War of Devolution
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The War of Devolution took place from May 1667 to May 1668. In the course of the war, France occupied large parts of the Spanish Netherlands and Franche-Comté, both then provinces of the Holy Roman Em
Louis XIV visiting a trench during the war
Maria Theresa of Spain, whose unpaid dowry was used to justify the war
The Yser river, in Maritime Flanders; a good example of the geography in this area
Johan de Witt, Dutch Grand Pensionary; he had to persuade Louis to withdraw, while keeping him as an ally
Louis XIV
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Louis XIV was King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. He is a symbol of the Age of Absolutism in Europe for styling himself as "The Sun King" and "Louis the Great", which portrayed hi
War of Devolution
…Franche-Comté, both then provinces of the Holy Roman Empire ruled by Spain. Its name derives from an obscure law known as the Jus Devolutionis, used by Louis XIV to claim that these territories had "devolved" to him by right of marriage to Maria Theresa of Spain. The French encountered minimal resistance, but…
Portrait of Louis XIV, 1701
Louis XIV as a young child, by an unknown painter
Baptismal certificate, 1638
Louis XIV, then Dauphin of France, in 1642, one year before his accession to the throne, by Philippe de Champaigne