War of the Spanish Succession

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War of the Spanish Succession

Philip accepts the Spanish throne as Philip V; November 16, 1700

Date July 1701 – 11 September 1714

Location • Europe: Low Countries, Italy, Hungary, Spain and Portugal
• North America: Spanish Florida, West Indies, Thirteen Colonies and St. John's,
Newfoundland
• Asia: India, East Indies
• Africa: West Africa
Result Treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt, and Baden
Territoria • Philip V is recognised as King of Spain but accepts permanent separation of France and
l Spain
changes • Spain cedes the Spanish
Netherlands, Naples, Milan and Sardinia to Austria, Sicily to Savoy, Gibraltar and Menorca
to Britain
• The Principality of Orange, the Ubaye Valley and Landau are ceded to France
• Dutch Republic is awarded barrier fortresses

Belligerents

• France
Holy Roman Empire
• Bourbon Spain

• Great Britain • Bavaria (until 1704)

• Dutch Republic • Savoy (until 1703)

• Pro-Habsburg Spain • Cologne (until 1702)

• Prussia (from 1702) • Liège (until 1702)

• Savoy (after 1703)

• Portugal (from 1703)

Commanders and leaders

• Charles VI • Louis XIV

• Leopold I • Claude de Villars

• Joseph I • Vendôme

• Eugene of Savoy • Berwick

• Louis William • Boufflers

• Guido Starhemberg • Villeroy

• Victor II • Philip V

• Frederick of Hesse • Maximilian II

• Charles Alexander

• John of Nassau

• Anne

• Robert Harley

• Marlborough

• Anthonie Heinsius

• Henry de Nassau

• Arnold Joost van Keppel

• Frederick I

• Peter II of Portugal

• António Sousa

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War of the Spanish
Succession:
Europe

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War of the Spanish
Succession:
North America

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War of the Spanish
Succession:
West Indies and South America

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) was an early 18th century
European war, triggered by the death in November 1700 of the childless Charles II of
Spain. It established the principle that dynastic rights were secondary to maintaining
the balance of power between different countries.[1] Related conflicts include the 1700–
1721 Great Northern War, Rákóczi's War of Independence in Hungary,
the Camisard revolt in southern France, Queen Anne's War in North America and minor
struggles in Colonial India.
Although weakened by over a century of continuous conflict, in 1700 the Spanish
Empire remained a global confederation that included the Spanish Netherlands, large
parts of Italy, the Philippines and much of the Americas. Charles's closest heirs were
members of the Austrian Habsburgs or French Bourbons; acquisition of an undivided
Spanish Empire by either threatened the European balance of power.
Attempts by Louis XIV of France and William III of England to partition the empire in
1698 and 1700 were rejected by the Spanish. Instead, Charles named Philip of Anjou, a
grandson of Louis XIV, as his heir; if he refused, the alternative was Charles, younger
son of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. Having accepted, Philip was proclaimed king of
an undivided Spanish Empire on 16 November 1700. The proclamation led to war, with
France and Spain on one side and the Grand Alliance on the other.
The French held the advantage in the early stages, but were forced onto the defensive
after 1706; however, by 1710 the Allies had failed to make any significant progress,
while Bourbon victories in Spain had secured Philip's position as king. When Emperor
Joseph I died in 1711, Charles succeeded his brother as emperor, and the new British
government initiated peace talks. Since only British subsidies kept their allies in the war,
this resulted in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, followed by the 1714 Treaties of
Rastatt and Baden.