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Louis XIV’s successor
After the death of the Spanish Habsburg King Charles II on 1 November 1700, his last will designated Louis XIV’s second grandson Philip Duc d’Anjou as his successor. -
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The war
The war started with a surprising Austrian offensive by Prince Eugen in Italy in 1701 and an Anglo Dutch offensive on the lower Rhine and Meuse under Marlborough in 1702. Bavaria then joined France in September 1702, and Savory and Portugal joined the Alliance. -
The gran alliance
In September 1701, the grand alliance of the Hague was formed between the United Provinces, England and Emperor Leopold I, who had declared war in spring and thus started the War of the Spanish Succession. -
Final victory
From 1706 onwards the question of how and when to make peace and on what terms would dominate politics. To most of the contemporary observesLouis XIV scored a final victory at the negotiation table when peace was made in Utrecht in March and April of 1713, creating the Treaty of Utrecht. -
Treaty of Utrecht.
With Great Britain And France having agreed a truce, the pace of negotiation now quickened, and the main treaties were finally signed on April 1713.
