Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/311

 LOUIS XIV. 299 The archduke, it is to be noted, was a younger son, not the actual heir of the emperor. The powers might make partition treaties, but Spain had its own views, and did not choose to be partitioned. King Charles declared that Philip of Anjou, a younger grandson of King Louis, was his heir; and having done so he died. Louis tore up the partition treaties by which he had bound himself, and accepted the whole Spanish inheritance for his grandson. For the moment Austria could find no allies to support her in resisting the breach of faith. William was paralysed by the dominance of the peace-party both in England and The Grana in Holland ; but Louis threw away his own advan- Alliance, tages. First he declared that Philip did not forfeit 1701# any right which might eventually arise to the succession to the French Crown. Then he turned Holland against him by eject- ing the Dutch troops from the barrier fortresses. Then the exiled King James 11. died, and Louis acknowledged his son as King of England j and the English people promptly swung over and clamoured for war. William's apparent defeat was turned into a triumphant victory when the Grand Alliance was formed against Louis in 1701 ; and, though William himself died almost immediately afterwards, he left the carrying out of his policy to the Duke of Marlborough, a diplomatist no less skilful than him- self, and a military genius far greater. At the outset of the war of the Spanish succession, France had two advantages that she had previously lacked. The French succession was popular in Spain, and the Duke of Savoy was her ally, as also was Bavaria. On the the Spanish other hand the allies, though they suffered inevitably Succession, 1702-1713 from divided counsels, had for leaders two greater commanders than any of the French, Marlborough and Prince Eugene. The Duke of Savoy did not long remain loyal to France, and Portugal joined the allies. The opening stage of the war gave the advantage on the whole to Eugene in Italy. In the Netherlands Marlborough was hampered by being subject to the control of the Dutch Estates, though as concerned the English government under Queen Anne he had almost a free hand owing to the influence held over the queen by his wife. Still, he was