The Grand Alliance was signed on 20 December 1689 by William III, King of England and Scotland, and Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. A coalition between the Dutch Republic, England, and the Habsburg Mon
The architect of the Alliance, William III, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and King of England, Scotland and Ireland
The persecution of French Huguenots and his expansionist policies meant Protestant states like the Dutch Republic saw Louis XIV as a threat
The Battle of Lagos (1693) by Théodore Gudin; the loss of Dutch and English merchant ships caused huge financial losses, and increased opposition to the war
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The death of Charles II of Spain in November 1700 without children led to a contest for the successi
Clockwise, from top left: Battle of Blenheim (13 August 1704) Battle of Ramillies (23 May 1706) Battle of Almansa (25 April 1707) Battle of Denain (24 July 1712)
Charles II, 1665–1700, last Habsburg King of Spain
Proclamation of Philip of Anjou as Philip V of Spain, Versailles, 16 November 1700
Francis Rákóczi, leader of the 1703–1711 Hungarian revolt; funded by France, this was a major distraction for Austria