Treaty of Baden Is Signed
The Treaty of Baden, signed on September 7, 1714, marked a significant conclusion to the War of the Spanish Succession, a conflict that involved multiple European powers. This war was initiated when Philip, Duke of Anjou, ascended to the Spanish throne in 1700, raising concerns among nations about the potential unification of France and Spain under one ruler. The Grand Alliance, composed of Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and later Portugal, opposed this prospect, leading to a series of military confrontations against France and its allies, including Spain. Notably, the British forces, led by John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, achieved several key victories against the French.
The Treaty of Baden, alongside earlier agreements from the Peace of Utrecht and the Treaty of Rastatt, established that Philip could rule Spain as Philip V, while ensuring that France and Spain would remain separate entities. This arrangement allowed for the establishment of an independent Bourbon dynasty in Spain, distinct from that of France. The treaty represented a crucial step in reshaping the political landscape of Europe, reflecting the intricate balance of power that characterized the era. The end of the war and the agreements that followed, including the Treaty of Baden, had lasting implications for European relations and territorial integrity.
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Treaty of Baden Is Signed
Treaty of Baden Is Signed
The Treaty of Baden between France and Austria was signed on September 7, 1714. It was the last of several treaties which ended the conflict known as the War of the Spanish Succession.
The war began when the grandson of King Louis XIV of France, Philip the Duke of Anjou, succeeded to the throne of Spain in November 1700. Although the legitimacy of his succession was not seriously questioned, many nations in Europe were determined to go to war in order to prevent it. France was already a powerful country, and Louis was an ambitious and aggressive king, so the prospect of the French acquiring Spain with its vast colonial empire and many European possessions was very threatening. Beginning in 1701 the newly formed Grand Alliance, consisting of Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and later Portugal, waged war against France. The French had Spain on their side, in addition to a collection of small German and Italian states.
Great Britain was the most formidable of France's enemies and leader of the Grand Alliance. John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, led English armies in a series of brilliant campaigns against the French, defeating them at the Battles of Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), Oudenaarde (1708), and Malplaquet (1709), in addition to several other encounters. Louis XIV initiated peace negotiations, which collapsed when the British demanded that France turn against Spain. The death of Emperor Joseph I of Austria in 1711 saved the French from defeat, however, because Joseph's successor Charles VI also had a claim to the Spanish succession and the British did not want to see the powerful Austrian Empire unite with Spain under one ruler.
One by one the various combatants made peace with France, with the principal agreement being that Philip would be allowed to take the Spanish throne but France and Spain would never unite. Philip became Philip V of Spain, establishing a separate Bourbon dynasty in that nation independent of the Bourbon kings in France such as Louis. These various treaties are known as the Peace of Utrecht, most of them having been executed at the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. The last of the treaties forging this settlement, however, were done at Rastatt in Germany on March 7, 1714, and then finally at Baden in Germany on September 7, 1714.