---
title: "War of the Spanish Succession"
year: 1701
canonical: "https://recap.at/1701/spanish-succession-war"
slug: "spanish-succession-war"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1701-03-01"
---

# War of the Spanish Succession

> This multinational conflict reshaped European power balances and established Britain as a dominant global force through the Treaty of Utrecht.

When Spanish King Charles II died in November 1700 without an heir, two European powers scrambled to claim his throne and vast empire. France's Louis XIV pushed his grandson Philip of Anjou; Austria backed Archduke Charles. The resulting war from 1701 to 1714 reshaped Europe's balance of power and ended French dominance.

## Summary

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 succession between two candidates. These were Philip of Anjou, backed by his grandfather Louis XIV of France, and Archduke Charles of Austria, supported by the Grand Alliance. Significant related conflicts include the Great Northern War (1700–1721) and Queen Anne's War (1702–1713).

## Sources

- [War of the Spanish Succession](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Spanish_Succession) - Wikipedia

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Canonical: https://recap.at/1701/spanish-succession-war