BLENHEIM – WAS IT A BATTLE WON OR A BATTLE LOST? THE SALAMANDER & THE SWORD

The Coalition army spoke Danish, Dutch, and English, but predominantly German, just as at Waterloo. Prinz Eugen, or as he is more commonly known, Prince Eugene of Savoy, was co-commander of the army and arguably far more experienced at army-level leadership than John Churchill. We have been handed a narrative of mutual admiration, seamless cooperation, and self-deprecating magnanimity regarding Eugene, at least. The latter quality is not obvious during Churchill's previous 30 years of military service and political manoeuvring. Blenheim should diplomatically be classed as an Allied victory, and logically, a German one. Although Marlborough's campaign march south was expertly managed, the Battle of Blenheim was tactically prosaic and unimaginative. It was a battle lost by the Franco-Bavarians rather than won by the Coalition. A series of relatively blunt frontal assaults…