War of the Spanish Succession

1702-14

Fought by France, Bavaria, and Spain against Britain, Austria, Prussia, Denmark, Holland, and Portugal. Savoy fought for France first but changed sides after 1703.

The War was caused by Charles II of Spain dying in 1700 without direct heirs, leaving his throne to a grandson of Louis XIV of France. Louis immediately claimed his rights, though under partition treaties of 1698 and 1700 he had renounced his family's claims to the Spanish throne forever. The dangers of an ultimate union of France and Spain under one ruler were fully realised by the other major powers, but especially by William III of Britain (though possibly primarily in his role as stakeholder of the Netherlands), who formed the Grand Alliance, which declared was on France in May 1702.

Three outstanding generals took part in the war: John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough and Eugène François, Prince of Savoy, on the side of the Alliance, and the Duke of Berwick on the side of France. Marlborough won the battles of Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), Oudenarde (1708), and Malplaquet (1709); Berwick's greatest victory was at Almansa (1707). After 1710 British interest in the war flagged, and a Franco-British armistice was signed (1712). The Peace of Utrecht (1713) finally ended the war proper, although Charles VI fought on until 1714. The war left the Bourbon Philip of Anjou as king of Spain, but it was agreed that no single person should ever rule both Spain and France. Austria gained considerable territory in Italy, and also the Spanish Netherlands. Britain obtained Gibraltar, Minorca and land in Canada. Spain and France were both considerably weakened by the war itself, and the resulting territorial settlements left Spain-in-Europe a second-class power.

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