was still less on the side of Portugal, where the Duke of Berwick,
who was in command of the forces of King Philip, defeated the English
and Dutch under the Duke of Schomberg and captured many towns.

The Portuguese rendered the allies but slight assistance. These
reverses were, however, balanced by the capture of Gibraltar on
the 21st of June by the fleet under Sir George Rooke, and a small
land force under Prince George of Hesse. Schomberg was recalled
and Lord Galway took the command; but he succeeded no better than
his predecessor, and affairs looked but badly for the allies, when
the Duke of Marlborough, with the English and allied troops in
Germany, inflicted the first great check upon the power and ambition
of Louis XIV by the splendid victory of Blenheim.

This defeat of the French had a disastrous effect upon the fortunes
of Philip. He could no longer hope for help from his grandfather,
for Louis was now called upon to muster his whole strength on his
eastern frontier for the defense of his own dominion, and Philip
was forced to depend upon his partisans in Spain only. The partisans
of Charles at once took heart. The Catalans had never been warm in
the cause of Philip; the crowns of Castile, Arragon, and Catalonia
had only recently been united, and dangerous jealousy existed between
these provinces. The Castilians were devoted adherents of Philip,
and this in itself was sufficient to set Catalonia and Arragon
against him.

The English government had been informed of this growing discontent
in the north of Spain, and sent out an emissary to inquire into
the truth of the statement. As his report confirmed all that they
had heard, it was decided in the spring of 1705 to send out an