The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo
1851
The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo
1851
In 2300 years of recorded warfare, only fifteen battles, argues Edward Shepherd Creasy, truly reshaped the course of human civilization. This is not a catalog of bloodiest conflicts or most legendary duels. It is something far more ambitious: a judicial examination of the moments where the fates of empires, ideas, and freedoms hung by a thread and snapped one way rather than another. From the desperate stand of outnumbered Greeks at Marathon, where Miltiades faced a Persian horde with nothing but discipline and daring, to Napoleon's final Waterloo defeat, Creasy traces the threads of consequence that bind our modern world to those ancient decisions. What elevates this nineteenth-century masterpiece beyond mere chronicle is its author's rare fairness. Creasy, a judge by training, approaches each battle with the dispassion of a magistrate weighing evidence. He is neither British nor French nor German, but a cosmopolitan observer who judges outcomes by their impact on the long arc of human liberty. The battles themselves become arguments: that strategy, morale, and moments of individual courage at pivotal junctures matter more than the grinding machinery of war.
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“All republics that acquire supremacy over other nations, rule them selfishly and oppressively. There is no exception to this in either ancient or modern times. Carthage, Rome, Venice, Genoa, Florence, Pisa, Holland, and Republican France, all tyrannized over every province and subject state where they gained authority.””
— Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy
“Arnold may, indeed, go too far in holding that we are wholly unconnected in race with the Romans and Britons who inhabited this country before the coming over of the Saxons;””
— Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy
“Through the whole epoch of her prosperity, through the long Olympiads of her decay, through centuries after her fall, Athens looked back on the day of Marathon as the brightest of her national existence.””
— Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy
“he asked who, and what manner of men, the Athenians were. And when he had been told, he called for his bow; and, having taken it, and placed an arrow on the string, he let the arrow fly towards heaven; and as he shot it into the air, he said, 'O Supreme God! grant me that I may avenge myself on the Athenians.' And when he had said this, he appointed one of his servants to say to him every day as he sat at meat, 'Sire, remember the Athenians.””
— Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy
“871-900. Reign of Alfred in England. After a long and varied struggle, he rescues England from the Danish invaders.””
— Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy
About The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo
Chapter Summaries
- Preface
- Creasy explains his selection criteria for decisive battles and argues that certain conflicts have shaped all subsequent history. He emphasizes the importance of understanding how present conditions arose from past events.
- 1
- The Athenians under Miltiades defeat a vastly superior Persian force, preserving Greek independence and European civilization. This victory established European military superiority over Asian despotism.
- 2
- The catastrophic failure of Athens's Sicilian expedition marks the end of her imperial ambitions. This defeat prevented Athens from becoming a Mediterranean empire and left the field open for Rome.
Key Themes
- Divine Providence in History
- Creasy repeatedly emphasizes how these battles were guided by Providence to preserve civilization and Christianity. He sees God's hand directing events toward the ultimate triumph of European Christian civilization.
- The Clash of Civilizations
- Each battle represents a fundamental conflict between different ways of life - Greek democracy versus Persian despotism, Roman order versus Germanic freedom, Christian Europe versus pagan barbarism.
- Individual Genius Versus National Character
- The work explores how great individuals like Alexander and Hannibal can temporarily transcend their nations' limitations, but ultimately national character and institutions determine lasting success.
Characters
- Sir Edward Creasy(major)
- The author and historian who selected and analyzed these fifteen decisive battles. Former Chief Justice of Ceylon and constitutional scholar.
- Miltiades(protagonist)
- Athenian general who led the Greeks to victory at Marathon. A nobleman of the Aeacidae lineage with previous experience as prince of the Chersonese.
- Darius(antagonist)
- Persian king who sought revenge against Athens for burning Sardis. Commanded vast resources but was ultimately defeated.
- Alexander the Great(protagonist)
- Macedonian king who conquered the Persian Empire and spread Greek civilization across the known world. Military genius of unparalleled achievement.
- Hannibal(protagonist)
- Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps and terrorized Rome for years. Son of Hamilcar Barca, sworn enemy of Rome from childhood.
- Arminius(protagonist)
- Germanic chieftain who destroyed three Roman legions in the Teutoburg Forest. Liberator of Germany from Roman domination.
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Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy. The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo. Lex, lex-books.com/book/the-fifteen-decisive-battles-of-the-world-from-marathon-to-waterloo-d5169f89-bc49-430a-af50-d04bb19bb073.Edward Shepherd, S. C. (1851). The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-fifteen-decisive-battles-of-the-world-from-marathon-to-waterloo-d5169f89-bc49-430a-af50-d04bb19bb073Edward Shepherd, Sir Creasy. The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-fifteen-decisive-battles-of-the-world-from-marathon-to-waterloo-d5169f89-bc49-430a-af50-d04bb19bb073.
