title: The Armies and Uniforms of Marlborough's Wars
author:  Charles S Grant 
description: Also known as the War of the Spanish Succession, Marlborough's Wars (1702-13), fought in Europe and on the Mediterranean, were the last and the bloodiest of the Wars between England and France under Louis XIV, and the first in which Britain played a major military role in European military affairs. In 1700 Louis had antagonized the English by accepting (in defiance of treaties) the bequest of the Spanish empire to his grandson Philip of Anjou, and by his subsequent prohibition of English imports and recognition of the claim to the English throne put forward by James, the "Old Pretender," who was the son of the deposed James II and the leader of the Jacobites. England's Grand Alliance with Holland, the Hapsburg Empire, Hanover, and Prussia, intended to prevent French dominance over all of Europe, was opposed by France, Spain, Bavaria, and Savoy. After the death of William III in 1702, Queen Anne, James's daughter, appointed John Churchill, the earl of Marlborough, as commander of the English and Dutch armies. A brilliant soldier  brave, handsome, skilfull  Marlborough was also opportunistic, crafty, deceptive, and tight-fisted.
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  #  CHAPTER 1
  
  
  After the awarding ceremony, the soldiers of the Coalition Army were given two
  gold coins each, enough for them to live without working for a year or two.
  The family of the soldiers who perished in battle was given three gold coins
  and each of them was posthumously given a bronze medal for sacrificing their
  lives for the sake of the Kingdom. It wasn’t much, but the rewards were enough
  to appease the returning soldiers and the souls of those who died.
  
  
  There were rumors that the National Treasury was almost depleted, that the
  Kingdom would soon undergo a financial crisis. But despite this, King Alvis
  made sure to reward the soldiers who fought in the front lines for the
  country.
  
  
  Lark believed that the king was right. The money wouldn’t bring the dead back
  to life, but it would propel the family left behind to continue living
  forward.
  
  
  After the rewards were handed out, the Coalition Army was disbanded. The
  soldiers started going back to their home