James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick

Lore & Background

After his father's final exile, Berwick served in the French army under Marshal Luxembourg, including at the battles of Steenkerque and Landen, where he was taken prisoner by his uncle Charles Churchill and ransomed for 30,000 florins. He was attainted in 1695 by Act of Parliament, forfeiting his British peerages. In the War of the Spanish Succession, he commanded Franco-Spanish forces and was appointed a Marshal of France after his expedition against Nice in 1706. He won a decisive victory at the Battle of Almanza on 25 April 1707, defeating an Anglo-Portuguese-Dutch army. He was created Duke of Liria and Jérica by Philip V of Spain in 1707 and Duke of Fitz-James in the Peerage of France by Louis XIV in 1710. He was decapitated by a cannonball during the Siege of Philippsburg in 1734.

Reader's Guide

James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, is significant as a military commander who served both the Jacobite cause and the French crown. His victory at Almanza in 1707 was a pivotal moment in the War of the Spanish Succession, ending Allied hopes of placing a Habsburg on the Spanish throne. As a Marshal of France, he demonstrated strategic acumen, notably in the defense of Lille and the preservation of his army. His career illustrates the complex loyalties of the era, as an English-born officer who fought against England. His legacy is tied to his military achievements and his role in the Bourbon consolidation of Spain.

Did You Know?

• He was the eldest illegitimate son of James II of England by Arabella Churchill, sister of the Duke of Marlborough.
• He was decapitated by a cannonball during the Siege of Philippsburg in 1734.
• He was created Duke of Liria and Jérica by Philip V of Spain in 1707.
• He was taken prisoner by his uncle Charles Churchill and ransomed for 30,000 florins.