War of the Spanish Succession, 1701–14

The principal claims to succeed the childless Charles II of Spain, last of the Spanish Hapsburg line, were those of Louis XIV of France and of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I of the Austrian Hapsburg line. Both monarchs were grandsons of Philip III of Spain. Since other nations looked upon a union of Spain with either France or Austria as a threat to the balance of power, both claimants promised to keep Spain independent. Louis transferred his claim to the Spanish throne to his grandson Philip, duke of Anjou; Leopold sponsored his second son, Archduke Charles.

Charles II died in 1700, leaving his throne to Philip, who as Philip V established the Bourbon line in Spain. Choice of the French claimant aroused the Austrian Hapsburgs, who wanted to keep Spain and its possessions in the family. In 1701 Austria, England, Prussia, and most of the German principalities formed the Grand Alliance to support the Austrian claim to the Spanish throne. France was joined by Spain and Bavaria.

The war was fought mainly in the Spanish Netherlands (modern Belgium) and in Germany. The related conflict in North America was called Queen Anne's War. The Grand Alliance won important victories, including the battle of Blenheim, under the Duke of Marlborough of England and Eugene, Prince of Savoy. The English fleet captured Gibraltar. (

A new threat sprang up when Archduke Charles became Holy Roman Emperor in 1711, as Austria's allies feared that the Hapsburgs would dominate Europe if Charles gained the Spanish throne. The Grand Alliance was dissolved, 1711, and peace negotiations began in 1712. The Peace of Utrecht was signed in 1713, and Austria signed a separate peace agreement with France in 1714. Under the treaties, the European powers acquiesced to Philip as king of Spain. The European empire of Spain, however, was broken up. Savoy received Sicily, and Austria was awarded the Spanish Netherlands, Milan, and Naples.