Publisher's Synopsis
The War of the Spanish Succession was an European conflict triggered by the death of the last Habsburg king of Spain, Charles II, in 1700. As he had reigned over a vast global empire, the question of who would succeed him had long troubled ministers in capitals throughout Europe. The balance of victories and losses shifted regularly over the course of the war, with both sides exhausted militarily and financially. As early as 1710, the Tories initiated secret talks with the French, seeking mutual ground whereon Great Britain and France could dictate peace to the rest of Europe. The Congress of Utrecht opened in 1712, but it was not accompanied by an armistice. One of the first questions discussed was the nature of the guarantees to be given by France and Spain that their crowns would be kept separate. In the meantime the fighting and suffering continued! The treaty secured Britain's main war aims: King Louis XIV's acknowledgment of the Protestant succession in England, and safeguards to ensure that the French and Spanish thrones remained separate. A series of separate treaties signed between 1714 and 1720 ended conflicts that continued in the aftermath of Utrecht between states involved in the War of the Spanish Succession. Utrecht marked the rise of Great Britain under Queen Anne and later the House of Hanover and the end of the hegemonic ambitions of France. It also secured the balance of power and helped to adjust the relations between the major European powers over the coming century. If you enjoy historical stories then you will want to read this book! It was written and published so that this essential part of our History will never be forgotten. Let this volume take you back in time to understand the very important tale of life or death of our ancestors.
