Background
 1690s - all Europe awaited imminent death of Charles II, king
of Spain
 Charles II childless, and has no cousins in immediate Spanish
Hapsburg line
 so question arises of who will inherit Spanish throne and vast
territory!
 both Louis XIV and Austrian emperor Leopold I can make
almost equal claim to throne
 both monarchs have a Hapsburg princess as a mother and
Hapsburg princess as a wife
 (Maria Theresa – Louis XIV, but she has specifically renounced
claims to Spanish throne)
Europe, pre-War of the Spanish Succession
Hapsburg Succession
1698 – 1700: Partition Treaties,
Wills, & Royal Drama
 1698, William III and Louis XIV sign treaty to divide up
Hapsburg domain held by Charles II
 sign partition treaty accepting right of young Joseph Ferdinand
of Bavaria to all of Spain’s territory except Italy

to be split between Hapsburgs and Bourbons (Milan to Austria, rest
to French)
 but…Charles II not dead yet
 outraged at blatant carving up of his territory
 responds with will naming Joseph Ferdinand as heir to all of
Spanish possessions
 son of Leopold I’s daughter and her Bavarian prince husband
 but Joseph Ferdinand dies, 1699
Further Treaties of
Partition
 1699 – William & Louis come up with second partition treaty
 more generous to Hapsburgs  son of Austrian emperor
(Archduke Charles) to get everything except Italy and Lorraine (to
France)
 ticks Charles II off again, so he changes his will again!
 leaves everything to Bourbon prince Philip, grandson of Louis
XIV
 then Charles dies a month later
 ignoring the most recent partition treaty, Louis XIV accepts
grandson’s inheritance and treats him as Philip V of Spain
 Austrians don’t accept this, though, and begin preparations for
war!
1701 – 1702: A line in the
sand – Europe takes sides
 as of 1701, fight was only between France and Austria
(Louis XIV vs Leopold I)
 each fighting on behalf of successors, each of whom have
been identified in Charles II’s will
 if crown is not accepted by grandson of Louis XIV (Philip V),
throne will go to Archduke Charles, Leopold I’s son
 but, conflict soon draws in other European powers
 because Louis XIV begins taking an aggressive stance in order
to defend his grandson’s claim
France vs. Austria…and
others
 1702, England and Holland enter war in support of
Austrian emperor
 in response to French aggression
 along with many states within Germany, especially Prussia
 but, Bavaria joins war on France’s side, along with Spain,
Portugal and Savoy
 reluctant allies, acting mainly out of fear of Bourbons
 (would change sides in 1703, when tide shifted in favour of
Imperial forces)
1702 – 1706: Fortunes of
War
 basic aims of war: each side
trying to take control of
territories which make up
Spanish Hapsburg lands
 Austrian generals incredibly
successful: Prince Eugene
of Savoy rapidly seizes
northern Italy, Duke of
Marlborough advances into
Spanish Netherlands
1711 – 1712: Royal Deaths
 1710: Philip = 5th in line of succession to French throne;
Archduke Charles is next in line for Austrian throne
 (Leopold dies, 1705, new emperor Joseph I is Charles’
brother)
 1712: Philip 2nd in line of succession to French throne,
 because Louis XIV’s son dies 1711, along with 2 grandsons,
1712
 2-year-old is French heir (later Louis XV)
 Archduke Charles is now Emperor Charles VI
 Joseph I died childless, 1710
Deaths, Problems, and New
Strategies
 Charles VI, Emperor of Austria  problem for Allies!
 strategy all along has been to place Charles on the Spanish
throne
 but now it’s unacceptable for him to be both Spanish king and
Austrian Emperor!
  other problem! Philip V of Spain cannot be allowed to
inherit French throne!
 May 1712, persuaded to renounce all claims to France
 new political changes allow for peace negotiations to reopen, which are MUCH more favourable to France than
previous terms
1713 – 1714: Treaties &
Peace
 1713: TREATY OF UTRECHT
 Peace between France, Great Britain, Netherlands
 Treaty of Rastatt, 1714, ended war between France and
Austria
 Philip V guaranteed throne of Spain and Spanish overseas
colonies
 Gibraltar ceded to Great Britain by Spain
 from France, Britain receives Newfoundland, Nova Scotia,
Hudson Bay territory
 Louis XIV recognizes Protestant succession, promises to give
no further support to exiled Stuarts
 same promise made in 1697, but broken during WOSS
1713 – 1714: Treaties &
Peace, cont’d
 1714: TREATY OF BADEN
 Peace between France and Holy Roman Empire
 Spanish Netherlands become Austrian Netherlands,
Spanish territories in northern Italy ceded to Charles VI
of Austria
 elector of Brandenburg is made king of Prussia
 Stasbourg and Alsace officially ceded to France
Pragmatic Sanction
 1713, issued one week after signing of Treaty of Baden
 declared that Hapsburg inheritance is indivisible, and can
pass through FEMALE heirs
 line of succession: son, daughter, then daughters of Joseph I
 by 1720, every major European state accepts the Sanction
(France, Spain, Great Britain, Holland, Russia, Prussia)
 but doesn’t matter once Charles VI dies and is succeeded by
Maria Theresa…
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