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How did the Battle of Ramillies change control of the Spanish Netherlands?

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Illustration of the Battle of Blenheim showing cavalry and infantry in combat, fallen soldiers, and smoke rising from cannon fire across a hilly battlefield. — War of the Spanish Succession The Battle of Blenheim (August 13, 1704), was the most famous victory of John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, and Eugene of Savoy during the War of the Spanish Succession.

The Battle of Ramillies on May 23, 1706, was a decisive victory for Allied forces under the Duke of Marlborough that fundamentally shifted control of the Spanish Netherlands. Following the defeat of the French army, the Allies gained control over the entire north and east of the region.1

Within less than two weeks of the battle, Marlborough secured command of the province of Brabant and the majority of Flanders. Key cities, including Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, and Oudenaarde, capitulated to the Allies. The subsequent fall of Ostend in July further strengthened the Allied position by improving communication lines with England. While the Allied advance eventually slowed when encountering better-fortified towns further south, the victory effectively paralyzed French forces in the region and forced the transfer of troops from other sectors to reinforce the shattered French lines.21