In 1643 two powerful armies clashed: the French and the Spanish fought on the plain of Rocroi. It was not the first time. But this battle has gone down in History as the symbol of a change in European military hegemony: the Spanish Tercios were defeated by the French Regiments. But was that battle so decisive?

Alberto Raúl Esteban Ribas is a historian and economist. He has studied a doctorate in military history. He is a specialist in the military history of Spain, from the 16th-17th centuries. He has written several books on Spanish battles and military expeditions, as well as numerous articles for Spanish and international magazines. His current line of research focuses on the study of the Spanish armies and campaigns of the second half of the 17th century, considered the period of Spanish decline, and analyzing the reasons for such a situation.