Editing Louis XIV (section)

===Causes and build-up to the war===
[[File:Hyacinthe Rigaud - Philippe V, roi d'Espagne (1683-1746) - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|left|[[Philip&nbsp;V of Spain]]]]
By the time of the Peace of Ryswick, the Spanish succession had been a source of concern to European leaders for well over forty years. King [[Charles II of Spain|Charles&nbsp;II]] ruled a vast empire comprising Spain, [[Kingdom of Naples|Naples]], [[Kingdom of Sicily|Sicily]], Milan, the Spanish Netherlands, and numerous [[Spanish Empire|Spanish colonies]]. He produced no children, however, and consequently had no direct heirs.

The principal claimants to the throne of Spain belonged to the ruling families of France and Austria. The French claim derived from Louis{{Nbsp}}XIV's mother Anne of Austria (the older sister of [[Philip&nbsp;IV of Spain]]) and his wife Maria Theresa (Philip{{Nbsp}}IV's eldest daughter). Based on the laws of [[primogeniture]], France had the better claim as it originated from the eldest daughters in two generations. However, their renunciation of succession rights complicated matters. In the case of Maria Theresa, nonetheless, the renunciation was considered null and void owing to Spain's breach of her marriage contract with Louis. In contrast, no renunciations tainted the claims of Emperor Leopold{{Nbsp}}I's son [[Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles, Archduke of Austria]], who was a grandson of [[Philip III of Spain|Philip&nbsp;III]]'s youngest daughter [[Maria Anna of Spain|Maria Anna]]. The English and Dutch feared that a French or Austrian-born Spanish king would threaten the [[Balance of power (international relations)|balance of power]] and thus preferred the Bavarian Prince [[Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria (1692-1699)|Joseph Ferdinand]], a grandson of Leopold{{Nbsp}}I through his first wife [[Margaret Theresa of Spain]] (the younger daughter of Philip{{Nbsp}}IV).

In an attempt to avoid war, Louis signed the [[Treaty of The Hague (1698)|Treaty of the Hague]] with William{{Nbsp}}III of England in 1698. This agreement divided Spain's Italian territories between Louis's son ''le Grand Dauphin'' and Archduke Charles, with the rest of the empire awarded to Joseph Ferdinand. William{{Nbsp}}III consented to permitting the Dauphin's new territories to become part of France when the latter succeeded to his father's throne.{{Sfn|Lynn|1999|p=267}} The signatories, however, omitted to consult the ruler of these lands, and Charles{{Nbsp}}II was passionately opposed to the dismemberment of his empire. In 1699, he re-confirmed his 1693 will that named Joseph Ferdinand as his sole successor.{{Sfn|Dunlop|2000|p=353}}

Six months later, Joseph Ferdinand died. Therefore, in 1700, Louis and William{{Nbsp}}III concluded a fresh partitioning agreement, the [[Treaty of London (1700)|Treaty of London]]. This allocated Spain, the Low Countries, and the Spanish colonies to the Archduke. The Dauphin would receive all of Spain's Italian territories.{{Sfn|Lynn|1999|p=268}} Charles{{Nbsp}}II acknowledged that his empire could only remain undivided by bequeathing it entirely to a Frenchman or an Austrian. Under pressure from his German wife, [[Maria Anna of Neuburg]], Charles{{Nbsp}}II named Archduke Charles as his sole heir.