Page "Battle of Ramillies" Paragraph 45

Town after town now succumbed to the Allies.

Leuven fell on 25 May 1706 ; three days later, the Allies entered Brussels, the capital of the Spanish Netherlands.

Marlborough realised the great opportunity created by the early victory of Ramillies: " We now have the whole summer before us ," wrote the Duke from Brussels to Robert Harley, " and with the blessing of God I shall make the best use of it.

" Malines, Lierre, Ghent, Alost, Damme, Oudenaarde, Bruges, and on 6 June Antwerp, all subsequently fell to Marlborough ’ s victorious army and, like Brussels, proclaimed the Austrian candidate for the Spanish throne, the Archduke Charles, as their sovereign.

Villeroi was helpless to arrest the process of collapse.

When Louis XIV learnt of the disaster he recalled Marshal Vendôme from northern Italy to take command in Flanders ; but it would be weeks before the command changed hands.