War of the Spanish Succession (Atlantic History)

Introduction

The War of the Spanish Succession is usually seen as part of a longer conflict involving the whole of western, southern, and central Europe, and was the last in a series in which an alliance tried to contain the expansion of France under Louis XIV. By 1689, a Grand Alliance consisting of the Habsburg Monarchy, England, and the Dutch Republic had formed, which was renewed in 1701 and would take on France and Spain. The War of the Spanish Succession was triggered by the decision of Carlos II of Spain to bequeath the full Spanish inheritance to the Duke of Anjou, a grandson of Louis XIV. As a result of the association between France and Spain, the Allies feared the balance of power in Europe would be upset, and Dutch and English overseas trade would be gravely damaged. Under the leadership of two military geniuses, the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Allies won great victories over France. Also, the logistic and financial infrastructure played a major part in winning the war. In a series of splendid victories (the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, Battle of Ramillies in 1706, Battle of Oudenaarde in 1708, and Battle of Malplaquet in 1709) the Allied army brought the Franco-Spanish alliance to its knees but never quite achieved ultimate victory. The War of the Spanish Succession was a conflict that spanned the globe, most notably the Americas, but was still primarily seen as a struggle for the hegemony in Europe and the balance of power. The War of the Spanish Succession has been largely uncontroversial as a subject of historiographical research. It is seen as the last great conflict to contain French aggression, the first war that sparked Anglo-French conflict in the colonies and the settlement of the balance of power. That said, from the 1970s onward historians have questioned the anti-French paradigm in which the war was cast, historians pointing out that by 1702 France had no master plan to achieve hegemony and tried to evade conflict. Revisionist history focuses mostly on the cultural, social, and religious context of the war. There is renewed attention to national sentiments, the role of the church, the Protestant interest in international relations, and the role of public debate.

General Overviews

Although plenty of short descriptions are available in multiple general textbooks on early modern Europe on the War of the Spanish Succession, specific overviews are actually scarce. The best starting point remains Bromley 1970, which is a volume of articles found in the New Cambridge History, which focuses precisely on the period of investigation. Though dated, the volume is still extremely useful for an overview of the main events, subjects, and participants.

Bromley, J. S., ed. The New Cambridge Modern History. Vol. 6, The Rise of Great Britain and Russia (1688–1715/25). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1970.
DOI: 10.1017/CHOL9780521075244Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
The articles by specialists in the field cover the main events of the interwar years (1697–1702), the War of the Spanish Succession (1702–1713), and the Peace of Utrecht. There are also chapters dealing with perspectives from the main participants (Spain, France, Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Austria), and chapters on international relations, economy and finance, religion, and more. Now also available as an e-book.
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Reference Works

Of the reference works available, by far the most useful is the encyclopedic overview Frey and Frey 1995, which provides hundreds of useful entries on the main subjects related to the War of the Spanish Succession and should be kept close at hand by anyone researching this topic. Next to Frey, the bibliographies on the War of the Spanish Succession, Dickinson and Hitchcock 1996 and Young 2004, are also indispensable tools for researchers.

Dickinson, W. Calvin, and Eloise R. Hitchcock. War of Spanish Succession, 1702–1713: A Select Bibliography. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1996.
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Useful bibliography of the war, divided into sections on war, diplomacy, and politics in various languages.
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Frey, Linda, and Marsha Frey, eds. The Treaties of the War of the Spanish Succession: An Historical and Critical Dictionary. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1995.
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Undoubtedly remains the standard reference work. It contains hundreds of entries, all provided by leading experts in the field, in the form of short biographies of the main personalities but also overviews of the main treaties and chronological overviews of conflicts and conceptual pieces on, for instance, the balance of power. Short bibliographies at the end of most sections add to the value of this compilation.
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Young, William. International Politics and Warfare in the Age of Louis XIV and Peter the Great: A Guide to the Historical Literature. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2004.
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William Young’s bibliography of international politics and warfare between about 1648 and 1721 is a very useful starting point to any inventory of the literature on this period. It starts with two chapters on international relations and warfare respectively, ordered by country, and then continues with chronological chapters. It includes many references to literature on the War of the Spanish Succession. Reliable and complete.
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Published Primary Sources

Obviously there are numerous primary sources that are relevant, some of which are now easily available online. This section focuses on some published correspondences, through which diplomatic relations and foreign policy can be reconstructed. Grimblot 1848 is important because it uncovers the strategic interests of France and England on the eve of the conflict. Snyder 1975, van ’t Hoff 1951, Veenendaal 2001 contain vital information about Dutch and English foreign policy and cooperation. The correspondence discussed here is from some of the central figures in this conflict, William III and Louis XIV; their correspondence deals with the main issues of grand strategy at the outset of the war. Very interesting as well are the letters of the Duke of Marlborough and Anthonie Heinsius (van ’t Hoff 1951, Veenendaal 2001), containing a wealth of information as well on logistic, financial, and diplomatic issues during the war. The journal of the Marquis de Torcy (Colbert 1903) and the letters of Henry St. John (St. John 1798) are important for understanding the final phase of the war. Antal and de Pater 1934 provides an insight in relations between the Maritime Powers and the emperor.

Antal, G. von, and J. C. H. de Pater, eds. Weensche Gezantschapsberichten van 1670 tot 1720. Vol. 2, 1698–1720. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1934.
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This collection of letters provides additional insight in the cooperation between the Maritime Powers and the Holy Roman Empire. Through the meticulous correspondence of the Dutch ambassador in Vienna, insight is provided into this tense relationship.
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Colbert, Jean-Baptiste. Journal Inédit de Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Torcy. Edited by Frédéric Masson. Paris: Société d’Éditions littéraires et artistiques, 1903.
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Jean-Baptiste Colbert was the central figure in French diplomacy during the War of the Spanish Succession. This journal is a rich source on the latter phase of the war and the peace talks which were initiated in 1709.
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Grimblot, P., ed. Letters of William III, and Louis XIV and of Their Ministers etc., 1697–1700. 2 vols. London: Longman, 1848.
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This is an old but still very useful collection of letters of the two main antagonists just before the War of the Spanish Succession, providing detailed insight into the matter of the Spanish Succession, most notably the negotiations on the Partition Treaties. They also familiarize the reader with the main issues that were deemed relevant on the eve of the war.
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St. John, Henry. Letters and Correspondence Public and Private of the Right Honourable Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke. Edited by Gilbert Parke. 4 vols. London: G. G. and J. Robinson, 1798.
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Henry St. John was secretary of state in the 1710 Tory government and advocated a peace with France. Responsible for secret talks, he was a key figure in the conclusion of the war, making this correspondence of vital concern.
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Snyder, H. L., ed. The Marlborough-Godolphin Correspondence. 3 vols. Oxford: Clarendon, 1975.
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During the War of the Spanish Succession the Continental war was facilitated by the cooperation of the Duke of Marlborough as military commander and Sidney Godolphin, the Lord Treasurer. Their correspondence, edited by Henry Snyder, is published in three volumes and provides an excellent insight into the “sinews of power” behind the war from the English side.
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van ’t Hoff, B., ed. The Correspondence, 1701–1711, of John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough and Anthonie Heinsius, Grand Pensionary of Holland. Utrecht, The Netherlands: Kemink, 1951.
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Another cooperation that was vital to the Grand Alliance was between England and the Dutch Republic. It was handled mainly by Grand Pensionary Heinsius and the Duke of Marlborough. Their correspondence spans almost the entire war and provides a valuable insight into the military, strategic, and diplomatic relations of the Maritime Powers. Should be read in conjunction with the Snyder and Veenendaal editions.
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Veenendaal, A. J., ed. De briefwisseling van Anthonie Heinsius 1702–1720. 19 vols. The Hague: Rijks Geschiedkundige Publicatiën, 1976–2001.
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A vast collection of letters by and mostly to Anthonie Heinsius, the Dutch Grand Pensionary between 1689 and 1720. This collection contains a wealth of information on domestic politics, military logistics, strategy, and diplomacy. An additional advantage of this very reliable edition is the added biographical list of all figures mentioned in any one of the volumes. Accessible for free online.
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Databases

Thanks to large-scale projects, thousands of pamphlets are now available online through Early English Books Online, Eighteenth Century Collections Online, and The Early Modern Pamphlets Online.

Early English Books Online (EEBO).
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This vast database contains scans of some 12,500 books and pamphlets published in England up until 1700, and therefore of interest to the student studying the causes of the War of the Spanish Succession. It can only be accessed by password, or through major institutions.
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Early Modern Pamphlets Online (TEMPO).
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A database containing scans of thousands of Dutch pamphlets located in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague, spanning the whole of the early modern era. A password is needed.
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Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO).
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ECCO, like EEBO, contains scans of English books and pamphlets (some 136,000) published between 1701 and 1800. Likewise, a password is needed.
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International Relations

Early modern international relations are not a fertile field for research, but there have been several prolific scholars in the field, most notably Jeremy Black, Lucien Bély, and Heinz Duchhardt. Luard 1992 and Black 2002 are useful introductory overviews of early modern international relations, whereas Duchhardt 1992 is a more thorough study of the period after 1700. Most of these works see international relations through the lens of balance of power and the state, but Bély 1999 emphasizes the continuing importance of princes and dynasties.

Bély, Lucien. La société des princes, XVIe–XVIIIe siècle. Paris: Fayard 1999.
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Lucien Bély has published several voluminous monographs on this period and topic, in which La Société des princes stands out. Argues that early modern international relations have too often been regarded through the prism of the modern state, whereas in fact, rather than a system of states, Europe around 1700 was still a society of princes who were connected through kinship and intermarriage.
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Black, Jeremy. European International Relations, 1648–1815. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave, 2002.
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Undoubtedly the most prolific author in the field, Jeremy Black has written dozens of books on early modern international relations. This one is a straightforward introduction with introductory chapters on international relations warfare, followed by five chronological chapters from Westphalia to Vienna.
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Duchhardt, Heinz. Balance of Power und Pentarchie: Internationale Beziehungen 1700–1785 (Handbuch der Geschichte der internationalen Beziehungen). Paderborn, Germany: Schöningh, 1992.
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Less accessible than Black 2002 and Luard 1992 but more thorough is Duchhardt’s work on the balance of power. Unlike Bély, Duchhardt does see the state as the primary actor, and deals with power and trade but also international law, etc. The book is structured around the balance of power and the formation of the “pentarchy.”
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Luard, Evan. The Balance of Power: The System of International Relations, 1648–1815. Basingstoke, UK: Macmillan, 1992.
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Luard describes the central feature of 18th-century international relations: the balance of power, which emerged in the latter half of the 17th century and reached its formative stage during the War of the Spanish Succession. The book is concerned with understanding how the quest for a balance of power ordered international relations: it is organized thematically and deals with sovereignty, states, trade, colonies, alliances, etc.
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Diplomacy

Early modern diplomacy is covered by the formidable work Bély 1990, a kaleidoscopic overview. Snyder 1970 provides an interesting case study about the professionalization of the British diplomatic service during the War of the Spanish Succession. Hatton 1970 and Spens 1997 are studies of individual diplomats that should be consulted next to Francis 1966 on the Methuens and Portugal (cited under the War from National Perspectives: Portugal). The classic Legrelle 1892 on French diplomacy is rich in detail and primary sources.

Bély, Lucien. Espions et ambassadeurs au temps de Louis XIV. Paris: Fayard, 1990.
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Bély’s massive study on diplomacy and espionage is probably the most profound of its sort, providing many insightful details into the world of diplomacy. The book is representative of what may be styled the “new diplomatic history,” with much attention to the cultural context of diplomacy and the social background of diplomats.
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Hatton, Ragnhild. “John Drummond in the War of the Spanish Succession: Merchant Turned Diplomatic Agent.” In Studies in Diplomatic History: Essays in Memory of David Bayne Horn. Edited by Ragnhild Hatton and M. S. Anderson, 69–96. London: Longman, 1970.
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Diplomacy is not always conducted by professional diplomats, but merchants, churchmen and commercial newsagents as well. Drummond was one such man, an acted as unofficial intermediary between the Dutch and English government during the critical negotiations leading up to the Peace of Utrecht.
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Legrelle, Arsène. La Diplomatie française et la succession d’Espagne. Vol. 4, La solution (1700–1725). Paris: F. Pichon, 1892.
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Classic study on French diplomacy and the war. Thorough and detailed, but dated. Includes primary sources.
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Snyder, Henry L. “The British Diplomatic Service During the Godolphin Ministry.” In Studies in Diplomatic History: Essays in Memory of David Bayne Horn. Edited by Ragnhild Hatton and M. S. Anderson, 47–68. London: Longman, 1970.
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Focuses on British diplomacy during the War of the Spanish Succession, during which the service was improved by secretaries of state such as Robert Harley and most notably by Marlborough and Godolphin. Restructuring was necessary after William III had been in complete control of English diplomacy and Anne was not prepared to carry out this restructuring. Snyder speaks of the formative years of the diplomatic service.
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Spens, Susan. George Stepney, 1663–1707: Diplomat and Poet. Cambridge, UK: James Clarke, 1997.
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Of all the English diplomats, George Stepney was probably the one building the largest archive. Now stored in the National Archives in Kew, it contains numerous attachments with additional information for the secretaries of state about the Holy Roman Empire where Stepney was stationed during the war. This is the first biography of Stepney.
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Bilateral Relations

One way of studying the War of the Spanish Succession is through bilateral relations between states, as it transcends the older nationalist perspectives. Below are several studies that reconstruct the development of Spanish-Dutch relations (Salinas 1989), the troubled relationship between Britain and a minor ally (Symcox 1983), and the heart of the Grand Alliance—the cooperation between the Maritime Powers (Wood 1971).

Salinas, David. La diplomacia Española en las relaciones con Holanda durante el reinado de Carlos II (1665–1700). Madrid: Ministerio de Asuntas Exerios, 1989.
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As a result of the expansion of France, the old belligerents Spain and the Dutch Republic found each other in their efforts to fortify and defend the Spanish Netherlands, an alliance severed in 1702. In this short book Salinas tracks Spanish foreign policy and relations with the Dutch through the reign of Carlos II (1665–1700).
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Symcox, Geoffrey. “Britain and Victor Amadeus II—or: The Use and Abuse of Allies.” In England’s Rise to Greatness. Edited by Stephen Baxter, 151–184. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983.
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Studies the relationship between Britain and Savoy during the Nine Years’ War and the War of the Spanish Succession, focusing in particular on Britain’s subsidy system in order to influence Savoy and thus its function in the construction of alliances and the conduct of grand strategy.
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Wood, C. W. “A Study of Anglo-Dutch Relations in the Grand Alliance, 1701–1706.” PhD diss., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1971.
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A useful doctoral thesis on the first years of Anglo-Dutch cooperation, dealing with naval, military, and diplomatic relations between the two Maritime Powers. Corrects an older study by Gabrielle van der Haute that was based on the correspondence of British ambassador Stanhope in The Hague. Wood uses Stephen Baxter’s concept of dual monarchy to denote a functional Anglo-Dutch alliance and investigates how this alliance functioned in practice.
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International Law

International law developed slowly but surely throughout the early modern age. De Backer 2007 is interesting for its focus on the actual implementation of treaties.

de Backer, Tim. ”Het uitvoeren van verdragen: De Vrede van Utrecht, Rastadt en Baden en de Oostenrijkse Nederlanden (1713–1731).” PhD diss., University of Gent, 2007.
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A doctoral thesis written under the supervision of Randal Lesaffer, one of the foremost experts on early modern international law. It explores the implementation of the Treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt, and Baden on the Austrian Netherlands.
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Warfare

There are numerous books and articles on specific aspects of warfare in this period, many being analyses of specific battles, most notably Blenheim. This section focuses on the main overviews and innovative studies available. McKay 1977 provides a useful study of Eugene of Savoy. There are numerous biographies of Marlborough, and Jones 1993 is an undemanding starting point. Lynn 1999 provides an important overview of the French military. Van Nimwegen 1995, Ostwald 2006, and Chandler 1976 are more technical studies: van Nimwegen focusing on logistics, Ostwald on siege warfare, and Chandler on the army in general. Hattendorf 1987 is an important study connecting warfare to diplomacy and politics. Francis 1975 is a case study of the Iberian campaign. The ponderous biography Churchill 1933, written about Churchill’s ancestor, is worth reading for its evocative power.

Chandler, David G. The Art of Warfare in the Age of Marlborough. New York: Hippocrene, 1976.
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Classic study of warfare around 1700. The book is divided in parts on infantry, cavalry, artillery, and engineering. Includes a number of appendices.
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Churchill, Winston S. Marlborough: His Life and Times. 4 vols. London: George G. Harrap, 1933–1938.
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Massive study by the famed statesman on his equally famous ancestor. Contains several volumes and is stuffed with maps and additional information. Shows some bias, and thus should be read with care.
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Francis, A. D. The First Peninsular War, 1702–1713. London: Ernest Benn, 1975.
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This is a well-written overview of the war on the Iberian Peninsula. Ordered chronologically, it is also an easy read.
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Hattendorf, John B. England in the War of the Spanish Succession: A Study of the English View and Conduct of Grand Strategy, 1702–1712. New York: Garland, 1987.
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Excellent study of English war policy, dealing with politics, diplomacy, naval, and military history. Hattendorf tracks the development of an English European-wide grand strategy aimed at encircling France.
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Jones, J. R. Marlborough. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1993.
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Concise and accessible introduction to the most famous general of the war, the victor of Blenheim and Ramillies.
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Lynn, John A. The Wars of Louis XIV, 1667–1714. London: Longman, 1999.
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John Lynn’s classic study of the French army of the Sun King is an accessible work, well written and accompanied by some maps and graphs. Chapters are organized more or less in chronological order, describing the several grand wars of Louis XIV ending with the War of the Spanish Succession.
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McKay, Derek. Eugene of Savoy. London: Thames and Hudson, 1977.
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Next to the Duke of Marlborough, Prince Eugene of Savoy was the foremost military commander during the War of the Spanish Succession. Fighting for the Emperor, mostly in the Italian theater. Good introduction.
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Ostwald, Jamel. Vauban under Siege: Engineering Efficiency and Martial Vigor in the War of the Spanish Succession. Leiden, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 2006.
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This is a study of the application of Vauban’s work on siege warfare. Ostwald researched numerous sieges of the War of the Spanish Succession, based on thorough archival research. A number of appendices.
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van Nimwegen, Olaf. De subsistentie van het leger: logistiek en strategie van het Geallieerde en met name het Staatse leger ten tijden van de Spaanse successieoorlog in de Nederlanden en het heilige Roomse Rijk (1701–1712). Amsterdam: de Bataafsche Leeuw, 1995.
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An exponent of the “New Military History,” van Nimwegen breaks with the tradition of heroic historiography, which concentrates on the successes and failures of military commanders such as the Duke of Marlborough. Instead, he analyzes the logistic underpinnings of the Anglo-Dutch war effort. Several thematic chapters describe the provisions for the army (ammunition, bread) and describes tactic and strategy after embarking on a rather detailed description of the campaigns.
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Economy

The scale of warfare necessitated structural changes in the economy and financial infrastructure. The main reason the Dutch Republic and Britain were able to sustain the war effort with more success than France and the Holy Roman Empire was their advanced financial system and well-developed economy. The establishment of the Bank of England and the development of the military-fiscal state coincided precisely with the wars against Louis XIV. Equally important, the overseas colonies and their trade became of major concern to the European statesmen, making the War of the Spanish Succession the first European conflict intimately related to overseas commercial concerns.

Naval Warfare and Trade

The War of the Spanish Succession signified an important shift; although the war was continental, the colonies were increasingly important. Israel 1990 and Crespo Solano 2011 study trade policy, whereas Bromley 1964 focuses on the role of naval warfare and trade.

Bromley, J. S. “The French Privateering War, 1702–1703.” In Historical Essays, 1600–1750, Presented to David Ogg. Edited by H. E. Bell and R. L. Ollard, 213–241. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1964.
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Bromley tracks the relative success of French privateering during the War of the Spanish Succession. This was not a war of grand naval battles, as the Maritime Powers established hegemony at sea quite soon. Nevertheless, French privateers were able to harm the Allied war effort and damage trade.
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Crespo Solana, Ana. “A Change of Ideology in Imperial Spain? Spanish Commercial Policy with America and the Change of Dynasty (1648–1740).” In Ideology and Foreign Policy in Early Modern Europe (1650–1750). Edited by David Onnekink and Gijs Rommelse, 215–242. Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2011.
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Ana Crespo Solana studies the nature of the Spanish commercial monopoly with America, of such vital concern during the War of the Spanish Succession. The article concentrates on a paradox: the ideological defense of monopoly versus the dependence on foreign traders in practice.
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Israel, Jonathan I. Empires and Entrepots: The Dutch, the Spanish Monarchy and the Jews, 1585–1713. London: Hambledon, 1990.
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Series of chapters on the relationship between the Dutch and the Spanish, focusing on diplomacy and trade.
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Economy and Finance

With armies ever growing, the quest for funds became vital for states. Some succeeded, some ultimately failed. Brewer 1989 is a classic study explaining why England managed to wage war and become a great power and still be financially strong, whereas Aalbers 1977 explains why the Dutch could not keep up. De Jongste and Veenendaal 2002 contains a variety of specialized articles on the relationship between war and economy.

Aalbers, Johan. “Holland’s Financial Problems (1713–1733) and the Wars Against Louis XIV.” In Britain and the Netherlands VI: War and Society; Papers Delivered to the Sixth Anglo-Dutch Historical Conference. Edited by A. C. Duke and C. A. Tamse, 79–93. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1977.
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Unlike England, the Dutch Republic failed to recover from the War of the Spanish Succession. In this article Aalbers explains how the debts acquired by the Dutch state as a result of the war incapacitated the republic as a great power in the decades after 1713.
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Brewer, J. The Sinews of Power: War, Money and the English State, 1688–1783. London: Unwin Hyman, 1989.
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Classic study on the emergence of the fiscal-military state in England after the Glorious Revolution. The renewed financial infrastructure enabled England to emerge as a great power during the War of the Spanish Succession.
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de Jongste, J. A. F., and A. J. Veenendaal, Jr. eds. Anthonie Heinsius and the Dutch Republic, 1688–1720: Politics, Finance & War. Papers presented at an international conference held on 29–30 March 2001. The Hague: Institute of Netherlands History, 2002.
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On the occasion of the finishing of the Heinsius correspondence project (see Published Primary Sources) a volume of essays was published on Dutch politics around 1700, with articles on foreign policy, finance, and warfare.
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Culture

In recent years, war studies have thematically broadened their scope. No longer do historians focus solely on military and diplomatic history but also on the culture of warfare, the role of national stereotypes in diplomatic negotiations, and the public debates. Moreover, the classic idea that religion ceased to be of much concern after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 is now increasingly coming under pressure.

Public Debates

Whereas traditionally the War of the Spanish Succession was the domain of military and diplomatic historians, there is now increasing interest in culture and society. Black 2011 studies the relationship between politics and public debates in England about the wars, whereas Müllenbrock 1997 has a more literary approach. Coombs 1958 tracks the opinion of English people on their ally, the Dutch. Haks 2005 tries to understand how diplomatic practice and the news industry interacted.

Black, Jeremy. Debating Foreign Policy in Eighteenth Century Britain. Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2011.
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Discusses the nature of debate on foreign policy in Britain. After several chapters on the mechanics and the nature of debate, Black discusses several wars in chronological sequence and their debates.
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Coombs, D. The Conduct of the Dutch: British Opinion and the Dutch Alliance During the War of the Spanish Succession. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1958.
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The Anglo-Dutch alliance was riddled with paradox. Although the Dutch and English were strategic allies and culturally and religiously tied, their interests, mostly commercial, were always in conflict. Thus, antagonism built up during the Anglo-Dutch wars did not simply disappear when the Grand Alliance was concluded. In this old but still useful study Coombs tracks English opinion of the Dutch through the analysis of pamphlets.
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Haks, Donald. “War, Government and the News: The Dutch Republic and the War of the Spanish Succession, 1702–1713.” In News and Politics in Early Modern Europe (1500–1800). Edited by Joop Koopmans, 167–184. Leuven, Belgium: Peeters, 2005.
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An article trying to gauge the interactive relationship between political debate, diplomatic negotiations, and news. It suggests that news had the capacity to influence diplomatic negotiations.
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Müllenbrock, Heinz-Joachim. The Culture of Contention: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Public Controversy about the Ending of the War of the Spanish Succession, 1710–1713. Munich: Fink, 1997.
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Interesting study of the emergence of the “public sphere” during the War of the Spanish Succession. Although Habermas’s thesis about the rise of the public sphere around 1700 has been disputed, the ending of the war still provides a great moment in the history of public debate. Müllenbrock tracks the disputes between Tories and Whigs to conclude or continue the war, focusing on various sources (pamphlets, books) as well as rhetorical strategies.
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Religion

Ostensibly Westphalia had ended the great wars of religion, but the conflict between the Maritime Powers and France retained a confessional undertone, as Claydon 2007 shows. Boles 1997 focuses more particularly on the role of the Huguenots in this conflict, whereas Viora 1930 studies the position of the Protestants in northern Italy. Haks 2002 aims to understand the role of the churches in war propaganda.

Boles, L. H. The Huguenots, the Protestant Interest and the War of the Spanish Succession. New York: Peter Lang, 1997.
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For the Huguenots, the War of the Spanish Succession was of particular interest. They often joined the Allied armies to fight against Louis XIV, or supported the war effort in writing or financially. They were ultimately disappointed when Utrecht contained no right of return. An interesting study.
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Claydon, Tony. Europe and the Making of England, 1660–1760. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
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Well-written study arguing that English national feelings were not an isolated affair but were constructed in a continuous interaction between England and Europe. The wars against Louis XIV therefore forged a specific nationalism fueled by religious and strategic concerns with the Continent.
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Haks, Donald. “Propaganda from the Pulpit?” Paper presented at an international conference held on 29–30 March 2001. In Anthonie Heinsius and the Dutch Republic, 1688–1720: Politics, War and Finance. Edited by J. A. F. de Jongste and A. J. Veenendaal Jr., 89–115. The Hague: Institute of Netherlands History, 2002.
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Haks studies the view of the Dutch Church in the War of the Spanish Succession. During the war, the church frequently organized fasting and prayer days to involve the public. Haks asks the question: was this war propaganda?
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Viora, Mario. Storia delle Leggie sui Valdesi di Vittorio Amedeo II. Bologna, Italy: Nicola Zanichelli, 1930.
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Classic work on the difficult position of the Waldensians in Savoy, a source of dissent between the Protestant powers and the Catholic duke.
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The War from National Perspectives

Although bilateral studies (see Bilateral Relations) provide a good insight in the international entanglements of the war, some of the best monographies have been produced from a national perspective. They help analyze domestic pressures and concerns in more detail. In this section, the focus is on the main participants (the “High Allies” and their counterparts), as well as some of the more considerate secondary powers.

England

With the exception of Hattendorf 1987 (cited under Warfare), there is not really a study of England during the War of the Spanish Succession, and it appears best to study this period through the lens of political biographies. An exception is Thompson 2006, a monograph on English foreign policy arguing that the cultural context was important. The biographies of Harris 1991 and Sundstrom 1992 focus on Sarah Churchill and Godolphin, respectively. Dickinson 1970 and Hill 1988 study the two Tories that ended the war. Should be read together with studies of Marlborough (see Warfare). Gregg 1980 and Holmes 1967 provide a more general overview of Queen Anne and her reign.

Dickinson, Harry T. Bolingbroke. London: Constable, 1970.
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Solid biography of Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbroke, who played a vital role as secretary of war in ending the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Gregg, Edward. Queen Anne. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980.
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This is the standard biography of Queen Anne, who played a more important role than historians have given her credit for.
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Harris, Frances. A Passion for Government: The Life of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. Oxford: Clarendon, 1991.
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Very good biography of the Duchess of Marlborough, who through her position as favorite of Queen Anne was able to support her husband’s war strategy.
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Hill, Brian W. Robert Harley: Speaker, Secretary of State and Premier Minister. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1988.
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Biography of one of the most intriguing politicians. Harley swung from opposition in the 1690s to government responsibility. Played a vital role in the last stage of the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Holmes, Geoffrey. British Politics in the Age of Anne. London: Macmillan, 1967.
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Holmes’s classic study on politics during the reign of Queen Anne remains a useful starting point. It is a solid empirical work but also known for its revisionist claim that parties were important in English politics.
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Sundstrom, Roy A. Sidney Godolphin, Servant of State. Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1992.
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Sound biography of the man who was first lord of the treasury during the War of the Spanish Succession and together with Marlborough enabled the war effort.
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Thompson, Andrew C. Britain, Hanover and the Protestant Interest, 1688–1756. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell, 2006.
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Thompson breaks with the realist view of foreign policy that focuses mainly on economy and geopolitics, arguing instead that British foreign policy was guided by religious and cultural ideas as well.
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Scotland

It was during the War of the Spanish Succession that Scotland became tied to England. Storrs 2008 is an interesting study in that it connects domestic concerns to war policy.

Storrs, Christopher. “The Union of 1707 and the War of the Spanish Succession.” Scottish Historical Review 87 (2008): 31–44.
DOI: 10.3366/E0036924108000462Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Argues that the Union of England and Scotland has too often been understood from an insular perspective. Storrs sees the union taking place in the context of the European war.
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France

There is not really a study on France during the War of the Spanish Succession, but there are numerous biographies of Louis XIV (and more are expected to commemorate his death in 1715). The most recent is Chaline 2005. Rule 1976 is important for understanding the structural changes in French diplomacy and foreign policy. Rowlands 2002 provides a new interpretation of the structural relationship between state, dynasty, and the army.

Chaline, Olivier. Le règne de Louis XIV. Paris: Flammarion, 2005.
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Recent biography of the Sun King. Impressive for its panoramic scope: in 700 pages Louis’s reign is analyzed, his foreign policy discussed, and the state of the realm explained. Plenty of attention to cultural and religious aspects as well. Nuanced on Louis’s foreign policy in 1701–1702.
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Rowlands, Guy. The Dynastic State and the Army under Louis XIV: Royal Service and Private Interest, 1661–1701. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511496882Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Historians used to believe that early modern France was an absolutist state. Rowland’s work fits into a tradition in which this view is deconstructed. Instead, he offers a more subtle view on the dynastic dimensions of early modern rule.
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Rule, John C. “Colbert de Torcy, an Emergent Bureaucracy and the Formulation of French Foreign Policy, 1698–1715.” In Louis XIV and Europe. Edited by R. Hatton, 261–288. London: Macmillan, 1976.
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Argues that French bureaucracy reached maturity during this period and analyzes Torcy’s role in making the conduct of diplomacy more efficient. Study of how diplomatic coordination works in practice, and especially how this worked during the War of the Spanish Succession.
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The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy

Historiography on the Habsburgs is always difficult to come by and not always easily accessible. Ingrao 1979 provides the best introduction for the uninitiated, since it also introduces the political system. The biography Spielman 1977 is useful for understanding Leopold’s concerns, whereas Frey and Frey 1983 focuses more specifically on the War of the Spanish Succession.

Frey, Linda, and Marsha Frey. A Question of Empire: Leopold I and the War of Spanish Succession, 1701–1705. New York: Columbia University Press, 1983.
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Monograph on the war policy of Leopold, who was bent on claiming the Spanish Succession for his son.
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Ingrao, Charles W. In Quest and Crisis: Emperor Joseph I and the Habsburg Monarchy. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 1979.
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An excellent and accessible biography of the Emperor Joseph, who ruled between 1705 and 1711. A first chapter explains the complicated constitution and financial infrastructure of the Habsburg Erblande. Deals with the War of the Spanish Succession, Austria’s interests in Italy, the relationship with Allied diplomats and the Rákóczi rebellion. A very useful starting point for anyone trying to understand Austrian policy during the war.
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Spielman, J. P. Leopold I of Austria. London: Thames and Hudson, 1977.
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Good introduction to the policy of Leopold I of Austria, who led the Empire into the War of the Spanish Succession. Provides important information about strategy and court parties and about conflicting war aims between the emperor and the Maritime Powers.
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Spain

Spain was the central and most intriguing (but also the most complicated and understudied) country. Storrs 2006 provides a useful revisionist overview of Spain at the eve of the war, arguing that it was not as much in decline as historians once argued. Kamen 2001 and León Sanz 1993 provide biographies of the two contestants for the inheritance, Archduke Charles and Philip of Anjou. Kamen 1969 studies the nature and the impact of the Iberian campaign.

Kamen, Henry. The War of the Succession in Spain, 1700–15. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1969.
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Classic study on the Iberian campaign and French influence in Spain.
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Kamen, Henry. Philip V of Spain: The King Who Reigned Twice. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001.
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An accessible biography of the main but often neglected character of the Spanish Succession, Philip V.
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León Sanz, Virginia. Entre Austrias y Borbones: El archiduque Carlos y la Monarquía de España (1700–1714). Madrid: Sigilo, 1993.
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Biography of the forgotten pretender. Studies the brief period Carlos ruled in Spain.
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Storrs, Christopher. The Resilience of the Spanish Monarchy, 1665–1700. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199246373.001.0001Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Revisionist study of Spain under Carlos II. It is normally argued that Spain was in inevitable decline under a weak king, but Storrs shows how administrative reforms, a commitment to the empire, and military muscle has been unjustly underestimated by historians.
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The Dutch Republic

The War of the Spanish Succession started just after the death of the King-Stadholder, but without him the conflict cannot be well understood. Troost 2005 has provided a thorough, up-to-date biography. Franken 1968 provides an important overview of Dutch strategic and foreign policy considerations in the second half of the 17th century, whereas Geyl 1937 focuses more specifically on the War of the Spanish Succession. Should be consulted together with Stork-Penning 1958 (cited under Negotiations and Peace).

Franken, M. A. M. “The General Tendencies and Structural Aspects of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy of the Dutch Republic in the Latter Half of the Seventeenth Century.” Acta Historiae Neerlandica 3 (1968): 1–42.
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An old but still useful overview of Dutch foreign policy and the structure of diplomacy in the second half of the 17th century.
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Geyl, P. “Nederlands staatkunde in de Spaanse Successieoorlog.” In Kernproblemen van onze geschiedenis. Edited by P. Geyl, 188–220. Utrecht, The Netherlands: Oosterhoek, 1937.
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An old but still admirably sharp analysis by a great historian of Dutch grand strategy during the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Troost, Wout. William III, the Stadholder-King: A Political Biography. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2005.
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Troost provides the most up-to-date biography of the King-Stadholder, which is valuable because of Troost’s particular knowledge of Dutch and Irish politics.
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Portugal

Portugal was a valuable member of the Grand Alliance. Initially wavering, Pedro II was persuaded to join the alliance after English and Dutch ambassadors were able to promise naval and military support against France. As such, Portugal became the base for the Iberian campaign. Through the lens of the British diplomats John and Paul Methuen, Francis 1966 provides an important insight into the Anglo-Lusitano alliance.

Francis, A. D. The Methuens and Portugal, 1691–1708. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1966.
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Francis admirably reconstructs Anglo-Lusitano relations through the dealings of John and his son Paul Methuen, consecutive British ambassadors in Lisbon.
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Prussia

Prussia was a scattered state bent on becoming a great power. This process is well analyzed through Frey and Frey 1984, a study of the first Prussian king, Frederick.

Frey, Linda, and Marsha Frey. Frederick I: The Man and His Times. New York: Columbia University Press, 1984.
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Biography of the elector who became king and led Brandenburg-Prussia into the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Savoy

Like Prussia, Savoy was an intermediate state that would exit the War of the Spanish Succession as a more important state than it was before. Storrs 1999 and Symcox 1983 provide solid studies on the relationship between state building and foreign policy of medium states.

Storrs, Christopher. War, Diplomacy and the Rise of Savoy, 1690–1720. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
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Study of Savoyard foreign policy during the War of the Spanish Succession by one of the most prolific authors on Mediterranean high politics. Structured thematically, the book includes chapters on the army, diplomacy, finance, the nobility, and more. Features more systematic attention to the army than in Symcox 1983.
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Symcox, G.. Victor Amadeus II: Absolutism in the Savoyard State, 1675–1730. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983.
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Discusses the institutions, finances, and structure of the state. Analyzes the role of Victor Amadeus II in establishing “absolutism,” and his vacillating foreign policy during the Nine Years’ War and the War of the Spanish Succession. Focuses more on actual events during the War of the Spanish Succession than does Storrs 1999.
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Spanish Netherlands

The greatest victim of the War of the Spanish Succession was undoubtedly the Spanish Netherlands, which suffered the most from the battles and became a trump card in the cynical card game of the great powers. Veenendaal 1945 and Geikie and Montgomery 1930 analyze the concern of the great powers with this strategically important area.

Geikie, Roderick, and Isabel A. Montgomery. The Dutch Barrier, 1705–1719. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1930.
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The Dutch Barrier became an obsession for statesmen around 1700. Geikie and Montgomery discuss the development of the barrier between 1705 and 1719.
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Veenendaal, A. J. Het Engels-Nederlands condominium in de Zuidelijke Nederlanden tijdens de Spaanse Successie-oorlog, 1706–1716. Utrecht, The Netherlands: Kemink, 1945.
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Analyzes the joint rule of England and the Dutch Republic over the Spanish Netherlands.
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Bavaria

The only ally of France and Spain was Bavaria. De Schrijver 1996 provides a good biography of its ruler.

de Schrijver, R., Max II Emanuel von Bayern und das Spanische Erbe: Die europäischen Ambitionen des Hauses Wittelsbach 1665–1715. Mainz, Germany: Von Zabern, 1996.
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Study of Max Emanuel of Bavaria.
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Conflicts in Other Theaters

Although the War of the Spanish Succession must primarily be seen as a conflict to restore the European balance of power, there were two kinds of conflict that complicated matters. The first was the War in the Colonies overseas; the Americas were the playing fields of the European powers and of increasing importance. Parallel to the War of the Spanish Succession ran the Northern War. Lastly, Rebellions had the capacity to intersect with the War of the Spanish Succession.

War in the Colonies

There are few studies of the War of the Spanish Succession overseas. Storrs 1999 studies the position of the Spanish Empire in 1700 and should be consulted together with Crespo Solano 2011 (cited under Naval Warfare and Trade). Pritchard 2004 focuses on the more obscure history of French America, whereas Miquelon 2001 studies the relative unimportance the French attached to their realm overseas during the Utrecht negotiations. Atkinson 1946 and Phillips 2007 should be consulted for the wars in the Caribbean theater.

Atkinson, T. “Queen Anne’s War in the West Indies.” Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 24 (1946): 100–109; 183–197.
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Classic two-part article on the War of the Spanish Succession in the Caribbean.
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Miquelon, Dale. “Envisioning the French Empire: Utrecht, 1711–1713.” French Historical Studies 24.4 (2001): 653–677.
DOI: 10.1215/00161071-24-4-653Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Focuses on French diplomacy and the Americas during the negotiations in Utrecht.
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Phillips, C. R. The Treasure of the San José: Death at Sea in the War of the Spanish Succession. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.
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Through the lens of a case study on sunken treasure, Phillips evokes the world of the Spanish transatlantic fleets and the War of the Spanish Succession at sea, as well as the inner workings of the Spanish administration.
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Pritchard, James. In Search of Empire: The French in the Americas, 1670–1730. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511808555Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Interesting study of France’s attempts to establish an empire in the Americas, which the Peace of Utrecht almost put an end to.
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Storrs, Christopher. “Disaster at Darien (1698–1700)? The Persistence of Spanish Imperial Power on the Eve of the Demise of the Spanish Habsburgs.” European History Quarterly 29.5 (1999): 5–38.
DOI: 10.1177/026569149902900101Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Analyzes the failed Scottish attempt to establish a colony in Panama. Concludes that the failure was due to Spain, still able to act assertively at the eve of the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Northern War

The Northern War of 1700–1721 never intersected with the War of the Spanish Succession but was of vital concern to some of the participants, such as Prussia. Frost 2000 provides a useful overview of the Northern Wars.

Frost, Robert I. The Northern Wars: War, State and Society in Northeastern Europe 1558–1721. Harlow, UK: Longman, 2000.
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Overview of the wars in the Baltic, including the Great Northern War that developed parallel to the War of the Spanish Succession but never quite became entangled.
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Rebellions

During the War of the Spanish Succession, several rebellions broke out, most notably in Hungary and the Cevennes. Frey and Frey 1987 is an interesting comparative study, whereas Glozier 2009 focuses on the Allied attempts to support the Cevennes revolt.

Frey, Linda, and Marsha Frey. Societies in Upheaval: Insurrections in France, Hungary, and Spain in the Early Eighteenth Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1987.
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Interesting short comparative study of several revolts taking place during the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Glozier, Matthew. “Schomberg, Miremont and Huguenot Invasions of France.” In War and Religion after Westphalia. Edited by David Onnekink, 121–153. Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2009.
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Glozier provides a well researched and detailed study of the attempts of Huguenots to invade France during the Nine Years’ War and the War of the Spanish Succession.
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Origins of the War

The War of the Spanish Succession cannot be understood without studying its origins. Most literature focuses on the balance of power (see International Relations) or the Spanish Succession. Roosen 1987 is an interesting starting point, questioning the anti-French paradigm of much of the older literature. Trotter 1994 tries to understand French concerns at the eve of the war, whereas Rule 2007 takes a more European perspective of the events surrounding the Spanish Succession.

Roosen, William J. “The Origins of the War of the Spanish Succession.” In The Origins of War in Early Modern Europe. Edited by Jeremy Black, 151–171. Edinburgh: Donald, 1987.
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Revisionist article, partly clearing Louis XIV, the traditional culprit, of blame for the War of the Spanish Succession and pointing to a systemic failure instead.
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Rule, John C. “The Partition Treaties, 1698–1700: A European View.” In Redefining William III: The Impact of the King-Stadholder in International Context. Edited by Esther Mijers and David Onnekink, 91–105. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2007.
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Rule reconstructs French policy at the eve of the War of the Spanish Succession, focusing on Louis’s dilemma in accepting the will of Carlos II.
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Trotter, Ben. “Vauban and the Question of the Spanish Succession.” Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Western Society for French History 21 (1994): 61–70.
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Discusses Vauban’s role as advisor to Louis XIV and his concern with safe borders.
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Negotiations and Peace

Throughout the War of the Spanish Succession, prolonged negotiations took place, which already started in 1705. Stork-Penning 1958 is a detailed but solid study of the early phase of the talks, whereas MacLachlan 1969 and Onnekink 2005 provide short analyses of the talks after 1710. Aalbers 1980 and Hatton 1950 study the Dutch Republic and England in the aftermath of the Peace of Utrecht. See also de Backer 2007 (cited under International Law) on the implementation of the Peace of Utrecht.

Aalbers, Johan. De Republiek en de vrede van Europa: De buitenlandse politiek van de Republiek der Verenigde Nederlanden na de vrede van Utrecht (1713), voornamelijk gedurende de jaren 1720–1733. I: Achtergronden en algemene aspecten. Groningen, The Netherlands: Wolters-Noordhoff, 1980.
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Based on massive amounts of primary material, Aalbers analyzes the aftermath of the Peace of Utrecht from a Dutch perspective. He argues that Dutch politicians were handicapped by the public debt that crippled the state until long into the 18th century, provides an erudite insight into the workings of Dutch politics and diplomacy. With a summary in French and a useful timetable.
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Hatton, Ragnhild. Diplomatic Relations between Great Britain and the Dutch Republic, 1714–1721. London: East and West, 1950.
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One of the earliest studies, based on a doctoral thesis, by the grand dame of early modern international relations, Ragnhild Hatton. Provides a clear insight into the mechanism of Anglo-Dutch relations and their development: the Anglo-Dutch alliance strengthened during the War of the Spanish Succession and continued afterward.
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MacLachlan, A. D. “The Road to Peace, 1710–1713.” In Britain after the Glorious Revolution, 1689–1714. Edited by G. Holmes, 197–215. London: Macmillan, 1969.
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Useful article analyzing the tension within the Tory ministry during the secret negotiations with France. Focuses in particular on the relationship between Bolingbroke and Oxford, arguing that the latter at all times remained in charge of the talks. Important, because Bolingbroke was associated with the October Club, the more radical flank of the Tory party bent on a hard collision with the Allies.
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Onnekink, David M. L. “Een generale, goede en duyrsaame vreede: het Utrechtse vredescongres (1713) vanuit Staats perspectief.” In Tussen Munster & Aken: de Nederlandse Republiek als grote mogendheid (1648–1748). Edited by Simon Groenveld and Maurits Ebben, 49–66. Maastricht, The Netherlands: Shaker, 2005.
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A reconstruction of the Dutch side of the negotiations in Utrecht in 1712 and 1713.
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Stork-Penning, J. G. Het grote werk: vredesonderhandelingen gedurende de Spaanse Successie-oorlog, 1705–1710. Groningen, The Netherlands: Wolters, 1958.
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A detailed study covering the unsuccessful quest for peace between 1705 and 1710. Stork-Penning’s exhaustive and at times overly detailed study is nevertheless to date the most important study of Dutch diplomacy during the War of the Spanish Succession. Summarized in J. G. Stork-Penning, “The Ordeal of the States: Some Remarks on Dutch Politics during the War of the Spanish Succession” in Acta Historiae Neerlandica 2 (1967): 107–141.
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