 September

  Austrian army under Count Styrum defeated at Höchstädt

  25 October

  Duke of Savoy declares for the Grand Alliance

  15 November

  French victory at battle of Speyerbach

  French re-take Landau

  27 December

  Portugal joins the Grand Alliance

  1704

  7 March

  Archduke Charles arrives in Lisbon

  May

  Allied advance from Portugal into Spain

  19 May

  Marlborough begins march up the Rhine from Holland

  30 May

  Allied attempt to take Barcelona fails

  2 July

  The battle of the Schellenberg on the Danube

  4 August

  Gibraltar captured by Anglo-Dutch forces

  11 August

  Margrave of Baden begins siege of Ingolstadt

  13 August

  Franco-Bavarian army defeated at Blenheim

  24 August

  Naval battle off Málaga

  7 October

  Inconclusive battle on the Agueda river in Spain

  29 October

  Marlborough occupies Trier on the Moselle river

  11 November

  Franco-Spanish attempt to recapture Gibraltar begins