The Battle of Rocroi, 1643

This illustration depicts the Battle of Rocroi, fought on 19 May 1643, barely five days after the death of Louis XIII. The young Duke of Enghien, the future Grand Condé, led the cavalry charge that shattered the Spanish infantry, reputed invincible for decades. This resounding victory, achieved at the very start of the regency, demonstrated the continuity of French military power despite the change of reign and revealed the young general's tactical genius to the world.