but the Remains of his Army with their Generals at their head submitted to the Conqueror. This, Madame, was the Success of the Battle of Pultowa; a Battle glorious to the Muscovites, but so fatal to the King of Sweden that he could never recover it: For after this Defeat this young Hero was always expos'd to the most cruel Reverses of that very Fortune, which in his early Years seem'd to delight in heaping Favors on him.
Mean time the two Families in competition for the Crown of Spain had not yet sheath'd their Swords. The King of Sweden was even yet in the Electorate of Saxony when the French lost the famous Battle of Ramellies, which procur'd the Allies the greatest part of the Spanish Netherlands. The Troops in Italy also distinguish'd themselves, and particularly the Prussians, who had so great a share in the raising of the Siege of Turin, that the Duke of Savoy wrote a Letter to the King, in which he extolled the Valor of the Prussian Generals and Soldiers. "Yesterday, said he, the Enemy's Army was intirely put to the rout in their own Lines before this place (Turin), in which your Majesty's Troops had the greatest share, and I can never enough commend their Bravery, nor the notable Valour of the Prince of Anhalt, who led them on, &c." This Letter was dated the 8th of September, 1706.
The Prince of Anhalt too sent an Express with the same News to the King, and gave a great Character of the Troops under his Command. "As your Majesty's Troops, said he, in his Letter, were the first that enter'd the Enemy's Trenches, so they have suffer'd very much, and especially the Grenadiers. I may
say that your Majesty's Forces have behav'd so well, that they are intitled to universal Praise and Admiration, &c." Then he enter'd into the Detail of the Losses sustain'd by the French, which were indeed very considerable. 'Twas upon this occasion that the Marshal de Marsin was wounded and taken Prisoner, and besides forty-five Pieces of heavy Cannon and one hundred and forty lesser that were taken from them, they lost a great Convoy of two thousand Mules and one thousand Horses, which was guarded by the Regiment of Dragoons of Chatillon.
The raising of this Siege, and the Reputation the Prussian Troops thereby acquired was very acceptable News to the King, and while the Court was rejoicing for this, there arriv'd other Advices which gave them no less pleasure; and that was the raising of the Siege of Barcelona. This City had been besieg'd for some time by the Marshal de Tesse; but King Charles who defended it made so stout a Resistance and such destructive Sallies upon the French Army, that the latter was oblig'd to retire. The King was inform'd of it by an Express from King Charles.
So many Successes one after another rais'd the hopes of the Allies prodigiously. The Terror the French Arms had for a long time impress'd upon their Minds soon wore off, and nothing was heard every where but shouts of Joy, to see so haughty a Nation at last humbled. Our Court was more rejoic'd than any other at this great News, and every one envy'd the Fortune of the Prussian Soldiers, when they saw that the Duke of Savoy and the Prince of Anhalt themselves, gave them the highest Encomia.
At this happy Juncture was celebrated the Marriage of the Prince Royal, which had been concluded at Hanover, a Journey the King made thither with the Prince his Son. This young Prince had for a long time such a veneration for the Princess the Elector's Daughter, as 'twas possible for the most accomplish'd Merit to inspire him with, and of all the Princesses in the World she was like to be the most acceptable to her Subjects; she represented to us the Idea of the late Queen, and as she was her Niece and design'd to succeed to her Dominions, she seem'd also to have inherited all the great Qualities that made the former ador'd at our Court. The Electoral Prince of Hanover married her at Hanover by Proxy, in presence of the Count de Finck the King's Ambassador. The Princess set out from thence some days after with a Train becoming her present and her future Dignity. The Elector her Father had given her the most magnificent Suits of Apparel and Jewels that could be got for Money, and they were purchas'd at Paris by a Man sent on purpose. The Duchess of Orleans was desirous to chuse and give Directions for the Clothes, and she afterwards shewed them to Lewis XIV. who thought them so rich that he said it were to be wish'd for the sake of the Mercers of Paris, that there were more Princesses that could afford to make such Purchases.
'Twas Novemb. 27, 1706, that this Princess made her public Entry at Berlin. The King met her about half a League out of Town. As soon as her Royal Highness perceiv'd the King's Coach she alighted, as the King did also from his and went to meet her. After having embraced the Princess he presented the
Prince Royal to her, together with his Brothers and the two Princesses. Then the King took Coach again, where the Princess plac'd herself on the King's left hand; and the two Margraves sate over-against them; the Prince-Royal and the King's three Brothers being mounted on Horseback. The Entry was one of the most magnificent that was ever seen. All the Troops then at Berlin were under Arms, as well as all the City-Militia, and drawn up in a Line from the Out-parts of the Town quite to the Palace. The next day after the Princess's Arrival, there was a sumptuous Feast, at which the Prince Royal and the Princess had Arm-Chairs, but for that day only; for the next day their Royal Hignesses sate in upright Chairs at the two ends of the Table.