Date: September 11, 2023

During the 18th century, nations such as France and Great Britain quickly transformed into world powers and tensions surrounding absolutist monarchs and religion planted the seeds for conflict. One of the first hints of conflicts to come was the War of Spanish Succession which began in 1701 and ended in 1714. THUS….

On this day 314 years ago, the Battle of Malplaquet was fought during the War of Spanish Succession.

The Battle of Malplaquet was influential in that it turned the tide of the war towards France, however, I am using this battle as a segue into the War of Spanish Succession, a hidden, yet fascinating, event whose influence continues today.

The War of Spanish Succession was considered to be the first global war and it quickly emerged from the heated dispute surrounding the Spanish throne. The previous king, Charles II, died childless leaving no direct heir to the throne and thus, it was a scramble for the throne.The Spanish Habsburgs fought in alliance with the Holy Roman Empire and Great Britain against the Spanish Bourbons who were in alliance with France, both sides having dynastic claims to the throne. It is important to note here that in Charles II’s will, he left the kingdom to Phillip V, the grandson of King Louis XIV of France (and the cousin of Charles II), however, there lie the central issue.

King Louis XIV’s grandson, Phillip V, now had claims to both the French and Spanish throne due to Charles’ will. Surrounding nations quickly saw the danger of Phillip becoming King of both countries and thus, having the opportunity to form one absolute superpower. To make things even more complicated, Charles II had another cousin, Leopold I, who felt his grandson should be King and hence, the War of Spanish Succession began.

The war spanned over 13 years with multiple failed attempts of peace negotiations. It ultimately resulted in the establishment of Philip V as King of Spain, on the terms he be permanently removed from the French line to the throne thereby preventing the union of France and Spain. The war prevented France domination, which if allowed, would have drastically altered history. Stop for a moment and imagine what the world would look like if France and Spain were unified. How exactly would have history been altered? Would the nation remain a superpower or crumble due to religious polarizations? What would the unification mean for European politics? Much of what fascinates me about history, and this war in particular, are the possibilities of the “what if?”

Ultimately, it is evident to see the power-hungry tendencies of the European nations which characterized this absolutist time. More importantly, these nations saw firsthand the dangers of a global war and it’s uncontrollable nature, a war that was driven by a blind lust for more power and land. It was a lesson they quickly forgot and a repeat of the same mistake when the same lust for power began the World Wars centuries later.

Source:

https://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-the-Spanish-Succession