Blenheim, Battle of

The Battle of Blenheim (referred to in some countries as the Second Battle of Höchstädt), fought on August 13, 1704, is a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession.

Louis XIV of France seeks to knock Emperor Leopold out of the war by seizing Vienna, the Habsburg capital, and gain a favorable peace settlement.

The dangers to Vienna are considerable: the Elector of Bavaria and Marshal Marsin's forces in Bavaria threaten from the west, and Marshal Vendôme's large army in northern Italy poses a serious danger with a potential offensive through the Brenner Pass.

Vienna is also under pressure from Rákóczi's Hungarian revolt from its eastern approaches.

Realizing the danger, the Duke of Marlborough resolves to alleviate the peril to Vienna by marching his forces south from Bedburg and help maintain Emperor Leopold within the Grand Alliance.A combination of deception and brilliant administration – designed to conceal his true destination from friend and foe alike – enables Marlborough to march 250 miles (400 kilometers) unhindered from the Low Countries to the River Danube in five weeks.

After securing Donauwörth on the Danube, Marlborough seeks to engage the Elector's and Marsin's army before Marshal Tallard can bring reinforcements through the Black Forest.

However, with the Franco-Bavarian commanders reluctant to fight until their numbers are deemed sufficient, the Duke enacts a policy of plundering in Bavaria designed to force the issue.

The tactic proves unsuccessful, but when Tallard arrives to bolster the Elector's army, and Prince Eugene arrives with reinforcements for the Allies, the two armies finally meet on the banks of the Danube in and around the small village of Blindheim.Blenheim has gone down in history as one of the turning points of the War of the Spanish Succession.

The overwhelming Allied victory ensures the safety of Vienna from the Franco-Bavarian army, thus preventing the collapse of the Grand Alliance.

Bavaria is knocked out of the war, and Louis's hopes for a quick victory come to an end.

France suffers over 30,000 casualties including the commander-in-chief, Marshal Tallard, who is taken captive to England.

Before the 1704 campaign end, the Allies have taken Landau, and the towns of Trier and Trarbach on the Moselle in preparation for the following year's campaign into France itself.

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