Articles tagged with king william's war

Mahan on King William's War

The importance of seapower was growing in the later 17th century. Mahan begins his classic The influence of sea power upon history with this era. Over the next century great-power war would become increasingly global, making command of the seas all the more vital.

A few extracts from Mahan covering the 1690s. From Chapter IV on the war of the League of Augsburg.

War of the League of Augsburg

(FP note) The war of 1688 - 1697 has many names. The prosaic Nine Years War, or the more traditional War of the League of Augsburg. The latter has fallen out of favour, in that there was a League of Augsburg, but the war was fought by a wider alliance, and the name does not shed light on the war's reasons or aims. In the north American theatre, where English and French settlers recruited rival groups of native forces, it has generally …

Brief Historical Relation 1690 Q2

Political and other events

From Luttrell's Brief Historical Relation, a diary of news and current events (BR). These are all from vol. 2 of the 6 volume printed edition.

April 1690

French letters say that their squadron under the command of Mr D'Amfreville returned to Brest the 9th with 5,000 Irish, commanded by lieut. general Macarty; that the count D'Avaux, lieut. general Rose, with several other French officers, returned with them; that it was declared the dauphin should command the army on the Rhine, and under him by the mareschal de Lorge; the army in Flanders to be commanded by the duke of Luxemburgh; the marquesse de Boufflers is to command a body upon the Moselle; the duke de Noailles is to command in Roussillon, and the sieu de Catinat the forces towards Italy. They say that strict orders had been given for raising the ban and arrierban, which …

Brief Historical Relation 1690 Q1

Political and other events

From Luttrell's Brief Historical Relation, a diary of news and current events.

January 1690

Several horse are lately brought to town for the king's service.

The earls of Pembroke and Torrington have each a commission to raise a marine regiment, to consist of 12 companies each, and 200 men in a company, to go on board the fleet. BR 2.1, 1 January 1690

Pembroke is Thomas Herbert (1656 - 1733), 8th earl of Pembroke. MP for Wilton before taking up the peerage. Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, commanded the county militia in putting down Monmouth's rebellion in 1685. First Lord of the Admiralty from 1690 to 1692, also for short periods Lord High Admiral. Negotiator at Ryswick 1697. Lord Privy Seal 1692 - 1699. Lord President of the Council 1699 - 1708. John Locke dedicated his Essay Concerning Human Understanding to him.

Torrington is Arthur Herbert (1648 - 1716), fourth …