Editing War of the Spanish Succession (section)

==Partition treaties==
[[File:Charles II of Spain anonymous portrait.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7|[[Charles II of Spain|Charles II]], 1665–1700, last Habsburg King of Spain]]

Unlike the crowns of [[Kingdom of France|France]] or [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]], that of Spain could be inherited through the female line. This allowed Charles' sisters [[Maria Theresa of Spain|Maria Theresa]] (1638–1683) and [[Margaret Theresa]] (1651–1673) to pass their rights onto the children of their respective marriages with Louis XIV and Emperor Leopold. Louis sought to avoid conflict over the issue through direct negotiation with his main opponent [[William III of England]] while excluding the Spanish.{{sfn|Frey|Frey|1995|p=389}}

Leopold and Margaret's daughter [[Maria Antonia of Austria|Maria Antonia]] (1669–1692) married [[Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria]] in 1685, and on 28 October 1692, they had a son, [[Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria|Joseph Ferdinand]]. Under the October 1698 [[Treaty of The Hague (1698)|Treaty of the Hague]] between France, Britain and the Dutch Republic, five-year-old Joseph was designated heir to Charles II; in return, France and Austria would receive parts of Spain's European territories.{{sfn|McKay|Scott|1983|pp=54–55}} Charles refused to accept this; on 14 November 1698, he published a will leaving an undivided Spanish monarchy to Joseph Ferdinand. However, the latter's death from smallpox in February 1699 undid these arrangements.{{sfn|Ward|Leathes|2010|p=385}}

In 1685, Maria Antonia passed her claim to the Spanish throne onto Leopold's sons, [[Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph]] and Archduke Charles.{{sfn|Ingrao|2010|p=105}} Her right to do so was doubtful, but Louis and William used this to devise the 1700 [[Treaty of London (1700)|Treaty of London]]. Archduke Charles became the new heir, while France, [[Duchy of Savoy|Savoy]] and Austria received territorial compensation; however, since neither Leopold nor Charles agreed, the treaty was largely pointless.{{sfn|Kamen|2001|p=3}} By early October 1700, Charles was dying; his final will left the throne to Louis XIV's grandson [[Philip V of Spain|Philip, Duke of Anjou]]; if he refused, the offer would pass to his younger brother the [[Charles, Duke of Berry (1686–1714)|Duke of Berry]], followed by Archduke Charles.{{sfn|Rule|2017|pp=91–108}}

Charles died on 1 November 1700, and on the 9th, Spanish ambassadors formally offered the throne to Philip. Louis briefly considered refusing; although it meant the succession of Archduke Charles, insisting William help him enforce the Treaty of London meant he might achieve his territorial aims without fighting. However, his son the [[Louis, Grand Dauphin|Dauphin]] rejected the idea; French diplomats also advised Austria would fight regardless, while neither the British nor Dutch would go to war for a settlement intended to avoid war. Louis therefore accepted on behalf of his grandson, who was proclaimed Philip V of Spain on 16 November 1700.{{sfn|Rule|2017|pp= 91–108}}