WI: John Churchill Duke of Marlborough takes Paris in 1709-10
In fall 1709 victory looked in site for the allies England’s greatest general ,John Churchill Duke of Marlborough, was ready to advance into France and march on Paris. All that was standing in his way was 75,000 French troops under Marshall Villars. The English meet this force at the Battle of Malplaquet and were driven off. My question is what would have happened if Marlborough had of decisively won the battle.
In Will Durant’s Age of Louis XIV he says that had French forces lost this battle King Louis XIV was determined to lead the defense of the Somme River personally in one last ditch effort to save France. This could have been especially disastrous if Louis XIV died in the next battle.
In fall 1709 victory looked in site for the allies England’s greatest general ,John Churchill Duke of Marlborough, was ready to advance into France and march on Paris. All that was standing in his way was 75,000 French troops under Marshall Villars. The English meet this force at the Battle of Malplaquet and were driven off. My question is what would have happened if Marlborough had of decisively won the battle.
In Will Durant’s Age of Louis XIV he says that had French forces lost this battle King Louis XIV was determined to lead the defense of the Somme River personally in one last ditch effort to save France. This could have been especially disastrous if Louis XIV died in the next battle.