unlikely with the levels of mistrust between both signatories, which had been at war almost continuously since 1670. William negotiated both treaties without notifying either Parliament or his own ministers, a practice still common in France but not in England. Lord Somers, part of the Whig Junto that managed the English government for William, was generally hostile to the provisions of the First Partition Treaty about which he had learned only shortly before its signature. Few of William's ministers in either England or the Dutch Republic trusted Louis, an impression strengthened when the Marquis d'Harcourt was sent as envoy to Madrid in November 1698 to build Spanish support for a French candidate. The Spanish were unwilling to allow their empire to be partitioned without consultation to suit the needs of foreign powers. On 14 November 1698, Charles published his will, which made the six-year-old Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria heir to an undivided Spanish Empire and thus ignored the territorial adjustments specified in the First Partition Treaty. When Joseph Ferdinand died of smallpox in February 1699, another solution was required. Negotiations The Spanish court was split into pro-Austrian and pro-French factions, the latter being led by Cardinal Portocarrero, Archbishop of Toledo. For much of Charles's reign, his government was controlled by the pro-Austrians, headed by his mother, Mariana of Austria, then following her death in 1696 by his second wife, Maria Anna of Neuburg. Under their influence, Spain joined the anti-French coalition during the Nine Years' War, which proved a disastrous decision. By 1696, France held most of Catalonia, while Spain was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1692; although Maria Anna managed to retain power with the help of spurious rumours of her pregnancy, Charles was forced to banish her German entourage. For various reasons, the Austrians were unpopular with most of the Spanish nobility, while Charles also resented their arrogance and made it clear to Harcourt that he would not agree to partition the empire. Many Spanish politicians preferred a French candidate since the wars of the last 50 years suggested France was a better ally than opponent, and its location meant it was better equipped to protect Spain than Austria. After the death of Joseph Ferdinand, Louis's senior foreign policy advisor, the Marquess of Torcy, quickly drew up a draft proposal with revised terms approved in principle by William in June 1699. However, when the suggested treaty was presented