Editing War of the Spanish Succession (section)

==Prelude to war==
[[File:Philippe de France proclamé roi d'Espagne.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.0|Proclamation of Philip of Anjou as [[Philip V of Spain]], Versailles, 16 November 1700]]

With most of his objectives achieved by diplomacy, Louis now made a series of moves that combined to make war inevitable.{{sfn|Falkner|2015|pp=508–510}} The [[Tories (British political party)|Tory]] majority in the English [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] objected to the Partition Treaties, chiefly the French acquisition of [[Kingdom of Sicily|Sicily]], an important link in the lucrative [[Levant]] trade.{{sfn|Gregg|2001|p=126}} However, a foreign diplomat observed their refusal to become involved in a European war was true "only so long as English commerce does not suffer".{{sfn|Somerset|2012|p=166}} Louis either failed to appreciate this or decided to ignore it and his actions gradually eroded Tory opposition.{{sfn|Falkner|2015|p=96}}

In early 1701, Louis registered Philip's claim to the French throne with the [[Parlement of Paris]], raising the possibility of union with Spain, contrary to Charles' will, though Philip was only third in the French succession. In February, the Spanish-controlled [[Duchy of Milan]] and allied [[Duchy of Mantua]] in Northern Italy announced their support for Philip and accepted French troops. Combined with efforts to build an alliance between France and Imperial German states in [[Swabia]] and [[Franconia]], these were challenges Leopold could not ignore.{{sfn|Thompson|1973|pp=158–160}}

Helped by the governor, [[Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria|Max Emanuel of Bavaria]], French troops replaced Dutch garrisons in the 'Barrier' fortresses in the [[Spanish Netherlands]], granted at Ryswick. It also threatened the Dutch monopoly over the [[Scheldt]] granted by the 1648 [[Peace of Münster]], while French control of [[Antwerp]] and [[Ostend]] would allow them to blockade the [[English Channel]] at will.{{sfn|Israel|1990|pp=197–199}} Combined with other French actions that threatened English trade, this produced a clear majority for war and in May 1701, Parliament urged William to negotiate an anti-French alliance.{{sfn|Somerset|2012|p=167}}

On 7 September, Leopold, the Dutch Republic and Britain{{efn|England and Scotland were separate kingdoms until 1707 but the Treaty was signed by William as King of Great Britain}} signed the [[Treaty of The Hague (1701)|Treaty of The Hague]] renewing the 1689 [[Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)|Grand Alliance]]. Its provisions included securing the Dutch Barrier in the Spanish Netherlands, the Protestant succession in England and Scotland and an independent Spain but did not refer to placing Archduke Charles on the Spanish throne.{{sfn|Somerset|2012|p=168}} When the exiled [[James II of England]] died on 16 September 1701, Louis reneged on his recognition of the Protestant [[William III of England|William III]] as king of England and Scotland and supported the claim of James' son, [[James Francis Edward Stuart]]. War became inevitable and when William himself died in March 1702, his successor [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] confirmed her support for the Treaty of the Hague.{{sfn|Wolf|1974|p=514}} The Dutch now led by [[Grand Pensionary]] [[Anthonie Heinsius]] did the same, despite French hopes that without a [[Stadtholder]] the republic would be torn apart internally.{{sfn|Nimwegen|2020|p=261}} On 8 May the Dutch Republic declared war on France, followed by the British and the Emperor on 15 May and the [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial Diet]] on 30 September.{{sfn|Wolf|1974|p=514}}