IX. 1710. ishable foundation. Nine successive campaigns directed CHAP. by him had presented an unbroken career of success, and the next would beyond all question have put the keystone in the arch of his fame, by a glorious peace which attained all the objects of the war. At that critical moment he was overturned by the efforts of faction, aided by a palace intrigue at home-and what was the result? Then appeared at once what had been owing to the greatness of one man. Instantly, as if by enchantment, the fabric of victory raised by such effort was dissolved. Spain was lost, Flanders reconquered, Germany threatened. The arch of the Grand Alliance, when no longer upheld by his mighty arm, fell to pieces like the roof of the Dom-Daniel beneath the roots of the sea, when the image, whose supporting arm upheld it, was pierced to the heart by the son of Hodeirah, the "ocean vault fell in, and all were crushed." 2. effect Great Commence ment of the each campaign of 1710 in Two Spain, and defeat of Cata- Philip, Spain was the quarter in which the disastrous of the termination of his counsels first appeared. efforts had been made on both sides, and on sanguine hopes were entertained of success. armies were assembled in spring, in Portugal and lonia the former under the command of the Marquis of Villa Verde, the latter of Marshal Stahremberg and General Stanhope. The design was that these forces should combine their movements, and, converging together, meet and place Charles on the throne of Madrid. The main strength of the Allies was in Catalonia, where they had assembled thirty thousand men, chiefly German and English veterans. The first important operations took place on the side of Catalonia, where the two rival kings were at the head of their respective armies, and July 21. CHAP. IX. 1710. events took place not unworthy of the presence of monarchs contending for the crown of Spain. The first serious engagement took place near Alfarez, where Philip was defeated with the loss of fifteen hundred men, and driven into Lerida. The Spanish troops upon this check retreated towards Saragossa, in the hope of anticipating the Allies in the passage of the Ebro. They there made a stand; but the valour of the allied troops, and the ability of Stanhope, gave them a complete victory. Philip was totally defeated with the loss of ten thousand 1 St Philip. men; most of the new levies threw away their arms and dispersed; and he himself fled to Soria attended only by eight thousand men, the poor remains of nineteen thousand with which he had combated on the Ebro ; and Charles a few days after made his triumphant entry into Saragossa, amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants, to whom he restored all their ancient privileges.1 ii. 348. Hist. of Europe, 591-597. Somer. ville's Queen Anne, 638. Coxe's House of Bourbon, i. 303. 3. Charles into his cold reception there, Sept. 28. This important victory a second time opened to Entry of Charles the road to Madrid. No resistance was expeMadrid, and rienced on his march from Saragossa to the capital; and on the 28th September he made his public entrance into it at the head of two thousand horse. But it soon appeared how adverse the inhabitants had become to the Austrian rule, and how deep the enthusiasm which had been excited by the intrepid and patriotic conduct of the Bourbon sovereign. An ominous silence reigned in the streets as his triumphant cavalcade passed through them; no sound but the clang of the horses' hoofs on the House of pavement was heard; the greater part of the inhabitants, excepting those whom age, poverty, or infirmity had compelled to remain at home, had followed Philip in his retreat towards Valladolid. Chagrin and vexation over 2 Coxe's Bourbon, i. 305. St Philippe, ii. 385. IX. whelmed the disappointed monarch; and, refusing to CHAP. proceed on to the palace of the Retiro, as was the usual custom, he retired hastily through the gate of Alcala, saying "Madrid is a desert." 1710. 4. situation of Madrid. Philip retired to Valladolid with only nine thousand men; but he daily received reinforcements from France, Efforts of and the Castilian nobles made the most energetic efforts precarious Philip, and to restore his fallen fortunes. The whole reliance of Charles at Louis was on the divisions in England, and the prospect of Marlborough being overthrown; and he accordingly, on hearing of the defeat of Saragossa, wrote in order to ascertain if the resources of Spain were sufficient to prolong the contest, adding, "that he hoped, by prosecuting the war another campaign in Flanders and Germany, for the occurrence of some favourable opportunity to divide or weaken the Allies." In truth he was merely fighting to gain time, till Godolphin and Marlborough were overthrown, and Tory councils became predominant in the cabinet of London. The fall of Godolphin in the beginning of August realised these hopes, and encouraged him to make the most vigorous efforts for the prosecution Noailles, iv. of the war in Spain. Reinforcements were sent by post Coxe's from all parts of France, Vendôme was appointed to the Bourbon, command; and such was the energy displayed, that, Coxe's when he arrived at Philip's camp, near Valladolid, he 379-381. found himself at the head of twenty-five thousand men.1 1 Mém. de 352-373. House of i. 307. Marlb. v. 5. Noailles at and great Meanwhile Noailles arrived at the camp and court of the fugitive prince, and there a most moving scene took Arrival of place. In a solemn assembly of the nobles he dwelt on Valladolid, the vast efforts which France had made on behalf of efforts of Spain, and represented the absolute necessity of their iards. making the greatest efforts to avert the Austrian yoke, and prevent their country from becoming a mere province the Span CHAP. 1710. 1 Noailles, Coxe's Bourbon, i. 308, 309. of another monarchy. The appeal was not made in iv. 137-151. rank and class of the people vied with each other in devotion to their monarch; and the sacrifices they made for their country, and the hardy recruits pouring in on all sides, at once refilled the rauks, and restored the spirit of the army.1 Marlb. v. 381. 6. and irreso lution on the part of Madrid. While this noble spirit was displayed by the Castilians Divisions, on behalf of Philip, the support of whom they had come to identify with the preservation of the national indepenCharles at dence, very different was the scene which the rival camp of Charles presented. The condition of his affairs is well depicted in a letter from General Stanhope to Lord Dartmouth, the Secretary of State, on 4th October: "We have despatched several messengers to our friends on the Portuguese frontier, pressing them to join us, since they have no enemy left on their frontier; and on the success of these instances, which we have repeated to them, will depend the fate of the campaign. They have in a condition to march thirty battalions of foot, and above three thousand horse. If they will join us we shall have another battle, which, in all probability, will be decisive. If they do not, we shall have some difficulty in making a retreat to Aragon; for the Duke of Anjou IX. 1710. will have above double our number of horse, and be equal CHAP. at least to us in foot. The country is our enemy, and we are not masters in Castile of more ground than we encamp upon. It will certainly be a surprise to your lordship to learn that, since the battle, not one officer in the Duke of Anjou's service has left him; and that the greater part of the grandees, and all the civil and ministerial officers that reside at Madrid, have followed him, 4, 1710. insomuch that, at our first arrival here, the town appeared 378, 379. a desert." 1 Gen. Stanhope to Lord Dart mouth, Oct. Coxe, v. guese go refuses to troops to Charles VI. In vain the confederate generals represented, in the 7. most urgent manner, to the Portuguese government, The Portuthat, unless they advanced to the support of Charles VI., vernment he would be obliged to evacuate Madrid, and Spain allow their would be lost. The military commanders of their army succour concurred in the necessity, and Dos Minas offered instantly to set out for Madrid with three thousand foot and one thousand horse. The cabinet of Lisbon, however, led by the Duke of Cadaval, who was secretly in the French interest, refused to allow the troops to march, on the ground that the subsidies promised by the British government had not been paid. Then was seen the fatal influence which the change of ministry in England had already exercised on the fate of the war. Harley and St John, who had been now two months at the head of Mr Lefebaffairs in London, were in no hurry to execute the Secretary finance engagements of their predecessors; the promised Oct. 13, subsidies were not paid; the Portuguese reinforcements v. 380. did not march; and Spain was lost.2 While disunion and imbecility were thus paralysing all the operations of the Allies, and depriving them of the whole fruits of victory, the French government were anxiously and vigorously preparing to take advantage of vre to Mr St John, 1710. Coxe, |