InthemeantimetheCourtsofMadridandVersailles，exasperatedandalarmedbythefallofBarcelonaandbytherevoltofthesurroundingcountry，determinedtomakeagreateffort。Alargearmy，nominallycommandedbyPhilip，butreallyundertheordersofMarshalTesse，enteredCatalonia。AfleetundertheCountofToulouse，oneofthenaturalchildrenofLewistheFourteenth，appearedbeforetheportofBarcelona，Thecitywasattackedatoncebyseaandland。ThepersonoftheArchdukewasinconsiderabledanger。Peterborough，attheheadofaboutthreethousandmen，marchedwithgreatrapidityfromValencia。Togivebattle，withsosmallaforce，toagreatregulararmyundertheconductofaMarshalofFrance，wouldhavebeenmadness。TheEarlthereforemadewarafterthefashionoftheMinasandEmpecinadosofourowntime。Hetookhispostontheneighbouringmountains，harassedtheenemywithincessantalarms，cutofftheirstragglers，interceptedtheircommunicationswiththeinterior，andintroducedsupplies，bothofmenandprovisions，intothetown。Hesaw，however，thattheonlyhopeofthebesiegedwasonthesideofthesea。HiscommissionfromtheBritishGovernmentgavehimsupremepower，notonlyoverthearmy，but，wheneverheshouldbeactuallyonboard，overthenavyalso。Heputouttoseaatnightinanopenboat，withoutcommunicatinghisdesigntoanyperson。Hewaspickedupseveralleaguesfromtheshore，byoneoftheshipsoftheEnglishsquadron。Assoonashewasonboard，heannouncedhimselfasfirstincommand，andsentapinnacewithhisorderstotheAdmiral。Hadtheseordersbeengivenafewhoursearlier，itisprobablethatthewholeFrenchfleetwouldhavebeentaken。Asitwas，theCountofToulouseputouttosea。Theportwasopen。Thetownwasrelieved。OnthefollowingnighttheenemyraisedthesiegeandretreatedtoRoussillon。PeterboroughreturnedtoValencia，aplacewhichhepreferredtoeveryotherinSpain;andPhilip，whohadbeensomeweeksabsentfromhiswife，couldendurethemiseryofseparationnolonger，andflewtorejoinheratMadrid。
AtMadrid，however，itwasimpossibleforhimorforhertoremain。ThesplendidsuccesswhichPeterboroughhadobtainedontheeasterncoastofthePeninsulahadinspiredthesluggishGalwaywithemulation。HeadvancedintotheheartofSpain。
Berwickretreated。Alcantara，CiudadRodrigo，andSalamancafell，andtheconquerorsmarchedtowardsthecapital。
PhilipwasearnestlypressedbyhisadviserstoremovetheseatofgovernmenttoBurgos。TheadvanceguardofthealliedarmywasalreadyseenontheheightsaboveMadrid。Itwasknownthatthemainbodywasathand。TheunfortunatePrincefledwithhisQueenandhishousehold。Theroyalwanderers，aftertravellingeightdaysonbadroads，underaburningsun，andsleepingeightnightsinmiserablehovels，oneofwhichfelldownandnearlycrushedthembothtodeath，reachedthemetropolisofOldCastile。InthemeantimetheinvadershadenteredMadridintriumph，andhadproclaimedtheArchdukeinthestreetsoftheimperialcity。
Arragon，everjealousoftheCastilianascendency，followedtheexampleofCatalonia。Saragossarevoltedwithoutseeinganenemy。