Wait, did I describe how Berwick died? I meant to in one of my many Spanish Succession posts, but I don't think I did. He died at Philippsburg (the War of the Polish Succession siege in 1734, where Fritz met Eugene, and Voltaire was hanging around on the other side), and this is how he died.
French artillery: *is shelling Philippsburg* French guards: *are keeping people from straying into the area being shelled* Berwick: Let me pass! French guards: No one can pass! Berwick: Do you know who I am? French guards: But sir, the whole area- Berwick: I am the son of a king and a war hero and a general and marshal of France! I outrank you and I order you to let me pass! French guards: But, sir, if you'll let us explain- Berwick: DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? French guards: FINE. On your own head be it. Literally. Berwick: *rides past the line of guards* Berwick's head, 30 seconds later: *is ripped off by a cannonball, presumably a French one* French guards: We tried to tell him.
I must balance that with a more favorable anecdote: whenever Philip V was going ballistic because the Catalonians were supporting the Austrian cause (when, you know, they had been under Allied occupation during the war) and trying to treat entire besieged cities as nothing less than attainted traitors, Berwick, who was the general in charge of besieging the cities and bringing Catalonia back under Spanish control, kept going, "Look! Philip! Please understand that I'm on your side here when I say that these are your SUBJECTS and you can't treat them the same way you treat your ENEMIES. Maybe if you would be NICE to them, they might not REVOLT, because they have some LEGITIMATE grievances...you're not listening, are you. *sigh*"
And he very much tried to get out of invading Spain a few years later during the War of the Quadruple Alliance in 1719 and was very sad at having to make war on Philip.
So that is Berwick in the latter part of his life.
Self. Oh God. A Churchill. Sister to Marlborough (when he was still in his boytoy to Barbara Villiers phase), no less. I mean, I'm sure Horowski mentioned this, as these kind of cross connections are his favourites, but I had forgotten. For a combination of the Stuart with the Churchill gene pool, he sounds, except for his death, amazingly sensible, but maybe in the end those genes got him. :)
I'm sure Horowski mentioned this, as these kind of cross connections are his favourites, but I had forgotten.
He did! At least once, and maybe more than once, but I've at least run into it more than once in my Spanish Succession reading.
For a combination of the Stuart with the Churchill gene pool, he sounds, except for his death, amazingly sensible, but maybe in the end those genes got him. :)
Hahaha, that's hilarious. Yes, new headcanon, that's exactly what happened.
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Duke of Berwick
French artillery: *is shelling Philippsburg*
French guards: *are keeping people from straying into the area being shelled*
Berwick: Let me pass!
French guards: No one can pass!
Berwick: Do you know who I am?
French guards: But sir, the whole area-
Berwick: I am the son of a king and a war hero and a general and marshal of France! I outrank you and I order you to let me pass!
French guards: But, sir, if you'll let us explain-
Berwick: DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
French guards: FINE. On your own head be it. Literally.
Berwick: *rides past the line of guards*
Berwick's head, 30 seconds later: *is ripped off by a cannonball, presumably a French one*
French guards: We tried to tell him.
I must balance that with a more favorable anecdote: whenever Philip V was going ballistic because the Catalonians were supporting the Austrian cause (when, you know, they had been under Allied occupation during the war) and trying to treat entire besieged cities as nothing less than attainted traitors, Berwick, who was the general in charge of besieging the cities and bringing Catalonia back under Spanish control, kept going, "Look! Philip! Please understand that I'm on your side here when I say that these are your SUBJECTS and you can't treat them the same way you treat your ENEMIES. Maybe if you would be NICE to them, they might not REVOLT, because they have some LEGITIMATE grievances...you're not listening, are you. *sigh*"
And he very much tried to get out of invading Spain a few years later during the War of the Quadruple Alliance in 1719 and was very sad at having to make war on Philip.
So that is Berwick in the latter part of his life.
Re: Duke of Berwick
Self: *looks up who his mother was*
Self. Oh God. A Churchill. Sister to Marlborough (when he was still in his boytoy to Barbara Villiers phase), no less. I mean, I'm sure Horowski mentioned this, as these kind of cross connections are his favourites, but I had forgotten. For a combination of the Stuart with the Churchill gene pool, he sounds, except for his death, amazingly sensible, but maybe in the end those genes got him. :)
Re: Duke of Berwick
He did! At least once, and maybe more than once, but I've at least run into it more than once in my Spanish Succession reading.
For a combination of the Stuart with the Churchill gene pool, he sounds, except for his death, amazingly sensible, but maybe in the end those genes got him. :)
Hahaha, that's hilarious. Yes, new headcanon, that's exactly what happened.
Re: Duke of Berwick