The Battle of Blenheim, August 13, 1704: military and professional views and contemporary assessments

the article examines the military art of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). The subject of the study is the Battle of Blenheim on August 13, 1704, one of the most famous and large-scale battles of the era under consideration. The object of the study is the military correspondence of Louis XIV, J. Marlborough, Eugene of Savoy, Marshal Tallar, memoirs of direct participants in the battle, as well as documents, reports, and reports. The purpose of the article is to identify the features of battle tactics at the beginning of the 18th century using the Battle of Blenheim as an example. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the article, based on sources that have not yet been reflected in Russian historiography, presents a view of a significant event in Western European military history, the battle between the Franco-Bavarian and Anglo-Dutch-German armies, which became a turning point in the War of the Spanish Succession. The article actualizes the problems of the general and the specific in military affairs of Western Europe and Russia, sharpens the issue of comparative analysis of military art during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) and the Great Northern War (1700-1721). The Battle of Blenheim revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of the 18th century battle tactics. As a result of the study, the author came to the conclusion that the defeat of the marshals of Louis XIV at Blenheim was caused by their wait-and-see passive way of waging war. Their rivals, John Marlborough and Eugene of Savoy, managed to break out of the generally accepted tactical method. They acted boldly and decisively, skillfully managing troops, interacting and supporting each other. The key to a decisive victory was the high morale of the allies, the discipline of the troops and the efficiency of the commanders. An important condition for the victory was the personal and military leadership abilities of Marlborough and Eugene of Savoy, their ability to correctly assess the situation, the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy, to use the terrain features, to foresee events, to impose their will on the enemy, to inspire the troops by personal example and to maintain their high moral and psychological spirit.

Битва при Бленхейме, Джон Мальборо, Евгений Савойский, маршал Тальяр, линейная тактика