Fought on 19 May 1643 between the French army of the Duc d'Enghien and
the Spanish army under Francisco de Melo, Rocroi is probably one of the
most controversial battles in the long period of conflict between the
kingdoms of France and Spain. The numerous sources, be they official
accounts, memoirs, or correspondence, most often contradict each other.
The principal controversy of this battle, far from being anecdotal,
concerns the French right flank, placed under the direct command of
Louis II de Bourbon, the Duc d'Enghien. The version generally accepted
by historians of French sources affirms that the cavalry of Gassion
overthrew and quickly pushed back the first Spanish companies,
eventually defeating them. However, Spanish sources, defended by
historians beyond the Pyrenees, contend that the cavalry of the Duc
d'Albuquerque, opposing that of Gassion and Enghien, broke through the
squadrons and two infantry regiments of the French advanced guard on two
occasions! Thus, there exist today two battles of Rocroi: the one found
in Spanish works and the one found in numerous French works.
Reconstructing a global vision of the battle remains a delicate
undertaking. For this reason and to avoid any dubious interpretation, it
seemed necessary to Stephane Thion to include numerous quotations to
illustrate the unfolding of this battle.
