Menin.

the Walloons, who jointly formed the garrison. The latter declared for the allies, and this strong fortress was captured without a blow. Ghent and Bruges, the two chief cities of Flanders, opened their gates. Then Marlborough advanced upon Ostend, and began the siege with such vigour that it surrendered in nine days. Menin is a strong fortress on the Lys, which now serves as a boundary between France and Belgium, for Vauban, the great French engineer, had fortified it with all his art. Lewis had by this time sent his bravest marshal, Vendôme, to restore the fortunes of France on its northern frontier. He approached Marlborough's army as if with the intention of raising the siege of Menin, but the memory of Ramillies was too much for the courage of his soldiers. 'Everyone here,' he reports to Lewis, 'is ready to doff his hat, if one even mentions the name of Marlborough.' It took twentythree days before Menin fell. Dendermonde, which lay to his rear, was Marlborough's real object. It was so

Dendermonde.

situated on the banks of the Scheldt, that by letting out the waters the governor could prevent an enemy's approach. They must have an army of ducks,' Lewis had said, 'to take Dendermonde.' It surrendered, however, to Marlborough. In his despatch he gives the reason—'That place could never have been taken but by the hand of God, which gave us seven weeks without rain. The rain began the day after we had taken possession, and continued without intermission.' Ath surrendered next, after a siege of twelve days, and Marlborough would also have attempted the strong fortress of Mons if the Dutch had been more prompt with supplies. Thus ended the brilliant campaign of 1706, all the results of which may be traced to the victory of Ramillies.

The Emperor and King Charles wished to make

Marlborough governor of the country which he had thus conquered. It was a post of importance, and of considerable emolument; the English Government would have gladly seen him But the Dutch, and even his

accept it.

Marlborough proposed as

governor of Netherlands.

friends amongst them, made so strong an opposition that the plan was allowed to drop.

Section II.-Turin.

It seemed that

The allied cause in Italy.

At the beginning of the year 1706 the cause of the allies in Italy looked very gloomy. nothing could prevent the capture of Turin, that then they must be wholly driven out of Italy, and that the Duke of Savoy would be compelled to quit the Grand Alliance, just as he had formerly quitted it before the Peace of Ryswick. Great efforts were therefore made to send strong support. Marlborough even went to Vienna to obtain supplies and reinforcements for Eugene, and his representations were successful, so that Eugene was able to take the field with a larger and better equipped army than before. Just before his arrival in Italy the imperialists had been defeated by Vendôme at Calcinato. The story ran that, to lull the vigilance of the opposing general, Vendôme had pretended to be ill, and suddenly appearing well, and at the head of his army, had routed the imperialists. Eugene's first work was to reorganise the defeated troops. Meanwhile the French began the siege of Turin. was commenced with true French politeness. French general, by order of the king, sent Siege of to offer safe passports for the princesses of Turin. Savoy, and to say that, if the duke would point out his head-quarters, no bombs should be thrown there. The duke sent answer that his daughters were already safe,

It

The

and that the French might throw their bombs where they thought proper. Having made all preparations for resisting the siege, the duke left his capital, thinking that the presence of a court might hinder the defence, which he entrusted to Daun, the father of one who was afterwards a famous Austrian general in the Seven Years' War. Messages were sent to inform Eugene how critical was the state of Turin. He marched quickly from Tyrol to its relief. Fortunately for the cause of the allies the battle of Ramillies had just been won, and Lewis recalled Marshal Vendôme from Italy, as the only French general who could face the victorious Marlborough. In the place of Vendôme, whom he so highly valued, he sent his Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans, and, as the fashion was, a general to guide him, Marshal Marsin, who had commanded part of the army opposed to Eugene at Blenheim. The Duke of Orleans was merely ornamental. Marsin's reputation did not stand high. It was said that he had been made a marshal only because Madame de Maintenon held a high opinion of his religious character.

Stradella.

Eugene's quick march took him across three rivers, the Po, the largest, giving him most trouble. By a wide circuit to the south he reached the Pass of Stradella, in a spur of the Apennines, running towards the Po. This pass was very important, because it formed the communication between the French and their allies in the peninsula. This occupation of the pass and the victory which followed it have been compared to a stab in the jugular artery, or a blow on the spinal marrow.' Marching from Stradella on Turin, Eugene effected a junction with the Duke of Savoy.

After surveying the ground from the heights of Superga, whence the city and the whole surrounding country can be seen, the two generals determined on an attack. News reached them

State of the siege.