Saturday 28 April 2012

Half-pay list for the year 1714 ~~ republication

Humbly, I wish to announce the forthcoming republication of A regimental list of the half-pay officers for the year 1714. This list, the original, was subject of an earlier post on this blog. This current republication is an annotated and edited version of the original version of 1714. It will be a limited reprint of 50 copies only. The publication is expected to be printed in the second half of May. Pre-orders are already welcomed and accepted.

Please see the publisher's site for more information and contact details.

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Putting Marlborough into perspective

From English language literature on the War of the Spanish Succession, written by Englishmen using English sources, one might get the impression that the Duke of Marlborough was the gift of the British islands to mankind, who defeated the French single-handed. The Dutch were merely a nuisance, an unwilling ally constantly avoiding combat and obstructing the Duke's ambitions and lust for glory.

Luckily, some historians are trying hard to counter this somewhat one-sided interpretation. Please see the excellent blog of of Jamel Ostwald where a new post stresses the importance of reading between the lines.