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QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> Speak Shenzhen -> 
The Battle of Blenheim
    2019-05-20  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

James Baquet

“Blenheim” is the English version of “Blindheim,” the German name of a collection of villages on the Danube in Bavaria. The name may be more familiar to modern readers for its association with Blenheim (pronounced BLEN-im) Palace, a country house in Oxfordshire, England, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was gifted by the Queen to the Dukes of Marlborough for their role in the battle that is the subject of today’s column.

The battle occurred at Blenheim in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, which lasted from 1701 to 1714. The Franco-Bavarian army was on one side, and the “Grand Alliance” of England, the Dutch Republic and Holy Roman Empire (which included the Archduchy of Austria) on the other.

The issue was, who would become the King of Spain after Charles II died childless? The claimants were all either Habsburgs or Bourbons, members of two powerful families; for either side to gain the throne would upset the balance of power in Europe.

The French and Bavarians supported Philip of Anjou, second grandson of Louis XIV of France, who was his great-uncle Charles II’s chosen heir. The Grand Alliance was backing Archduke Charles, whose father was Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor. Spoiler alert: The French ultimately won, and Philip V of Spain ruled from 1700 to January 1724; and again from September 1724 to 1746. (His son Louis I ruled for seven months in 1724; Philip re-ascended when Louis died suddenly.) The current King of Spain, Felipe (Philip) VI, is a Bourbon.

The battle itself was not decisive — the war would not end for another decade — but it did secure Vienna, the Habsburg capital, from the grips of the French, and took Bavaria out of the picture.

It had seemed as the war began that France would prevail (which, as we have seen, they did ultimately), but Blenheim made it clear that this was not a foregone conclusion. The Holy Roman Emperor, France’s first target, was safe, and France lost as many as 27,000 men, about half of the 56,000 they had fielded (the Grand Alliance lost around 12,500 of 52,000). Also, the French commander-in-chief was captured and taken to England.

Vocabulary:

Which word above means:

1. people demanding a title

2. went up again

3. given as a present

4. sent into action

5. equal distribution of strength

6. “I’m going to tell you the ending”

7. grandparent’s brother

8. period of 10 years

9. still

10. something that can be assumed

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