Turning point in the 1701-1714 War of the Spanish Succession: The Danube military campaign of 1704

The purpose of this article is to identify the peculiarities of Western European military affairs as illustrated by a particular campaign of the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714). The article is of interest in light of comparing military affairs of Western Europe and Russia at the beginning of the 18th century, military art during the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) and the Great Northern War (1700-1721). Scientific novelty: the study presents an episode of Western European military history not yet reflected in domestic historiography, combat operations between Franco-Bavarian troops and the allied army under the command of John Marlborough on the Danube theater of war in the summer of 1704. The study is carried out with wide use of memoir, epistolary and documentary sources. During the 1704 campaign on the Danube and in Bavaria, such typical features of the military art of the 18th century were manifested as excessive dependence on supplies and logistics, positional expectant nature of hostilities, their indecision and false methodism. As a result of the study, the author came to the conclusion that the Franco-Bavarian coalition was more inclined towards the canons of the military strategy that had developed by the beginning of the 18th century. It operated within the framework of positional maneuver tactics, enthusiasm for fighting on communications, demonstrating wait-and-see and passivity. French marshals were distinguished by their adherence to the template and therefore were predictable and expected. Unlike the enemy, John Marlborough and Eugene of Savoy managed to break out of the generally accepted tactical canons. During the 1704 campaign, they showed swiftness and offensive character, imposed a decisive aggressive struggle on the enemy, the culmination of which was a resounding victory at Blenheim on August 13, 1704.